Chapter newsletter for the Connecticut Usability Association

1. CONNECTICUT CHAPTER OF USABILITY PROFESSIONALS
AUGUST 16, 2009
www.ctupa.org
NEWSLETTER
Our August Meeting
Innovative Expert Reviews
How to use the VIMM model to Communicate Findings to Stakeholders
Our next Chapter meeting will be held
Wednesday evening, August 26th at Open
Solutions in Glastonbury, CT. This is a
discussion of how Expert Reviews can be an
effective way to communicate usability findings
to business or technical stakeholders.
Often referred to as “discount usability
testing”, Expert Reviews are a great way to
analyze and report on the design state of a
website or application. An evaluator assesses a
site's or application's usability against a set of
principles or best practice guidelines.
Michael Rawlins will share how the VIMM
model (analyzing from a Visual, Intellectual,
Memory & Motor perspective) can be helpful
in organizing the evaluators approach - as well
as key when sharing the findings to stakeholder.
Expect a lively discussion - as well as a few
tangible reference examples as takeaways.
Speaker: Michael Rawlins, Open Solutions
State of the Chapter: 2009 President’s Report
I am pleased to report that the thanks to the small team that make growth. These plans include taking
chapter is thriving - we are growing, this all happen. the way we communicate to the
having regular chapter meetings, Like most groups - it would be next level:
and communicating effectively wonderful to have additional • new website
through multiple channels. All of volunteers. If you’re interested - • upgraded newsletter
this is the result of some hard contact a chapter officer. • meeting announcement system
working and passionate volunteers -
As we go into fall season - the We’ll keep you posted on our
who continue to amaze me with
chapter officers are planning more progress.
their contributions. My sincere
aggressive and exciting plans for - Michael Rawlins, President CT UPA
http://www.ctupa.org
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2. CONNECTICUT CHAPTER OF USABILITY PROFESSIONALS
AUGUST 16, 2009
August Meeting location:
Open Solutions, 455 Winding Brook Drive, Glastonbury, CT.
As is our custom, light refreshments will be available at 6:30, and
informal networking will ensue until the meeting commences at 7:00.
http://www.opensolutions.com
Recap: July Chapter Meeting airport). The eye tracking device tracks the exact
movement of the tester's eyes, including how long
their eye fixated on an object, what items were a
Thank you to Mark Mento of SensorMotoric
distraction, and of course - how long it took the
Instruments (SMI) for an interesting and
tester to locate the specified object.
comprehensive presentation. One thing that really
captured our attention was the diversity of Mark’s
2) Computer-mounted device - used to
background, the fact that he started out with a capture a tester's eye movements on websites or
biomedical engineering degree - and ended up software applications. This aids businesses in
developing a company that utilizes the concept of determining what areas of their website or software
eye tracking equipment used in laser surgery, for application might be confusing to users - based on
software used to aid Advertising and Market how the tester's eyes reacted to things like
Research firms in knowing what the average graphics, motion on the page, colors, fonts, etc...
consumer will (or won't!) see. Or, it may indicate areas that distract the user from
quickly seeing something that will capture their
attention and potentially make a sale.
Two types of eye tracking devices were
featured:
The great thing about both devices is that there are
1) Head-mounted device - Portable
features that allow businesses to report on an
device a tester wears while walking or driving in a
individual tester's reactions or across many tester's
designated area where advertisements or important
reactions. There are built in reports with graphical
signage have been placed. The tester is given
capabilities, as well as ad-hoc reporting options.
instructions to locate a certain sign (for example:
The baggage claims sign for a given airline in an
(continued on page 3)
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3. CONNECTICUT CHAPTER OF USABILITY PROFESSIONALS
AUGUST 16, 2009
The demonstration was
fascinating and we learned that
these devices are surprisingly, very
reasonably priced, when you
compare it to the cost of User gaze pattern
advertising! If businesses followed
this method of understanding
their targeted market, I would be
willing to bet their business would
be more successful!
- Trina Hare, Open Solutions
Head Gear Device
User Heatmap Analysis
Desktop Eyetracking Device
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4. CONNECTICUT CHAPTER OF USABILITY PROFESSIONALS
AUGUST 16, 2009
TOOL TIPS: NAPKEE - A COMPANION TOOL FOR BALSAMIQ MOCKUPS
The task of creating low fidelity mockups is At $79 for the desktop version, Napkee is very
continuing to get easier. I recently stumbled upon an affordable (http://www.napkee.com). In my opinion,
exciting tool that extends the capabilities of if used for just one functional specification or for one
Balsamiq Mockups by enabling mockups to be client presentation the investment will is negligible.
converted into HTML/CSS/JS and Adobe Flex 3 at a Napkee is a very well designed application - and
click of a button. This tool opens up incredible has great potential.
opportunities - because it provides the dimension of
interactivity to the the initial simple mockup from
Balsamiq. I think of it as the natural “step 2” in the - Michael Rawlins, President, CT UPA
design process.
Balsamiq
Mockups:
Notice the
simple screen
transformed into
html by using
Napkee
Napkee:
Features an
intuitive user
interface, and
works on the
PC, Mac and in
Linux
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