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http://www.flickr.com/photos/25451699@N04/2788734668
Who are
you?
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You will not learn...
How to identify usergroups...
How to build cool layouts...
How to audit user testing...
How to do perfect ui controls...
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?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/raster/3380860520/
But we can talk about it...
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Actually, there
is a need
sometimes...
Customer
http://www.flickr.com/photos/shonk/4112895587
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Costs of making changes
Concept Phase
During
Development
After Launch
1x
6x
100x
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User Testing
http://www.flickr.com/photos/shonk/4112895587
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Conventional usertesting is a monster!
I Data analysis
I Usability Benchmarks
I Surveys
I Field studies
I Camera/diary studies
I Customer feedback
and so on…
http://www.flickr.com/photos/shonk/4112895587
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When do you do usability testing...?
Are you
working on
the site?
You always
do testing.
YES?
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User testing in the office...
I Grab your chair neighbour (the least he knows the better)
I Or use your customer to the the job (product owner)
I Think about tools (screen recordings, checklists, …)
I Don't do do-it-yourself testing!
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User testing in the office...
I Pick up some tasks and make scenarios (do you have userstories?)
I Place restrictions on the task (e.g. don't use the search box or help!)
I Keep talking and take down notes (very important!)
· Ask the test person to describe what they are thinking and doing
· Ask test questions and give tasks to the test person!
· You need to know what they problably don't say…
I Look exactly how they perceive the page!
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Some things to pay attention to during your tests...
I Don't make up elephants! (It's ok when it just works!)
I Does everyone understand how it works (your usergroups)?
I Are there all elements which would be expected?
I Mind your checklists!
I Alway take notes, make up questions...
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http://www.prweb.com/releases/2005/3/prweb213516.htm
Attention is always important...
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But only one Decision at a time!
( Attention is a limited commodity ;)
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Usability and Psychology
Usability Principles
I Consistency
I Feedback
I Portability
I Ease of use
I Responsibilty
I [...]
Human Psychology
I Movement
I Perception
I Language
I Memory
I Thinking
I Experience
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Heuristics of Usability / Social Patterns
I Visibility of system status (Feedback)
→ user feedback is mandatory, e.g. ajax-loaders
I Match between system and the real world
→ e.g. use language which is known to your user
I Consistency and standards
→ prevent user distraction, natural and logical sort orders
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Heuristics of Usability / Social Patterns
I Recognition rather than recall
→ make important elements visible, use icons
I Flexibility and efficiency of use
→ e.g. accelerators for pro-users
I Help users recognize, diagnose, and recover from errors
→ the system is „sorry“ for not finding your expected search term
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Heuristics of Usability / Social Patterns
I Assumption & Practice
I Strict vs. fluid taxonomy
I 3-Clicks-Rule
→ everything should be possible within three clicks
I Anti-patterns/unwanted behaviour
→ prevent it!
I A morning a month, that's all we need...
→ not too much information!
Or simply what users want and how they act…
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I gentle - interested in me, remembers settings
I perceptive - shows me what will be next
I forthcoming - don't hold back useful information
I responsive - don't annoy your users
I forgiving - dialogs, history, undo options
I focused - focused on tasks
I fudgeable - allow partial completes
Pilote Computing
“Be a person – not a computer!”
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User Guidance
http://www.flickr.com/photos/shonk/4112895587
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I Keep the main focus on tasks (one per screen)
· Switching tasks takes effort and distracts users
· Interruption burdens shorts memory!
· Allow user to develop habits!
I Show only relevant information
· Emphasize important parts
· Don't distract the user with too much information
(perception vs. time, provide options for drill-downs)
· Focus on user activities not on features
Being a good guide...
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I Give the user the illusion of choices
· Don't ask users to make choices, be a good guide
(Not every person likes to make [hard] decisions)
I Give the user a good experience concerning the application
· Reward the user for learning (Skinnerbox)
· But let him still do his work or task
(= seperate between task-orientated views
and what's around in your application)
Being a good guide...
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Focus on actions, not on features!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sherrattsam/3585024912/sizes/o/
...but bring the most frequently used features to the front ;)
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http://www.flickr.com/photos/buridan/8311216/sizes/l/
Don't be a cargo cultist*...!
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Don't be a cargo cultist*...!
I Focus on a usercentric design. Identify your users, their
goals and tasks and provide solutions. Do not just copy
something because it's cool and others use it!
The Social Web
· Users spend time in things from which they gain value
· Allow users to develop their own habits
· Good usability allows the application to be a contributing
part of our life we like and share with others.
*NOTE: Cargo cult science is not real science!
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Some links
I On usability itself
http://www.luckydogarts.com/dm158/docs/posit.pdf
I Guidelines for websites:
http://www.usability.gov/guidelines/index.html
I Steve Krug - Rocket Surgery made easy
I Christian Crumlish & Erin Malone–
Designing Social Interfaces (O'Reilly)
I http://germanupa.de/
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Vielen Dank für Ihre Aufmerksamkeit!
Kontakt Markus Geiger
markus.geiger@mayflower.de
+49 89 242054 1162
Mayflower GmbH
Mannhardtstraße 6
80538 München
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Bonus Slides: Cleaning up...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/toms/105166597
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Know where the problem lies...
I Appearance – How does it look like?
I Interaction – How does the user interact with components?
I Information – Problems with information levels at different stages
I Structure – Less cluttering keeps the users focused
I Concept – How to gain value?
I Proposition – The value to the customer
Experience
Usability
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Fixing usabiltiy problems...
I Know exactly where the problem can be found
I Is it a core problem or just a problem of few test persons
(including yourself)?
I Fix the least you can do – do not reinvent the wheel!
I Use checklists – if you don't know use books or the web!
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Common design flaws (some kind of checklist)
I Do we have unnecessary elements?
I Do images support the user or do they distract him?
I Is the application responsible for what it does?
I Is the layout/design supporting the users' tasks?
Is your application fullfilling these requirements?
