An opinionated lightning presentation about Usability and Usability Testing

1. Usability Testing

2. Usability
It’s all about the best user experience
A usable website helps users to perform tasks efficiently
A website is designed to make or save you money
A non-usable website costs you money
Usability increases business value

3. Usability Testing
The only way to know if a website is truly successful
Real testing with real users
Discovers problems fast
Saves real money

4. Not Usability Testing
Market/user research (opinions)
User acceptance testing
Personas
Expert review and heuristic evaluations

5. Metrics
Performance
Accuracy
Recall
Emotional Response

6. Wrong way to test
Expensive sophisticated test labs
Videos
Eye tracking
Rigid tasks
Over-engineering/over-planning
Lots of users

7. Right way to test
At user’s desks
Take notes and ask questions
Be flexible with tasks
Simple planning
Small number of users
Test often

8. Performing a Test
Testing the site, not the users
Observe, not direct
Get users talking
Give them time and space
Let them struggle

9. The Secret
Keep it simple
Follow through
Iterate quickly

10. Really Ugly Sites
http://www.usability.gov/refine/learnusa.html
http://www.useit.com/

11. Really Nice Sites
http://boagworld.com/usability/
http://fivesecondtest.com/