Hands-on User Experience

WebOptimization09/11/09
From high level management usability to hands-on user experience

By InfoStruct
Dirk Huysmans

Who is InfoStruct?
Consultant in everything web
Goal: Optimization
Tools:
Information architecture, usability, functional analysis
Search engine optimization, linking, sea
Communication, marketing, terminology
(Agile – iterative) Project management, best practices
change management – strategic choices
www.infostruct.be, Belgium
http://be.linkedin.com/in/dirkhuysmans

From high level management usability to hands-on user experience

Usability= analysis
Hands-on user experience = analysis + action (optimization): putting it right how it has to be & can be (in an economical context; budget, time, scope).
(Analysis= heuristic review or expert review)

Contents
Management usability
1.1 Scenario (yesterday?)
1.2 Why left on the shelf?
1.3 Usability 2009
Hands-on user experience
2.1 Management <> Usability & User experience
2.2 Solving specific problems
2.3 Method
2.4 Quick wins
Conclusion

Consultant steps in
Makes usability rapport (for higher management)
No/little/wrong (I will fix this!) contact with designers, developers and copy
=> Result: rapport is often left on the shelf
=> Nice to have and know, no action

Its high level usability
Consistency,
Feedback,
Recognition, not recall,...

Conceptual principles

1.2 Usability 2009
2009: Economical crisis => ROI (Results)
So, fix this.

So, hands-on user experience

Contents
1.3 Usability 2009
2.3 Method
2.4 Quick wins
Conclusion

2.1 Management – Usability & User experience
The higher the management position, the more conceptual the review will be made
TIP: make two reviews; one conceptual (for management), one practical (to do the work).

With
Screenshot (what’s wrong?) => wireframe (fix)
Workdivision
Copy
Design-branding
Processes

Only implicit use of the big (conceptual) principles

2.3 Method
Bottom up, page by page, audit
=> Not sexy, hard work, but very effective
Audit:
Functional analysis
Information architecture
Expert usability review – heuristic review
Processes (flow-interaction)
Design-branding
Copy

2.4 Quick wins (going for speed)
Less impact on company
Copy-terminology
Design-branding
Often no quick wins:
Processes: linked with back office processes
Longer path to follow

Contents
1.3 Usability 2009
2.3 Method
2.4 Quick wins
Conclusion

3. Conclusion: From Usability to User experience
Methods are the same
Goal is different
Not presentation
but Action!
to fix it
So, just look at it in a practical way....