CHEAP’N’EASY USABILITY Paul Canning First presented August 2006, East Midlands Conference Centre

Paul Canning

First presented August 2006, East Midlands Conference Centre

Introduction This presentation is about how YOU can do discount testing How to do discount testing Why you should do it Tackling perceived barriers

How to do discount testing

Why you should do it

Tackling perceived barriers

Do you want to hear the good news first or the bad news?

So you want to hear the good news? You’re already doing it

You’re already doing it

Take-away Anyone can do it Don’t need to sign up Discount testing is not a black art

Anyone can do it

Don’t need to sign up

Discount testing is not a black art

How come?

This ain’t new Jacob Nielsen article from 1994

Jacob Nielsen article from 1994

Saint Jacob Testers — Confidence 5 - 7= 80% 20 = 90%

Testers — Confidence

Jacob Nielsen’s Alertbox March 2000

Jacob Nielsen’s Alertbox March 2000

Jacob Nielsen’s Alertbox June 2006

Jacob Nielsen’s Alertbox June 2006

When would you need to hire an expert? When you know you can’t fix it yourself

When you know you can’t fix it yourself

In a design review At the beginning Interpreting lots of info Will produce ‘best fit’ web design styles Focus Group skills needed

At the beginning

Interpreting lots of info

Will produce ‘best fit’ web design styles

When you need serious web design expertise In a design review Making this ‘simple’ took expertise

When you need serious web design expertise

In a design review: For specialised usability needs Accessibility ‘ Shaving the percentages’ Analyzing ‘outliers’ Quantitative analysis Web log analysis

For specialised usability needs

Accessibility

‘ Shaving the percentages’

Analyzing ‘outliers’

Quantitative analysis

Web log analysis

Why do it? Woods and trees

Woods and trees

Why do it? Save money Avoid stress

Save money

Avoid stress

Why do it? Becoming more user focussed Answer management / directors / councillors

Becoming more user focussed

Answer management / directors / councillors

How to do it What to test Existing pages and sites Prototypes Design types

What to test

Existing pages and sites

Prototypes

Design types

CCC Car Parks paper prototype

CCC Car Parks paper prototype

Location: Quiet-ish Don’t obsess Pick different types of people Testers: Remember: 5-7 = 80% Confidence You: People skills Affiliation with deodorant

Location:

Two of you Observe each other Do it 5 times first up

Observe each other

Do it 5 times first up

Welcome them Tell them what you’re doing Set simple tasks Find a phone number Report something Tell them to verbalise (and remind)

Tell them what you’re doing

Find a phone number

Report something

Observe Don’t show them Answer with ‘Can you just show me?’ Take LOTS of notes Time how long they take

Don’t show them

Answer with ‘Can you just show me?’

Take LOTS of notes

Time how long they take

Debrief Ask them to talk about the website Ask them for ideas Give them a goodie bag

Ask them to talk about the website

Ask them for ideas

Give them a goodie bag

Results Obvious problems leap out Common ideas and comments leap out

Obvious problems leap out

Common ideas and comments leap out

Dangers Things not to do: Lead them on: generally, just shut up Smaller samples miss ‘outliers’, meaning: Some of our customers Good ideas The more you test the more useful information comes up

Things not to do:

Lead them on:

Smaller samples miss ‘outliers’, meaning:

Some of our customers

Good ideas

What bad news? Can be confronting Usability testing about error Upsets designers

Can be confronting

Usability testing about error

Upsets designers

Users fail most of the time “ The average outcome of Web usability studies is that test users fail when they try to perform a test task on the Web. Thus, when you try something new on the Web, the expected outcome is failure. ” Jacob Nielsen’s Alertbox, November 24, 2003

“ The average outcome of Web usability studies is that test users fail when they try to perform a test task on the Web. Thus, when you try something new on the Web, the expected outcome is failure. ” Jacob Nielsen’s Alertbox, November 24, 2003

Jakob Nielsen's Alertbox, November 2003

Jakob Nielsen's Alertbox, November 2003

Usability news

Usability Exchange stidy for SOCITM Usability exchange study for SOCITM

Usability exchange study for SOCITM

Everyday Usability is poor Packaging so badly designed it requires a knife to open Still improving ATMs The web has existed for a lot less time than packaging — so of course it's hard to use for a lot of people

Packaging so badly designed it requires a knife to open

Still improving ATMs

The web has existed for a lot less time than packaging — so of course it's hard to use for a lot of people

Must work for all these people

Summary Anybody can do discount user testing Your visits will increase More revenue will come via the web More transactions sucessfully completed Much happier customers It’s all good!

Anybody can do discount user testing

Your visits will increase

More revenue will come via the web

More transactions sucessfully completed

Much happier customers

It’s all good!

Resources www.useit.com www.usability.gov www.egov.vic.gov.au

www.useit.com

www.usability.gov

www.egov.vic.gov.au

Thank you for listening Paul Canning Web Development Officer Cambridge City Council 01223 457415 [email_address]

Paul Canning

Web Development Officer

Cambridge City Council

01223 457415

[email_address]