Web and application developers, interface designers, information architects, project managers, quality control personnel, market researchers, graphic artists

• 150-page student manual
• Quick reference guides for all the major chapters
• Samples of usability questionnaires, screeners, performance rating sheets
• A ten-point usability test checklist
• Hands-on exercises and practical knowledge that you can't get from reading a book

Upon completion of this program, participants should be able to :

• Survey the scope of usability issues
• Know the four factors that drive your testing
• Know the appropriate test and when to use it
• Learn tests that uncover problems with content organization, task flow, and brand strategy
• Conduct performance-based tests using paper and functioning prototypes
• Review advanced prototype testing that adds precision to your performance measures
• Design and conduct a remote test
• Learn to analyze Web traffic logs
• Review a 10-point checklist of the critical components of a successful usability test plan

• Types of usability tests
• Summative vs. formative tests
• How to formulate a solid test strategy
• The right number of participants
• Writing tasks for a usability test
• Overview of the testing process
  
  • Planning
  • Conducting
  • Analyzing
  • sharing & implementing results
  • Usability labs

Exercise: Develop task wording for a usability test

• What can you gain from an early prototype test
• Purpose and advantages of prototypes
• Reverse card-sort technique
• Performance-based testing
• Testing the brand and affordance

Exercise: Hands-on exercise performing a nearly proto type test

Exercise: Visual affordance test

Exercise: Brand design test

Exercise: Reverse card sort

• What can you gain from an advanced prototype test?
• Setting usability criteria and performance metrics
• Using performance rating instruments

Exercise: Hands-on exercise performing an advanced prototype test

• Capturing session data
• Compiling and tabulating data
• Analyzing findings
• Creating recommendations
• Presenting data
• Techniques to convince

Exercise: Prioritize test findings

• When to do remote testing
• Major obstacles to overcome
• Real benefits
• Available online tools

Exercise: Performing unmoderated and moderated remote tests

• Purpose of comparison studies
• Overview of how to conduct a within-subjects and between-subjects comparison study
• How to analyze results from a comparison study

• How to make the most out of Web logs and server data
• Taking advantage of direct user feedback

• Enhancing your moderating techniques
• Responding to difficult testing situations
• What makes a good moderator

• Practical points for conducting a usability test
• Allows you to:
  
  • eliminate the risk of testing and not getting answers to your questions
  • focus on the question and not the implementation of the test
  • maximize your effort and leverage your budget

Exercise: UT scoping

Case problem using the 10-point checklist