Optimizing websites and online experiences with usability techniques and tools makes them more valuable and effective. Firecat Studio's Susan Price introduces several usability techniques that anyone can do to see major improvement.

1. Usability Techniques to
Enhance User Experience
Firecat Studio
#WCSATX 2015

2. What Is Usability?

3. Bad Usability Is Bad for Business

4. A Usability Lab

5. A Usability Lab
Image: http://www.uxbooth.com

6. A Usability Lab
Image: http://www.computeradvantage.us/newnan-coweta/

7. A Usability Lab
Image: http://vsee.com

8. Who Does Usability?
• Strategist/Marke
ter
• Information
Architect (IA)
• Designer
• Developer
• Client
The Usability Specialist, of course. Or…

9. 5 W’s and the H

10. User Persona

11. User Persona

12. User Scenario
Image: http://designingcx.com/tag/workshop/

13. Customer Journey Map
Image: http://craiggoebel.com

14. KEY CUSTOMER JOURNEY POINTS
Find Engage Convert

15. FIND

16. Card Sorting

17. Modern Usability Tools

18. Paper Prototypes

19. Heuristic Evaluations

20. Silverback and Morae
Captures user’s face and screens!

21. Open or
Closed
Card Sorts
Documentation
MUCH easier
OptimalSort:
Testing IA

22. Treejack: Testing Navigation
Test Navigation Structure & Labels

23. Chalkmark
Heat Maps for
Sketches,
Wireframes,
Design Comps or
Screenshots

24. Reporting Results
• Keep it short
• Top findings w/video highlights
• Showstoppers/Criticality
• Low-hanging fruit
RESOURCES:
• Usability as a Conversation – Greg Bell
• Why Do Usability Problems go Unfixed?–
Steve Krug and Caroline Jarrett

25. Keep Content Providers In Mind

26. Learn More About Usability
Jakob Nielsen Steve Krug Jared Spool

27. Easy Usability Tools to Start With
• 5SecondTest — Free and low-cost quick task-based
tests.
• SurveyMonkey: Embed low- or high-fidelity designs
(wireframes or comps) and ask questions
• Adobe Acrobat — Remote? Send your wireframes
and comps and conduct a “paper prototype” session

28. Learn More About UX Strategy
Firecat First Fridays
Noon – 1:30 @ Peer 1
Feb: Pitch It! PR Tips
Mar: Journey Maps
Apr: Google Analytics

29. Susan Price
808 N. Alamo St.
San Antonio, TX 78215
210.320.2391 studio
210.872.0445 mobile
susan@firecatstudio.com
http://firecatstudio.com