Coming to the Aid of the Search Party

There is a definite logic to getting your company its critical share of search-engine visibility.

Miller, Nick. Sydney Morning Herald (2006). Articles>Usability>Search>Eye Tracking

Review: Comments on: Selker, Rosenzweig, and Pandolfo (2006). "A Methodology for Testing Voting Systems"    

In the article, 'A Methodology for Testing Voting Systems' (JUS, November 2006, pp7-21), Selker, Rosenzweig, and Pandolfo discuss their methodology for usability testing of voting systems. With so much at stake in the usability of our ballots and voting systems, we can only applaud any research in this field. There is little history of research in this area, so discussions of test protocols are especially valuable. Unfortunately, although this article sets out to compare 'the relative merit in realistic versus lab style experiments for testing voting technology,' it falls short of this goal. If their point is that real-world testing is important because real election environments add burdens that are not present in lab settings, this conclusion is not supported by any of the work described.

Quesenbery, Whitney, John Cugini, Dana E. Chisnell, Bill Killam and Janice C. 'Ginny' Redish. Journal of Usability Studies (2007). Articles>Reviews>Usability>Civic

Communicating the Results of Field Studies to Support Usable Design  

When you have completed the study, analyzed the data, and organized the interpretations and conclusions along with supporting data, you have to communicate the results to the people who need to know about them. How you communicate the results depends upon who the intended audience is, content needs of the audience, and the scope of the content. Increasing the odds of this information being used in the design process requires an understanding of the company's culture and the barriers limiting its use in the development process. Various strategies such as computer-slide presentations, reference notebooks, bound reports, and memos have been shown to be very effective in various circumstances.

Carlevato, Denise, Judith A. Ramey and Erin Leanne Schulz. STC Proceedings (1996). Articles>Usability>TC>Reports

Cómo Leen Los Usuarios en la Web

Los usuarios en la Web no leen, o por lo menos no lo hacen de la misma forma secuencial que cuando tienen entre manos un periódico, un libro, un artículo o un cómic. Los usuarios tienen necesidades y objetivos, metas que alcanzar, y saben que la forma de conseguir dichas metas no suele ser dedicando largos ratos a cada nodo web que visitan, leyendo de principio a fin sus contenidos y enlaces. El usuario, en una página, hará clic sobre el primer enlace que crea puede llevarle a lo que busca, necesita o pudiera interesar. Eso quiere decir que muchos de los contenidos y enlaces de ese nodo ni siquiera serán vistos por el usuario.

Hassan Montero, Yusef. Nosolousabilidad.com (2002). (Spanish) Articles>Usability>Audience Analysis

A Comparative Analysis of Heuristic and Usability Evaluation Methods  

Usability testing and heuristic evaluation are two methods for detecting usability problems, or bugs in software user interfaces. Usability testing identifies bugs that impair user per$ormance. It provides a realistic context for the product evaluation, whereas heuristic evaluation does not. Further, it provides an estimate of bug severity, while heuristic evaluation does not. To its detriment, usability testing is more expensive and time intensive than heuristic evaluation. It also tends to overlook bugs that may not affect user pelformance but may negatively impact the user’s perception of product quality. Recently, we have incorporated the bestfeatures of these two methods into one procedure which seems to work better than either method alone.

Simeral, Elizabeth J. and Russell J. Branaghan. STC Proceedings (1997). Articles>Usability>Testing

Comparative Usability Evaluation: CUE

CUE-1 is a comparative usability test of a Windows calendar program (Task Timer for Windows, version 2) carried out by four professional teams. The results were published at UPA98 in Washington DC in June 1998. CUE-2 is a comparative usability test of the popular www.hotmail.com web-site. Nine teams have simultaneously usability tested this web-site.

Dialog Design (1998). Articles>Usability>Assessment

Comparing Assessment Techniques  

In just the last few years, we have begun to see research studies comparing usability testing to other techniques for assessing usability. In general, usability testing has found more of the most serious usability problems and fewer of the least serious problems than other methods. Heuristic evaluation--having people evaluate the interface either from their own expertise or from a set of guidelines--has achieved mixed results. Although usability testing seems expensive compared to other methods, it may be less expensive when considered on the basis of 'cost per problem that needs to be fixed.'

