Research method for touch gesture design

Question

So, I designed/suggested some gesture for some actions for my college project. The design I made is based on common touch gesture (by common, I mean gesture usual gesture like 'tap with one finger' to do Select) and some that I based on real-world gesture. Then, I want to test those gesture I made to User. Like, do they like it? Which one did they prefer? (I give more than one gesture suggestion for an action)

But I'm confused, what research method I should use? Because Users have role, I thought it could be User-Centered Design. Then because Users only have roles in the end (like, give their feedback to my gesture suggestion), I thought maybe its method is Usability Testing. But then, since my focus is on the gesture itself and which gesture user preferred, I have a doubt it goes as far as usability...

Now I'm really confused, what Research Method I should use? Is there any research method/evaluation to evaluate touch gesture? Any example on that?

I'm sorry if I ask in wrong place, and maybe please tell me where I should ask.

Answer 1

If you're only looking to evaluate whether the user's like the gestures then I would have them complete a series of tasks using a prototype and then have a brief interview afterwards asking questions like, which gestures were memorable, which were hard, which worked differently than they expected, were any fun to perform, which did they like the most, etc.

If you're looking to evaluate which gestures perform the best then you should undertake some simple usability testing. Have the users complete mock tasks using a prototype and record things like task success (pass/fail), time to complete, gestures that users did/didn't intuitively use, etc.

Either way get the users using your gestures as soon as you can and you will uncover lots of interesting insights along the way.