1. Mobile Usability Jeff Wisniewski Web Services Librarian University of Pittsburgh facebook.com/wisniewski.jeff

2. Usability The study of the relative ease with which a user can complete a given task ….or, in a mobile context, an interaction

3. Designing for usability

4. Do it right Guidelines Manufacturer W3C

5. Check your assumptions at the door Mobile space is not a minified desktop Less immersive than desktop Context critical Microinteractions versus tasks Constant partial attention

9. Desktop sites Designed to satisfy most/all user needs Wide Deep Complex Used infrequently Stable mouse, keyboard, display 800x600 or better

10. Mobile sites/apps Simple Slim Deep, drill down Design to satisfy a few discrete user needs VERY infrequent use Fragmented hardware/software landscape

11. mobile users Immediate need for information

12. context is king

14. It should be difficult or impossible to get lost lost on a mobile site or in an app

15. Testing and evaluating

16. What to test? Functional testing Interaction testing User satisfaction

17. Layers affecting usability Hardware Software UI

18. Hardware Input mechanisms physical keyboard virtual keyboard touch voice Scrolling/navigation touch trackball/pad keys LOTS of significant variation in basic hardware

19. Software Device OS Device browser (for mobile websites)

20. Smartphone categories Touch-Screen Non Touch-Screen Tablets

21. Testing methods Heuristic evaluation Paper Simulators/emulators/ desktop On device Field Lab…sleds and cameras and capture, oh my!

22. Testing methods

23. Low cost, low tech Paper prototypes http://interactivelogic.net/wp/2009/09/iphone-wireframe-templates/ http://gliderguns.files.wordpress.com/2010/01/android_wireframe_templates3.pdf

26. Html prototyping Desktop Mobile device

27. Emulate, simulate Firefox user agent switcher https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/59/ Opera Mini http://www.opera.com/mobile/demo/ Blackberry http://na.blackberry.com/eng/developers/resources/simulators.jsp iOS SDK http://developer.apple.com/devcenter/ios/index.action Android SDK http://developer.android.com/sdk/index.html Fennec emulator http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/mobile/download/

28. Field testing “Results indicate that conducting a time-consuming field test may not be worthwhile when searching user interface flaws to improve user interaction” -Anne Kaikkonen, Aki Kekäläinen, MihaelCankar, TittiKallio, and AnuKankainen Journal of Usability Studies, Issue 1, Volume 1

29. Field testing redux “In the field-based evaluation we identified significantly more usability problems and this setting revealed problems with interaction style and cognitive load that were not identified in the laboratory.” It’s Worth the Hassle! The Added Value of Evaluating the Usability of Mobile Systems in the Field -Christian Monrad Nielsen, Nordic Conference on Human-Computer Interaction; Vol. 189

30. Near field advantage I’m guessing many of your colleagues and friends have smartphones….test with them first! Especially useful for basic functional testing!

31. Functional testing Mobile OK Checker http://validator.w3.org/mobile/ MobiReadyhttp://ready.mobi/launch.jsp?locale=en_EN

32. Lab testing Simulated and/or HTML prototype utilize desktop computers Lab devices ( you supply) expensive, difficult BYOP (Bring Your Own Phone) recruitment challenges

33. Lab equipment Cam? Sled ? Plusses and minuses

34. Automated testing tools Browsercamhttp://www.browsercam.com/Default2.aspx Deviceanywherehttp://www.deviceanywhere.com/mobile-application-testing-web.html

35. Subjectively yours User needs/wants Satisfaction

37. Questions & discussion THANK YOU

38. Resources A Guide to Usability Testing an iPhone app http://www.usabilitynews.com/news/article6496.asp 10 Excellent Tools for Testing Your Site on Mobile Devices http://sixrevisions.com/tools/10-excellent-tools-for-testing-your-site-on-mobile-devices/#more-4121

39. Resources UI guidelines iPhonehttp://developer.apple.com/library/ios/#documentation/userexperience/conceptual/mobilehig/Introduction/Introduction.html iPadhttp://developer.apple.com/library/ios/#documentation/general/conceptual/ipadhig/Introduction/Introduction.html Android http://developer.android.com/guide/practices/ui_guidelines/index.html Blackberry http://docs.blackberry.com/en/developers/deliverables/17965/index.jsp?name=UI+Guidelines+-+BlackBerry+Smartphones6.0&language=English&userType=21&category=Java+Development+Guidelines&subCategory=

40. Resources Emulators/simulators Firefox user agent switcher https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/59/ Opera Mini http://www.opera.com/mobile/demo/ Blackberry http://na.blackberry.com/eng/developers/resources/simulators.jsp iOS SDK http://developer.apple.com/devcenter/ios/index.action Android SDK http://developer.android.com/sdk/index.html Fennec emulator http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/mobile/download/

41. Resources Automated testing tools Browsercamhttp://www.browsercam.com/Default2.aspx Deviceanywherehttp://www.deviceanywhere.com/mobile-application-testing-web.html