Starting a Career in User Experience

This article is based upon my own experience transitioning from a career in corporate-world project management into the field of user experience design. With dedication, some talent, a few classes, and a healthy dose of self-promotion, the transition was fairly easy, very enjoyable, and took about two years. I have outlined a few key points to consider if you are planning to start a career in user experience design.

Haid, Marcus. Adaptive Path (2003). Careers>Usability>User Centered Design>User Experience

Statistically Analyzing Success Rates in Web Usability Testing: The Cochran's Q Test

The Cochran's Q Test can be used to statistically analyze success rate data. It can be used even when only a small number of users are tested. This provides some indication that a vast amount of usability data can, and should be statistically analyzed

Griffith, Jamie. WebWord (2001). Articles>Web Design>Statistics>Usability

Staying Ahead of Competitors

Learn how to stay ahead of your competitors in the fast-paced ever-changing world of the Internet.

Claiborne, Scottie. Webcredible (2005). Design>Web Design>Usability

The Stench of Evil Users

Some users are out to destroy you. Some users want you to fail. Some users would like to crush your business. They hate you. They hate your web site. They don't like you. They don't like your company. They are poisonous, vengeful, and twisted. And they're smart.

Rhodes, John S. WebWord (1999). Design>Web Design>Usability

Stop the Presses! Experts Offer Tips On Usability: News Sites Have a Lot To Learn

For all the hoopla of the last few years and the maturing of the online media business, this is still a medium where the practitioners have lots to learn. These are still the pioneer days. So as I look at news Web sites, in particular, I still see lots of room for improvement and experimentation. So do the self-appointed guardians of Web content quality, the usability experts and Web writing gurus. I recently asked several such individuals to make suggestions on how news-oriented sites can be improved -- how they can better serve their users and thus better evolve into viable independent enterprises. Here are some of their best ideas gleaned that might help you make improvements on your site(s) -- or help you to realize that there's a problem or need for improvement in the first place. I've added my ideas into the mix, as well.

Outing, Steve. Editor and Publisher (2002). Design>Web Design>Usability

Strategic Usability: Partnering Business, Engineering and Ease of Use

It's easy to fall into working in response to how things are going, instead of using usability engineering as a way to help lead a team in the right direction. Thinking strategically about the connections between business goals, and engineering practices can can help.

Berkun, Scott. UIWeb (2002). Design>Usability

Strategies for Usability: Putting ISO Standards to Practice  

Is your documentation and training a solution for complex product design? Whether designing software, hardware, documentation, online help, or a telecommunication network, a strategy for usability is essential to user-friendly design.

Dick, David J. STC Proceedings (2001). Articles>Usability>User Centered Design

Streamlining an Interface Using Information Design Principles  

Describes a process for improving interface usability.

Hart, Geoffrey J.S. Intercom (2004). Design>Usability>User Interface

Structuring Job Related Information on the Intranet: An Experimental Comparison of Task vs. an Organization-based Approach    

In this article, we present a usability experiment in which participants were asked to make intensive use of information on an intranet in order to execute job-related tasks. Participants had to work with one of two versions of an intranet: one with an organization-based hyperlink structure, and one with a task-based hyperlink structure. Efficiency and effectiveness were measured in terms of execution time and task accuracy, respectively. After the task execution, participants were asked to evaluate the task as well as the intranet. The results show that participants perform more efficiently with the organization-based structure, which is probably due to their familiarity with this structure. A post hoc analysis revealed, however, a learning effect in the task condition, which suggests that once users are acquainted with it, a task structure is at least as efficient.

Cozijn, Reinier, Alfons Maes, Didie Schackman and Nicole Ummelen. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication (2007). Articles>Web Design>Intranets>Usability

Stuckness and Low Vision: How Technology and Socratic Classroom Dialogue Changed my Life

Gloria discusses her low-vision condition, the problems it poses in her life and work and the accommodation strategies she has developed.

Reece, Gloria A. Usability Interface (2003). Design>Usability>Accessibility>Visual

A Study of the Effectiveness of Information Design Principles Applied to Clinical Research Questionnaires    

This study investigates the effectiveness of information design principles and feedback-based usability testing in the development of clinical questionnaires, with the goal of increasing the amount of data collected in the Breast Cancer Lymphatic Mapping Database at the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute. It finds that although both the Control and Study forms were generated using the same form design software, the Study form developed using information design principles collected significantly more data than the Control form developed by a systems analyst. The article observes that information designers face conflicts between the needs of users, general information design guidelines, constraints of the software, and misunderstandings by medical researchers and health professionals over the role of information designers.

Zimmerman, Beverly B. and Jessica R. Schultz. Technical Communication Online (2000). Articles>Information Design>Usability

Supporting Multiple-Location Users

About half of the users now access the Internet from more than one location. Despite the implications of this for service design, many systems assume that users remain bound to a single computer.

