A guide to usability testing and simple pointers to make things work better!

1. 8 Critical Usability Tips: Quick low cost ways to get impressive results John Whalen, PhD Director, User Experience and Design, e.magination

2. Usability Reviews and Usability Testing

5. Tip 1: Navigation – KISS – Harder than you think…

6. Tip 1: Navigation – KISS – Harder than you think… Trying to describe 10 steps… … but page has 42 links … 29 related to task at hand … 13 leaving page. Where do I start?? Notice the numbering: 4,5,6,7,8… 4,5,6,7,8…4???

7. Take a step back, think like the user

8. Make an obvious first step

9. Distinguish primary and secondary navigation

10. Provide a table of contents

11. Informal Test – Where should you click first? 30% Correct e.mag design 100% Correct

12. Tip 2: Navigation – Less is More

13. Tip 2: Navigation – Less is More 2 sets of tabs… Clickable buttons for navigation… Clickable buttons for actions… Clickable objects for navigation… Large distance between question and “Next” button Large distance between help and question

14. Tip 2: Navigation – Less is More Next Previous

15. Informal Test – Which would you prefer? Next Previous 8% e.mag design 92%

18. Tip 3: Content – Provide visual clues that direct eyes.

19. A B 0 Seconds

20. A B 5 Seconds

21. A B 15 Seconds After 15 seconds, users “below the fold”

22. Tip 4: Content – Create scan-able content ✓

23. Users scan content in an “F” pattern

24. They skip irrelevant content

27. Tip 5: Interaction – Make the next step “duh” obvious

28. Informal Test – Where should you click next? 6% Correct Amazon 91% Correct

30. Tip 6: Interaction – Search + Refine

31. Do you prefer Search + Refine? No 15% Yes 85%

38. Tip 8: Persuasion – Find the right social networks and provide thought leadership Source: Forrester.com

41. Your Summer Reading List…