Redish, Janice C. 'Ginny'. STC Proceedings (1993). Articles>Usability>Testing>Assessment

Comparing the Usability of Three Dual-Language School Websites

This study evaluated the usability of three websites for Spanish-English Dual Language K-8 schools. Twelve participants (6 parents, 6 teachers) reviewed and performed tasks on the three public school websites. Site usability was determined through both objective and subjective measures, including task completion time, first-click, total number of pages visited, task success, perceived task difficulty, user satisfaction, and overall ranked preference. Results indicated that one site was preferred more than the others by both user groups and resulted in more efficient search behavior. Clear navigation, link terminology, and proper use of both languages were found to be critical factors contributing to the sites’ usability.

Naidu, Shivashankar, Veronica D. Hinkle and Sav Shrestha. Usability News (2007). Articles>Web Design>Usability>Localization

A Comparison of Eye Tracking Tools in Usability Testing  

Eye tracking tools have recently attracted attention from usability professionals. Eye tracking offers usability researchers a new way to identify very fine-grained behaviors that indicate usability problems. This paper is a comparison of different types of eye tracking tools and their potential usefulness in usability testing. Specifically, the paper examines the cost of the systems, system types, sampling rate, and some system limitations. The paper aims to provide a basic introduction to technical communicators who are considering adding an eye- tracking system to their toolkit.

DeSantis, Rich, Quan Zhou and Judith A. Ramey. STC Proceedings (2005). Articles>Usability>Testing>Eye Tracking

A Comparison of Two Evaluation Techniques for Technical Documentation

This study compared two evaluation techniques, Usability Testing and Cognitive Walkthrough, in their ability to identify errors in aviation maintenance documentation. The techniques were evaluated to see how much unique information they each produced as well as the type of errors identified. Results showed that the techniques were complementary in their findings and both are recommended in the development of technical documentation.

Rogers, Bonnie Lida, Chris Hamblin and Alex Chaparro. Usability News (2005). Articles>Documentation>Assessment>Usability

Competition on World Usability Day 2007: Are You the World's Best Expert Reviewer?

A world wide expert review competition sponsored by Intuit and Infosys Technologies Ltd. was hosted by the Usability Professionals' Association, Bangalore on World Usability Day, 2007. The purpose of this competition was to expose all to a simple, yet powerful usability technique: heuristic evaluation. It also served to gather data to define heuristic expertise standards at a global level. This is critical as this popular and valuable technique is used by 76% of the usability community (UPA Survey, 2005) and it shows a cost-to-benefit-ratio of 1:48 (Nielsen, 1994). By defining these standards we can ensure that evaluations are of a certain standard.

Kirmani, Shazeeye, Shanmugam Rajasekaran, Deepa Bachu, Muthukumar and Amit Pande. Usability Professionals Association (2008). Articles>Usability

Composition and Usability

Since the advent of the Web, we've seen a myriad of design schemas evolve--from the simple navigation/content style of site to the cluttered portal. And as this evolution has progressed, so did the war between UI designers and usability experts. On one side, there are usability experts who want to make every website look exactly like Yahoo because users know Yahoo and so they will automatically know how to use the site. On the other side, there are UI designers who want to design entire sites in Flash and Shockwave just because it's cool. Overly dramatic? Well, yes, maybe a little--but it's not entirely a false analysis. Many UI designers that work with usability folk complain that their creativity is hampered, whereas many usability gurus complain that designers are confusing a site's user with their visual semantics. But are the goals of UI designers and the usability folk that far apart?

Cecil, Richard F. Digital Web Magazine (2000). Articles>Usability>Web Design>Semantic

Computer and World Wide Web Usage of WSU Undergraduates

At Wichita State University (WSU), computers and the Internet continue to be incorporated into the course curriculum. We have noticed At Wichita State University (WSU), computers and the Internet continue to be incorporated into the course curriculum. We have noticed there are a wide range of computer skills and web experience among the students enrolled in courses offered in the Dept. of Psychology. We were interested in surveying our undergraduate students at Wichita State to determine just how much computer and web experience they actually have. To do this, we conducted a survey to 488 undergraduates (32% male and 68% female) enrolled in our Introductory Psychology course in the Fall of 1999. Fifty-one percent of the participants were freshmen with a mean age of 21.7 (range 16 to 54 yrs). at Wichita State to determine just how much computer and web experience they actually have. To do this, we conducted a survey to 488 undergraduates (32% male and 68% female) enrolled in our Introductory Psychology course in the Fall of 1999.

