Concurrent think-aloud protocol (CTA) is often used in usability test settings to gain insight into participants' thoughts during their task performances. This study adds to a growing body of research within technical communication that addresses the use of think-aloud protocols in usability test settings. The eye movements and verbalizations of 10 participants were recorded as they searched for information on a website. The analysis of transcripts and real-time eye movement showed that CTA is an accurate data-collection method. The researcher found that the majority of user verbalizations in the study included words, phrases, and sentences that users read from the screen. Silence and verbal fillers that occurred during CTA enabled users to assess and process information during their searches. This study demonstrates the value technical communicators add to the study of usability test methods, and the paper recommends future avenues of research.

Abstract In 2002, cable television news programs adopted modular presentation styles visually similar to the design of news website home pages and newspaper front pages. This design convergence of print, television, and the Web is the result of a dynamic media context in which information acceleration is a catalyst for the formation of visual trends across media. Taking an interdisciplinary approach to information design and using grounded theory methodology, this article examines the visual evolution of the news and discusses the study's relevance to technical communication.