Changing The Guardian through “Guerilla usability testing”

“Changing The Guardian through guerilla usability testing" Martin Belam UPA Conference - Atlanta 2011 Lead User Experience & Information Architect, The Guardian @currybet

The Guardian.

50m monthly users, including 15m+ in the US

I joined The Guardian full-time in 2009

This is best description I’ve ever seen of what I do

News organisations like secretshttp://www.ﬂickr.com/photos/lisa_yarost/403783768/

What I am doing isn’t sciencehttp://www.ﬂickr.com/photos/naotakem/120643390/

At a Graduate Recruitment Fair we tested students

The quality of footage doesn’t matter

We invite users into our oﬃce to test beta builds

It is a quick way of discovering problems with an app

We were transforming our digital “culture” coverage

Let your location be your “screener”http://www.ﬂickr.com/photos/55935853@N00/3315381249/

I pounce on people in public to test our services

What about when it all goes wrong?http://www.ﬂickr.com/photos/49392213@N00/5094020075/

1 Get the right software I use Silverback on my Mac, and a Flip camcorder for “vox-pops”.

2 Clear computer clutter Use a blank desktop and switch oﬀ any software likely to generate “alerts”.

3 Use a new browser proﬁle You don’t want cookies or automatic search or URL completion aﬀecting the test.

4 Take someone else with you You’ll have lots to carry, and a mix of genders may make it easier to approach people.

5 Prepare your opening lines You have to repeatedly approach strangers. Be sure of what you’ll say.

6 Be ready to improvise If you stumble across a user of any of your services, be prepared to test that too.

7 Make clip reels, not epics I try to make a “maximal” cut of everything useful, then edit it into themed clip reels.

8 Know the limits of consent There is a reason I haven’t shown any clips in this presentation.

9 This is not science This is quick, dirty & cheap. Make sure that the rest of the business knows that.

10 Be polite. To everyone. Not just to users, but if you are hanging around a café, ask ﬁrst and buy coﬀee.

More testing. More open. Better products.http://www.ﬂickr.com/photos/49392213@N00/5094020075/

“Changing The Guardian through guerilla usability testing" Martin Belam Lead User Experience & Information Architect, The Guardian @currybet www.currybet.net martin.belam@guardian.co.uk

You can follow me on Twitter or on my blog

http://www.guardian.co.uk	166
http://testxxxyy.blogspot.com	13
http://www.workimprovers.nl	7
url_unknown	6
https://twimg0-a.akamaihd.net	2
http://localhost	2
http://online.cdu.edu.au	2
http://www.gucode.co.uk	1
http://comunidaddeinformaticaeducativa.wordpress.com	1
http://www.guprod.gnl	1
http://localhost:8000	1
http://127.0.0.1:8000	1

Changing The Guardian through “Guerilla usability testing”

by Martin Belam on Jun 23, 2011

Accessibility

Upload Details

Usage Rights

12 Embeds 203

Statistics

Changing The Guardian through “Guerilla usability testing” Presentation Transcript