Nielsen, Jakob. Alertbox (2002). Design>Web Design>Usability

Surpassing Gutenberg--Access to Published Information for Blind Readers

We examine some surprising reasons to explain why electronic book publishing will become a versatile medium comprising 10% of all consumer book sales in the U.S. by 2005, estimated by Anderson Consulting at $2.3 billion. The Association of American Publishers (AAP) and the Open Electronic Book Forum (OEBF) both pin this expectation on open standards--any book, anytime, anywhere, for anyone. Electronic books will succeed, we argue, in part because they provide communicative opportunities not available in traditional, static print media. But, they will also succeed because of developments in technology for blind readers which will benefit all readers regardless of ability or disability. As evidence we offer, among other points, Microsoft Corporation's licensing of technology developed to benefit blind people for use in Microsoft Reader and mainstream publishing applications. We demonstrate, further, that technology transfer from disability to mainstream use has solid historic precedent.

Sajka, Janina and George Kerscher. American Foundation for the Blind (2002). Design>Usability>Accessibility>Visual

Surprises on the Web: Results from Usability Testing

We were surprised by how hard it was to compare simple facts on the web. We asked users to compare facts (Which vehicle has the better rebate: the Geo Tracker or the Isuzu Rodeo?) on sites that had all the necessary information. Users found these tasks frustrating; our randomly- chosen test sites were not designed to facilitate comparisons.

User Interface Engineering (1996). Articles>Usability>Web Design

The Table Ruler

Make your site easier to use by giving your visitors a virtual 'ruler' to guide and track their progress down long data tables. With a pinch of JavaScript and a dash of the DOM, your table rows will light up as your visitors hover over them.

Heilmann, Christian. List Apart, A (2004). Design>Web Design>Usability

Tackling Usability Gotchas in Large-scale Site Redesigns

Redesigns can solve old usability problems while creating new ones that must be solved in turn. From the lessons of the ALA 3.0 redesign comes this quick study in remapping content without frustrating readers.

Zeldman, Jeffrey. List Apart, A (2003). Design>Web Design>Usability

Task-Based Audience Segmentation

Design research is something that is widely practiced to produce anything from a better version of tax software to a new toy for kids. Its purpose is to understand customers (users) and match products to them. To date, most corporate and nonprofit research has focused either on persuading someone towards a 'purchase decision' or asking current users what they’d like added to a product.

Young, Indi. Adaptive Path (2005). Design>Usability>Audience Analysis

TaskZ

This site is dedicated to increasing awareness of the benefits derived from the use of 'user-centered' development methods in the creation of advanced technological solutions to complex social and business problems. The primary focus of our editorial content is on screen-based products and services. In the strong belief that knowledge is power and collaboration expands knowledge we have created this site with the hope of building an executive resource for user-centered design information.

TaskZ. Organizations>Usability>User Centered Design

Tech-Support Tales: Internet Hard to Use for Novice Users

The Internet is still much too difficult to use for novice users. Specialized information appliances like WebTV reduce complexity but still involve considerable risk of user error.

Nielsen, Jakob. Alertbox (1997). Articles>Web Design>User Centered Design>Usability

Tell Me What You Do!

Explaining what you actually do is the first thing your website should do, but many sites forget this most basic of information. Find out how to do this effectively and avoid leaving your site visitors in the dark.

Moss, Trenton. Webcredible (2005). Design>Web Design>Usability

Tell Site Visitors What To Do

Being sensitive to the fact that the user is in control, many sites simply present as many options as possible on their home pages. The thinking apparently being that the more choices you show on page one, the more likely you are to present something that connects with as many visitors as possible.

Usborne, Nick. ClickZ (2003). Design>Web Design>Usability>User Centered Design

Ten Best Intranets of 2003

This year's winning intranet designs emphasized workflow support, self-service content management, and offloading tasks from email to collaboration tools. On average, companies spent three years between redesigns, and one year on the redesign itself.

Nielsen, Jakob. Alertbox (2003). Design>Web Design>Intranets>Usability

Ten Design-less Rules for Successful Web Design

Ten guidelines for effective web design.

Ragouzis, Nick. Enosis.com (1997). Design>Web Design>Usability

Ten Guidelines for User-Centered Web Design

In UCD, your development cycle includes stages for both usability design and testing. Be sure to get user feedback throughout development and don’t settle on a final direction or design too soon. Usability testing is the only way you can know if your particular site meets these users’ needs.

Truchard, Aimee and Raissa Katz-Haas. Usability Interface (1998). Articles>Usability>Web Design

Ten High-Profit Redesign Priorities

Several usability findings lead directly to higher sales and increased customer loyalty. These design tactics should be your first priority when updating your website.

Nielsen, Jakob. Alertbox (2007). Articles>Web Design>Usability>