#18579
Beating the Rap on User Interface Standards 
When your manager asked (told) you to write a user interface (UI) design standard, was it a no-win proposition? Apparently many developers feel that way.
Schaffer, Eric M. Human Factors International (1996). Design>Web Design>User Interface
#14879
Is it better to have more items on a page and requiring fewer pages to be accessed (wide breadth), or to have fewer items per page and require more pages to be accessed (more depth)? Based primarily on studies reported three years ago by Larson and Czerwinski (1998) and Zaphiris and Mtei (1998), designers have been encouraged to construct broad, shallow sites.
Bailey, Robert. Human Factors International (2001). Design>Information Design>Web Design
#14882
Do people learn more when they read material, only observe graphics, hear the material, or when they read, see graphics and read the material?
Bailey, Robert. Human Factors International (2002). Articles>Usability
#27392
Even Excellent Sites Benefit from Expert Reviews
Get the flavor of an Expert Review as Dr. Schaffer points out the strengths and weaknesses of 11 award-winning Web sites.
Schaffer, Eric M. and Phil Goddard. Human Factors International (2006). Presentations>Web Design>Assessment
#18572
Five Steps to Unlocking a Web Site's Potential
A systematic approach to the application of human factors principles to ensure customer satisfaction.
Israelski, Ed. Human Factors International (2000). Design>Web Design>Usability
#27386
From Inspiration to Action at A.G. Edwards
Discusses how his team of Certified Usability Analysts (CUAs) were instrumental towards making usability a routine practice at A.G. Edwards.
Nadel, Jerome and Pat Malecek. Human Factors International (2006). Presentations>Usability>Workplace
#14881
Heuristic Evaluations vs. Usability Testing
How many of the usability problems identified in a heuristic evaluation are true usability problems? Several years ago, I published an article suggesting that many of the 'problems' identified by heuristic evaluators were not problems at all (Bailey, Allan and Raiello, 1992). Even so, many of us have continued to waste time and go to the expense of fixing many usability problems that were not problems. Recently, three research papers were published that provided some insights into the validity of heuristic evaluations (Catani and Biers, 1998; Rooden, et.al., 1999; Stanton and Stevenage, 1998). The articles discussed usability testing in three totally different domains with very similar results.
Bailey, Robert. Human Factors International (2002). Articles>Usability>Web Design
#27394
HFI Certification: Fulfilling Your Needs as a Practitioner
Usability is more and more critical to online success, but most developers have no formal training in it and most companies have no formal program for it.
Schaffer, Eric M. and Phil Goddard. Human Factors International (2006). Presentations>Human Computer Interaction>Usability
#27387
Discusses how Anthem attained the training, standards, and resources they needed to create a sustained usability effort.
Weinschenk, Susan and Kyle Tolar. Human Factors International (2006). Presentations>Usability>User Centered Design
#27384
How to Find Your Executive Usability Champion
Discusses making usability routine throughout your organization.
Weinschenk, Susan and Jerome Nadel. Human Factors International (2006). Careers>Usability>Collaboration>Workplace
#18578
Icons: Much Ado About Something
Every battle has a psy-ops component, otherwise known as psychological operations. Each side attempts to demoralize the other and re-moralize its own troops. In UI design, the battle against GUIs from hell is no different. Recall the evil influence of cryptodesign – design ideas that work for certain situations but get misapplied in other, quite different circumstances. We’ve seen a lot of developer trauma associated with icon design: cryptohyperinconitis. But hang on. This article gives you, the troops in the field, some psycho-innoculation against the cryptic IMFAP syndrome (Icon Mania, Fetish, and Phobia)!
Schaffer, Eric M. Human Factors International (1996). Design>User Interface
#27395
The Institutionalization of Usability
Discusses practical usability, The Third Wave of the Information Age, the institutionalization of usability, developing a holistic strategy, measuring success, and getting started.
Schaffer, Eric M. Human Factors International (2006). Presentations>Usability>Workplace
#27380
Is Beauty the New Usability Attribute?
The beauty of a product can influence the users' overall impression or general user satisfaction of the product. Think iPod. But how do you measure that?
Hall, Mark D. and Kathleen Straub. Human Factors International (2005). Articles>Usability>Aesthetics>User Experience
#27393
Keeping Users Stuck to Your Site
Discusses the effect of drop-off and how usability initiatives reduced drop-off at Staples.com by 73%. This discussion begins with a definition of drop-off and moves into an explanation of the value of drop-off data. Then we delve into the correlation between drop-off and return on investment. Finally, we highlight two examples of Staples.com initiatives that were focused on reducing drop-off by using a systematic process of customer research and redesign.