Chaparro, Barbara S., Michael Bernard, P. Moseley and B. Bartelloni. Usability News (2000). Articles>Usability>Education

Computers and Aging: Marking Raced, Classed and Gendered Inequalities    

This article begins with an overview of cognitive psychology research on the effects of aging on literacy and suggests the additional complications facing older adults who consume and produce text within the frame of technology, particularly on-line usage. From an overview, the text moves to patterns corporations are using to target older adults, namely as consumers and as producers. The text then explores the use of philanthropy in the corporate literacy initiatives and suggests that there are complicated issues at hand in attempting to integrate the knowledge of aging and corporate strategies into our technical writing classrooms because we enter this discussion concerned about non-traditional students, older adults who are challenged to participate in contemporary literacy initiatives, and ourselves as aging participants as well. The article ends with suggestions of possible ways of addressing concerns regarding aging. Half the people in the world, one half the people in the world don't have electricity. How are you going to get a computer in their hands, Bubba? They gotta have a little electricity first. You know, you can't go to the bathroom unless you got a toilet. You know, I mean, over a billion people don't have access to clean drinking water. Forget about the digital divide. They, they got to have food, water, clothing, shelter, and a chance for education. I mean, you know, digital divide, you know. Ted Turner cited in [1].

Crow, Angela. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication (2002). Articles>Technology>Usability>Elderly

Conceptual Design: Cornerstone of Usability    

The conceptual model or metaphor of a software user interface (UI) (for example, an artist's palette used by commercial drawing applications) contributes greatly to a UI's ease of learning and ease of use. When that model is unclear, does not match users' expectations, or is absent entirely, it is a major hurdle for even the most internally consistent interface to overcome. This article suggests why conceptual design is so often neglected by development teams and presents a five-step process for developing a sound conceptual model for a software application. The crux of the process is the development of multiple models and low-fidelity prototypes. There are also recommendations describing how technical communicators can reinforce and support conceptual design on their projects. Last, the author depicts how organizations committed to usability ensure that conceptual design is given the attention it deserves.

Rubin, Jeffrey. Technical Communication Online (1996). Articles>Usability

Conducting International Usability

As business on the Web matures, organizations increasingly pay attention to the first two Ws in WWW -- World Wide. Companies with international sales offices crave a distinct Web presence in each locale to demonstrate seriousness in that local market. Multi-national companies often use intranets to unify global teams. Maintaining global consistency requires centralizing these Web efforts (usually within corporate headquarters), yet this must accommodate distinct approaches to working which vary from region to region. User testing is a valuable tool in such situations, but how does one conduct user tests internationally? This essay draws from my experience leading an international user testing project, and I hope you can learn from my mistakes and successes.

Merholz, Peter. Adaptive Path (2002). Articles>Usability>International

Conducting Mail, Telephone, and Online Surveys: 1998  

While surveys appear surprisingly easy to plan and conduct, they are fraught with pitfalls for the unwary. That said, technical communicators can use surveys as a tool to enhance their understanding of audiences, assess the effectiveness of their communication products, and determine the value of technical communications to their company--if they follow wellestablished social science and communication science methodologies. This workshop will provide you with the foundations you need for developing, conducting, and managing surveys; analyzing the data, interpreting surveys and reporting your results.

Zimmerman, Donald E. STC Proceedings (1998). Articles>Usability>Methods>Surveys

Conducting Mail, Telephone, and Online Surveys: 1999  

While surveys appear surprisingly easy to plan and conduct, they are fraught with pitfalls for the unwary. That said, technical communicators can use surveys as a tool to enhance their understanding of audiences, assess the effectiveness of their communication products, and determine the value of technical communication to their company--if they follow well-established social science and communication science methodologies. This workshop will provide you with the foundations you need for developing, conducting, and managing surveys; analyzing the data, interpreting surveys and reporting your results.

Zimmerman, Donald E. STC Proceedings (1999). Articles>Usability>Methods>Surveys

Conducting Usability Studies at User Group Meetings  

In this day and age, getting closer to your user base is imperative for creating user-centric documentation. This paper discusses how the Technical Publications group at Mentor Graphics tapped into their annual User Group meeting (MUG) to conduct usability studies. We cover: Convincing management of the ROI of participating in the User Group meeting; establishing relationships with meeting organizers; defining proper "protocol" for interacting with users and other meeting attendees; planning for and dealing with equipment setup; recruiting users to the usability lab; considering and acquiring incentives for usability lab participants.

