Wizard of Oz
Also known as: WoZ, Wizard of Oz Testing, Wizard of Oz Prototyping
A research and design method in which a human operator (the "wizard") secretly controls or simulates system responses that participants believe are automated. In accessibility research, Wizard of Oz studies allow researchers to test interaction concepts for assistive technologies before full technical implementation, enabling rapid exploration of design ideas and user preferences. This method is particularly useful when the envisioned system requires complex capabilities such as natural language understanding or autonomous navigation that are not yet fully developed.
Category: Research Methods · Design Methods · Human-Computer Interaction
Related: Technology Probe · Participatory Design