Advanced Issues in Usability: Balancing User Preference and Performance Data Collection  

The purpose of this paper is to provide a little background on my position for the progression on usability issues. I’ll present what measures I typically collect, and the differences between performance and preference data. Having this as a starting place may help us to have a useful progression discussion.

Rauch, Thyra L. STC Proceedings (1996). Presentations>Usability>Methods

Complexities Of Usability Testing  

Usability testing has proven itself in improving product usability, but actually planning, doing testing, and interpreting results are not always straightforward. Interpretation of the results of usability testing, changes to improves usability, and general inferences to be drawn from specific tests are extremely difficult to make with accuracy. After working through the practicalities and politics of usability testing itself you must then draw conclusions and support them People who have done a lot of testing will find these problems familiar.

Ridgway, Lenore S. STC Proceedings (1994). Presentations>Usability>Methods>Testing

Conducting Surveys Over the World Wide Web  

The World Wide Web presents a new medium for conducting user surveys. Using this new medium requires that survey designers pay attention not only to the time honored rules for survey construction and administration, but to new rules stemming from the new web-based technology. This paper will present suggestions and ideas for conducting web-based surveys that are based on actual survey experiences.

Gould, Emilie W., Mark Gurevich and Peter D. Pagerey. STC Proceedings (1998). Presentations>Usability>Methods

Data Collection and Analysis: A Look at Process-Oriented and Product-Oriented Field Studies  

This paper discusses methods for identifying, collecting, and analyzing field data for product design. We present three examples of field studies (one focused on the use of a specific product and two focused on more general user processes) to illustrate how the type of study can affect field methods. In the product-oriented study, observers built an understanding of the work environment by looking at how the users interacted with the product and how the product affected their work, identified patterns of activity, and offered explanations for these activities. In the processoriented studies, observers built an understanding of the work process and made recommendations about how to support it.

Schulz, Erin Leanne, Judith A. Ramey and Denise Carlevato. STC Proceedings (1996). Presentations>Usability>Methods

The Need for Usability Analysis  

An overview of methods for usability testing and analysis.

Xerox (1995). Presentations>Usability>Testing>Methods

Shaping Knowledge through Usability Testing Shaping Knowledge through Usability Testing  

Usability testing can make a difference in the product and and the documentation. Seeing is believing.

Barnum, Carol M. IEEE PCS (2003). Presentations>Usability>Methods>Testing

Understanding Principles of Usability, Part 2

This is part two of Karen Bachmann's presentation on Usability. In this part of her presentation, Karen gets more in depth with principles and methods for usability.

Bachmann, Karen L. Tech Writer Voices (2006). Presentations>Usability>Methods>Podcasts