User Experience Matters
So let’s test and play!
The people we design sites for
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4MwTvtyrUQ
Definition of Usability*
Usability is a quality attribute that assesses how easy user interfaces are to use.
The word "usability" also refers to methods for improving ease-of-use during the design process.
* Jakob Neilsen
Usability: Defined by 5 quality components*:
Learnability: How easy is it for users to accomplish basic tasks the first time they encounter the design?
Efficiency: Once users have learned the design, how quickly can they perform tasks?
Memorability: When users return to the design after a period of not using it, how easily can they reestablish proficiency?
Errors: How many errors do users make, how severe are these errors, and how easily can they recover from the errors?
Satisfaction: How pleasant is it to use the design?
* Jakob Neilsen
Utility, a key quality attribute
Utility: which refers to the design's functionality:
Does it do what users need?
Usability and utility are equally important:
Easy yet not what you want What you want but hard to get
Not a good sign
User Testing for Usability
The Benefits of User Testing
Fix it early
Test assumptions
Provide objectivity and solve the opinion issue
Inform the design process
Set Key Performance Indicators (KPI)
Budget, budget, budget
Steve Krug… my virtual mentor
“do-it-yourself” usability testing
What kind of people--and how many--to test (Steve’s motto: Recruit loosely, and grade on a curve)
What to test, and when to test it
How to facilitate--when to listen and when to probe
How to decide what to fix
Once a month, half a day, debrief over lunch
When to test
Early and often!
Napkin Test
Design mock ups
Prototype
Live site (rebuild)
www.openinterface.ie
How to test
One person per session
Screencast (audio)
One at a time
Have the user talk out loud
Ensure file of tools and content is ready
Use tools: http://sensible.com Scripts, forms, consent forms
Example Task
Provide the opportunity for the user to figure out what to do:
Bad: Post a job
Good: You are a business owner and wish to hire talent within the local technology community. Find a way to do this.
Example Questions
Ask about the site, not for their opinion: Bad: Do you like this?, What do
you think of this? Good: What do you think this is?
What would you do next?
Stay neutral and away from leading questions
What to fix*
Ignore what Steve calls – The Kayak Problems
Resist the temptation to add things
Take new features with a grain of salt
Take the low hanging fruit
* Steve Krug
Simple Tricks for Drupal UX
Custom menu
Normal names
Relational/suggestive content
Expanded help text
Web forms - less is more
Calls to action
USER TESTING – early & often!!
Stuff to know
Usertesting.com
Must reads if you build, design or manage websites: Don’t Make Me Think – Steve Krug Rocket Surgery Made Easy – Steve Krug The Elements of User Experience – Jesse James Garrett
Case Study: www.lethbridgecollege.ca
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