Hynes, Colin. Human Factors International (2006). Presentations>Web Design>Usability
#18577
Key Tips for User-Centered Design
We interact with many developers when researching and designing GUI standards. Some of the recurring problems we find can be solved with knowledge of a few expert tips.
Schaffer, Eric M. Human Factors International (1995). Design>User Centered Design
#14880
Are scrollbars located close enough to where users typically work with a Website or list box to encourage the fastest possible use?
Bailey, Robert. Human Factors International (2002). Design>Web Design>Usability
#27383
Managing the Knowledge Behind Business Decisions Through User-Centered Design: A Case Study
Jerome and Giovanni explain why efficient access to knowledge is essential for global business operations. Giovanni discusses how his company realized its systems needed improvement – and why user-centered design proved to be the appropriate solution. This empirical approach to interface design/architecture enables effective business decisions.
Nadel, Jerome and Giovanni Piazza. Human Factors International (2006). Presentations>User Centered Design>Streaming
#18575
Managing Your Defense Against GUI's from Hell
Check the number of times you walk out of an office complex grasping a door handle shaped to say 'pull me' while warning you with a label that says PUSH. The unwarranted generalization of 'handle' to both sides of a one-way door shouts cryptodesign at work. You’ve see your VCR mercilessly flashing 12:00 pm into the night (and day), reminding you of your slow-witted inability to set the time. According to a consumer survey, a third of TV viewers have given up ever setting a future video recording date and time. Cryptodesign succeeds in maintaining a useless machine interface. The message is clear. Cryptodesign says 'a technique useful for one situation is probably good in all situations.' The antidote requires that we breath life back into automatic design techniques. Let’s call the antidote 'soul design'.
Schaffer, Eric M. Human Factors International (1995). Design>User Interface
#27388
Meeting the Demand for Usability Expertise: An Offshore Model
Discusses how you can create and utilize a 'Center of Excellence' dedicated to realizing your company's development and design projects. Learn how you can staff a sustained usability effort.
Schaffer, Eric M. Human Factors International (2006). Presentations>Usability
#27390
Mentoring for Mainstream Usability
What mentoring is, and how it is different from consulting, training, or educating.
Schaffer, Eric M. and Susan Weinschenk. Human Factors International (2006). Careers>Mentoring>Usability
#18576
Pull-Down Menus: Out of Sight, Out of Mind
This article focuses on a particularly wily cryptodesign foe: pull-down menus. Recall our definition of the developer’s eternal foe: cryptodesign. These are decisions that worked for certain situations, but are often misapplied in different, inappropriate situations. Pulldowns are the “guerilla” combatants of GUI design – so named because at one glance they look like good-guy civilians, but in another moment, they’ve wreaked havoc on ease-of-use. Let’s explore how to neutralize these design sapper bombers.
Schaffer, Eric M. Human Factors International (1995). Design>Web Design>User Interface
#27391
RBC Royal Bank’s Online Banking Initiatives: Usable Design Now and in the Future
Discuss their initiative to make user-centered design a central part of RBC Royal Bank's Online Banking.
Schaffer, Eric M., Carolyn Burke and Nicole Poirer. Human Factors International (2006). Presentations>Usability>Web Design>E Commerce
#10094
Reducing Reliance on Superstition
Probably the most well-known article in the fields of usability, user interface design and user experience is Miller’s 1956 paper entitled 'The magical number seven, plus or minus two.' It is incredible how this article has lasted for over 40 years, and still seems to influence many design decisions. More recent, better research is available, but not being used.
Bailey, Robert. Human Factors International (2000). Articles>Human Computer Interaction>Research>Cognitive Psychology
#14878
Every year since 1983, I have reviewed (and summarized) most of the usability-related research literature that was published during the previous year. This has provided the basis for the popular, annual 3-day User Interface Update course. My annual two-month read and review activity provides me with a number of research-based insights into 'what works' and 'what does not work' in usability. I have listed some of these insights below.
Bailey, Robert. Human Factors International (2001). Articles>Usability>TC
#27385
The ROI of Usability and Making Usability Routine
Makes the business case for usability, and examines the impact of making usability routine throughout an organization.
Weinschenk, Susan and Jay More. Human Factors International (2006). Presentations>Usability>Collaboration>Workplace
