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Overviewdsdsd

Usability testing can make the difference between a sale and a ‘lost customer’ for reasons entirely avoidable. Clarity to use is a fundamental ‘must have’ when designing a web-site, and sometimes it takes real consumers, without any prior knowledge or interest, to show clients how many obstacles there are in the way of smooth and easy use of a site.

Independent usability testing, in a facility which allows clients, designers and suppliers to observe real consumers at work for themselves  can be extremely revealing; we can all quote examples of sites that we have walked away from rather than making a purchase due to some aspect of their usability. We also have walked away from ‘superior’ suppliers, due to the inaccessibility or user-unfriendly site.

The difference in font headings between help.html and guide.html is unlikely to drive a user away from your site; in fact it’s unlikely to even justify the expenditure of a consistency and style guide check. However a usability test which shows that the extra stage in your check-out process which was driving customers up the wall as they tried to find their username and password for your site (which they couldn’t remember because your registration process forced them to choose a username and password which differed from that which they would normally choose themselves) will be worth the expense......

So really the question shouldn’t be "Should we do usability testing?" it should be "How do we do it while maximising value and minimising the impact on our development process?" (or rather, that should be your question if you manage any form of development process whether it be websites, software or device designs).

We think we have the answer with our 'Giant Steps' usability testing process. 'Giant Steps' is intended to be an agile, iterative and cost-effective usability testing process for clients who are developing a web-site or software product. It is the perfect fit for a user-centred or agile development design process and will help clients develop a site or software that customers find easier to use, clear and efficient; while identifying and giving the opportunity to remove the most serious barriers to users’ adoption and enjoyment of your product and thus (hopefully) maximising returns.

If we've peaked your interest, read on for details as to the process.

The Processdsdsd

We will work closely with you to set goals which will best address the concerns you wish examined within the study. The goals will be refined at each iteration of the study to ensure that each stage is as effective as possible. Whatever stage of development you are at, from concept to post-launch we can tailor a study to give you maximum insights. For example at a conceptual stage we can perform a competitor study to see exactly what does and does-not work in existing sites or products so that what works well is incorporated into your preliminary designs and your design team does not spend time incorporating features that will be a waste of development effort.

Recruitment
Between 4 and 6 internet users meeting broad criteria compatible with the study will be invited to So What studios to partake in the study. They will receive a cash incentive to participate in the study.

Backroom & Testing
Clients, designers, developers and other stakeholders in the site design process are strongly advised to observe the study from our observation room. In fact we’re going to give you some honest advice here: if you don’t involve your development team in the testing process you have negated at least 50% of the value of the usability study. The true impact and most far reaching effects of a usability study is in the value and impact on the development team of seeing what does and does not work and especially in terms of features that don’t work, developers will tend not to make the same mistakes in the future.

Our observation room is equipped with a one-way mirror to view the participant during the study and audio is available from stereo speakers. The participant’s interaction with the website or software under examination is viewable via a large display in the observation room.

Our choice of testing protocol will be determined by what is most appropriate to address the goals and concerns for the study. For example for simple consumer driven web-sites a concurrent think aloud protocol with pre-defined tasks might be most appropriate but for a complex piece of software, per user negotiated tasks and a retrospective think alound might provide the deepest insights.

However the testing process is defined all sessions will be run by an experienced moderator to ensure that the session provides the maximum benefits, *equipment*

Debrief & Output

After the user tests are complete a debriefing with the observers will be conducted to highlight the main issues identified. The debrief isn’t just to share our insights but to facilitate discussion of the insights gained by the development team observing the user tests since it is quite probable that each member of the team will have gained something different from the session.

So What will produce a short summary report with 1 day. The report will highlight the BIGGEST issues, the "low hanging fruits" and the things which worked well. It will conclude with a set of recommended actions.

Iteration

The key to success of usability testing is to respond to the issues uncovered within each phase, and just as importantly, just because an element causing a usability problem has been changed or fixed, it is important to verify the success of any changes.

So What Next?dsdsd