SensoryMetrics

In my early formative years as a designer (LOL) I believed the usability testing hype: it reduces dev costs, it makes products better, it makes customers happier. Soon I realized that was just crap spewed by "usability testing professionals". The problem with the usability testing mantra is that it assumes all designers ...

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If you're going to test users often throughout development - the process is going to have to be cheap and fast. The biggest cost (money and time) is usually spent on recruiting users, scheduling, and hosting. Ambush Usability avoids all that. What I typically do is purchase 10 $50 gift cards. ...

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This usability method is great for getting quick results - especially for products that require "instant usability" - immediate use without documentation or training. I've been using this method for over 20 years. Back at BNR, we used it to test phones. The method applies equally well to web-based products such as ...

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With the right method you don't need to recruit as many people as you might think! Here's a chart created by Usability Guru Jakob Nielsen. Five test sessions will get you most of the answers you need. In fact you'll get much more useful data if you test 5 people x 2 ...

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A few months ago, someone asked me how she could conduct cheap focus groups to assess usability of her product. The question itself raises a red flag. First - let's look at three basic types of research and their purpose. 1. Qualitative Market Research: this helps you assess product concepts - usually presenting your ...

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