Yaspo, Catherine and Sarah E. Leritz-Higgins. STC Proceedings (2005). Articles>Usability>Testing>User Centered Design

Conducting Usability Studies with Users Who Are Elderly or Have Disabilities    

Many disabled or elderly users have embraced the Web as a way to get easier access to information, services, contacts with others, and entertainment. But very often, Web sites are creating barriers for them, at the same time as they are reducing barriers of access. We can safely assume that Web sites are made by designers who have no intention to exclude groups of users from using the site. Our studies, however, have proved that good intentions are not enough to create Web content that is accessible and also usable for people with various kinds of physical, sensory, or cognitive disabilities. Web designers need to familiarize themselves with accessibility guidelines and apply them properly, but that goal is seldom achieved. Even when the guidelines are applied, a site's ease of use for people with disabilities needs to be confirmed in a usability test with actual users who have disabilities. This article describes how to conduct user-focused tests with test participants who are elderly or who have disabilities.

van der Geest, Thea. Technical Communication Online (2006). Articles>Usability>Testing>Elderly

Consider as Many Design Alternatives as Possible: The Value of Parallel Design

Several years ago I taught several 'hands-on' courses on Web user interface design. In one exercise, students were given user and system requirements, and used a prototyping tool to create a simple system. After the design solutions were completed, each individual in the class used everyone else's proposed systems to complete a task. Having experienced everyone else's ideas, the students then made changes to their original prototypes. The same process was repeated a second time. The results were amazing. By having students work independently to create unique ideas, and then effectively sharing these ideas, the final interfaces always were significantly better than the originals.

Bailey, Robert. Usability.gov (2006). Articles>Usability

Considering Product Usability Along with Information Usability  

In this progression we will examine ways that technical communicators can improve both information usability and product usability. The presentation will center around two major points.

Grice, Roger A. STC Proceedings (1993). Articles>Usability>Information Design

Consumers on the Web: Identification of Usage Patterns  

This article analyzes consumer behavior on the Web. The purpose is to research patterns that characterize consumer actions in this environment. The study employs Nielsen//NetRatings Internet panel data in Finland. The four-month data for 65 panelists suggest three interrelated Web usage patterns that are highlighted here. The text will outline how these conclusions were reached and present other observations.

Koiso-Kanttila, Nina. First Monday (2003). Articles>Usability>E Commerce

Contextual Inquiry

Contextual inquiry is basically a structured field interviewing method, based on a few core principles that differentiate this method from plain, journalistic interviewing. Contextual inquiry is more a discovery process than an evaluative process; more like learning than testing. Contextual inquiry is based on three core principles: that understanding the context in which a product is used (the work being performed) is essential for elegant design, that the user is a partner in the design process, and that the usability design process, including assessment methods like contextual inquiry and usability testing, must have a focus. For example, suppose you need to assess the usability of a wrench for automotive repair. Using contextual inquiry, you'd visit mechanics at auto repair shops and see how they work. You'd take in not only physical arrangements such as the location of the tool chests, or cramped conditions inside engine compartments, but also environmental concerns, such as the level of cleanliness of their hands, or the noise level in the shop, or the tight schedules imposed by their bosses. All of these would help define a context for their work--and thus a context for the usage of your product, the wrench. You'd also listen to their gripes about your product; how it slips out of their hands if they've been working on greasy stuff, how it gnaws the corners off stubborn bolts. You'd ask them what would make their jobs easier; what design changes would help them. They're a partner in the design process. Of course, you'd conduct all this research centering on the one thing you're analyzing: the wrench. This focus is important--it sets the goals for the visit ('We need to know how they store their wrenches'). Once you're done with your site visit, you can assess from your notes whether you found out what you needed to know.

Hom, James. VWH.net. Articles>Usability>Methods>Contextual Inquiry

Convincing Clients to Pay for Usability

Professionally run design agencies user test their designs to increase the value they deliver to their clients. The challenge is getting clients to understand the benefits of a solid development methodology.

Nielsen, Jakob. Alertbox (2003). Articles>Usability>Consulting