设计可用的表单：表单的三层模型

在‘三层模型’中，一个表单有三种属性：感知（布局）、对话（问题和回答）、和关系（任务的结构）。

Jarrett, Caroline. uiGarden (2005). (Chinese) Design>Document Design>Forms

Better Reports: How to Communicate the Results of Usability Testing  

You've spent several days setting up a usability test, recruiting the participants and running it. Then you've pored over the data. What next? If you are doing usability testing as part of user-centred design within a business setting, then there are many ways that you can communicate the results. This paper looks at reports and then considers presentation and observation as alternatives to reports.

Jarrett, Caroline. STC Proceedings (2004). Articles>Usability>Reports>Testing

Caroline Jarrett on User Interface Design

Jarrett is one of the authors of User Interface Design and Evaluation, a beginning text for technical communicators moving into user interface design. Jarrett says this book is a perfect start for users looking to add usability basics to their toolbox. She also talks about forms, and how the best forms are ones you barely notice.

Jarrett, Caroline and Tom H. Johnson. Tech Writer Voices (2007). Design>User Interface>Interviews>Forms

Designing Usable Forms: The Three-Layer Model of the Form

Why do people say 'I’m not good with forms' or 'I don’t like forms' when a form is only a piece of paper, or a screen, with some printing on it? There must be something special about forms that inspires these comments.

Jarrett, Caroline. uiGarden (2005). Design>Document Design>Forms

Designing Usable Forms: The Three-Layer Model of the Form  

Why do people say 'I’m not good with forms' or 'I don’t like forms' when a form is only a piece of paper, or a screen, with some printing on it? There must be something special about forms that inspires these comments. The 'three-layer model” considers forms from three points of view: perceptual (layout), conversational (questions and answers) and relationship (the structure of the task). Analysing a form using the three layers helps to un-pick its problems, and to suggest ways of making it more usable.

Jarrett, Caroline. STC Proceedings (2000). Design>Information Design>Forms

Editing That Works

Collection of principles that can also form a process for editing web content to make it usable.

Jarrett, Caroline. Editing That Works (2005). Resources>Editing>Technical Editing>Usability

Hooray, I'm Doing the Forms!  

Everyone hates forms--users hate filling them out, and writers hate creating them. But forms offer writers a unique opportunity for rewarding work. Jarrett suggests ways to improve forms--and, possibly, users' lives.

Jarrett, Caroline. Intercom (2004). Design>Document Design>Forms

Market Research and Usability

I am a usability consultant and I believe, and find in practice, that usability evaluation is the best way to find out whether a document works for its users. However, I have frequently been in a position where my clients have decided to 'do market research' because they believe that they have a problem document and they think 'we’ll ask our customers about it.' Usability evaluation is one type of market research but it is not the most frequently used technique. In this article, I introduce some of the more common techniques and what you might expect to learn about a document by using them. I’ll use the example of a car owner’s manual–the small book that comes with a car, and explains things like how to change the oil and what the switches mean.

Jarrett, Caroline. Usability Interface (2000). Articles>Usability

Problems and Joys of Reading Research Papers for Practitioner Purposes  

Discusses reasons that practitioners read research papers and the obstacles that they face when reading research papers. Jarrett provides several examples and suggestions for improving the accessibility of research papers for practitioners. Her suggestions include writing clear titles, ensuring that the abstract states the study population and limitations of the study, and ensuring that the conclusions are written clearly. She also discusses her criteria for determining whether or not a research paper is relevant to her work.

Jarrett, Caroline. Journal of Usability Studies (2007). Articles>Publishing>Research>Writing

Sneak Preview of the Usability and Information Design Stem at the 51st Annual STC Conference

Here is a preview of the Usability and Information Design (UID) stem of the 2004 STC International Conference. You can also find the full stem in a spreadsheet that you can download (Excel format).

Jarrett, Caroline. Usability Interface (2004). Articles>Usability

Usability Means User-Centred Design  

To create usable products you must be user-centred throughout your development process: from setting goals to installation. Two case studies illustrate why this is important. User-centred design is about actively involving users and understanding their requirements. It is necessarily iterative and multi-disciplinary. User-centred design requires commitment from your organisation or your client and yourself. Choosing your activities to match the level of acceptance of usability in your audience will help to create that commitment.

Jarrett, Caroline. STC Proceedings (2001). Presentations>Usability>Audience Analysis

Usability Testing: Don't Let the Myths Put You Off  

Jarrett dispels several myths about usability testing that may dissuade technical communicators from applying valuable usability techniques.

Jarrett, Caroline. Intercom (2003). Articles>Usability>Methods>Testing

Usability Testing Then, Now and Tomorrow  

What is current practice in usability testing? How has it changed? What is essential for a good test and what is optional? We compare typical usability testing practice in the past (10+ years ago) with what we find is typical today. Then we look forward to predict what may happen in the future. We predict trends towards testing as a purchasable commodity, more remote testing, as technology makes it easier to ‘observe’ users over the Internet and more ‘mass market’ testing as businesses like Amazon try out their design ideas by micro-launching variants of their web site to see which one plays best with their customers.

Jarrett, Caroline, Dana Chisnell and Jeff Johnson. STC Proceedings (2005). Articles>Usability>Testing>History

We'll Never Get This Past Legal

Looks at usable writing, and convincing the legal department to adopt the tenets of clear writing.

Jarrett, Caroline. Usability News (2003). Articles>Writing>TC

Why Users Don't Complain About Unusable Forms

The email lists have been abuzz with discussions of the usability issues in the Florida ballot. A common question asked was why a ballot design with so many obvious ways of failing its users attracted no attention before the recent U.S. Presidential election.

Jarrett, Caroline. Usability Interface (2001). Articles>Usability