Usability Testing
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A Universal Usability Test, Take 1
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2 min read
In one of the darker corners of my mind I imagine a future where there are a set of laws and industry standards that dictate the acceptable usability of digital products and services, much like medical or engineering standards. I have to think that as we grow increasingly reliant on computer technology for our safety…
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User Experience Areas Explained
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1 min read
Can these disciplines be explained in two sentences? Click for a larger version…
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The Ten Distinguishing Properties of Wicked Problems
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2 min read
You may have heard of Rittel and Webber’s wicked problems (problems that are messy, circular, and aggressive). I was interested to see their original paper (pdf) includes ten distinguishing properties “that planners had better be alert to” because “policy problems cannot be definitively described.” There is no definitive formulation of a wicked problem Wicked problems…
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Tests Well With Others
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1 min read
In this brave new world where user-centered designers meet old-school info technologists, we can all live, love, and test together. Here’s how my usability testing jives with their testing, as I understand it: What types of testing do we do? QA: technical check to make sure it works UAT (user acceptance testing): ensure the system…
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The Goal of Usability Testing
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1 min read
What is the goal of usability testing? Let’s say it’s to improve the user’s experience. The user’s experience will improve when designers have the skills and resources to design well. The designers will improve when they have a better understanding of the users. Usability testing offers us some understanding of users. The direct goal of…