| The word "usability" has been gaining popularity and is | | | | problems (Jakob Nielsen, March 19, 2000), so set |
| quickly becoming a standard in web design and | | | | aside some time and have your users try to |
| development. But what is it? A derivative of the | | | | complete a set of tasks. Assuming you don't have |
| word "usable", usability basically means easy or | | | | access to your end user, grab a coworker (who isn't |
| convenient to use. Apply that to the worldwide web, | | | | on the project) and watch their expressions and their |
| and you get easy to use web sites. | | | | navigational habits. It's basic, and rudimentary, but it's |
| So easy to use is pretty subjective, right? Well, that | | | | a start. |
| depends. Easy to use doesn't just mean bigger | | | | Formal Usability Testing |
| buttons, quick links and a condensed navigation. | | | | You're ready to conduct a formal usability study and |
| Here's 3 ways to incorporate web site usability and | | | | have some of your customers or potential prospects |
| usability testing into your web site: | | | | available to participate in this study (Again, 5-6 users |
| Utilize Best Practices | | | | is fine, but don't forget the gratuity). These |
| Initial web site usability follows an extensive list of | | | | one-on-one sessions start out with a single user |
| best practices which outline how a user interacts with | | | | interacting with a web site or wire frame completing |
| a site, what they expect of a site, what they hope | | | | a set of tasks, and then a moderator asking them |
| to accomplish on a site, their method of obtaining | | | | follow-up questions regarding the experience. These |
| information and what confuses them, annoys them, | | | | sessions usually involve a quiet room, a camera and |
| or would make them want to leave. Tons of | | | | tracking software to watch a user's expressions and |
| research has already been done, and this is a great | | | | their navigational habits. After the study, the data is |
| first step. Be aware that not all users function in the | | | | analyzed and a formal usability report with key |
| same way, so it's best to conduct usability testing | | | | findings and recommendations is written. |
| with your user for the best user experience. | | | | The goal of any usability test is to figure out what |
| Informal Usability Testing - Do it Yourself | | | | you're doing right, what you're doing wrong, and learn |
| You only need 5-6 participants to catch 80% of your | | | | what your users want. So what are you waiting for? |