Comments on: Why I don’t offer a usability testing service http://maadmob.net/donna/blog/2008/no-more-usability-testing Information architecture, interaction design and much more Fri, 25 Jul 2008 05:19:01 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.1 By: Donna Maurer http://maadmob.net/donna/blog/2008/no-more-usability-testing#comment-960 Donna Maurer Fri, 01 Feb 2008 20:35:49 +0000 http://maadmob.net/donna/blog/2008/no-more-usability-testing#comment-960 Hi Lisa Glad you picked me up on that. I think of user research as something you do early-ish in a project to help figure out what to do and how to do it. I think of usability testing as something done after some type of design work is done to check the progress/usability of that design. But the technique of usability testing can be used for user research. Does that make sense, or is it just semantic mumble? Hi Lisa

Glad you picked me up on that. I think of user research as something you do early-ish in a project to help figure out what to do and how to do it. I think of usability testing as something done after some type of design work is done to check the progress/usability of that design. But the technique of usability testing can be used for user research. Does that make sense, or is it just semantic mumble?

]]> By: Lisa http://maadmob.net/donna/blog/2008/no-more-usability-testing#comment-909 Lisa Wed, 30 Jan 2008 23:22:15 +0000 http://maadmob.net/donna/blog/2008/no-more-usability-testing#comment-909 Hi Donna :) Interesting post :) You seem to be differentiating between User Research and Usability Testing, and I'm just wondering how you define them. Not looking for a text book answer ;) just curious what your thoughts are there. Lisa Hi Donna :)

Interesting post :)

You seem to be differentiating between User Research and Usability Testing, and I’m just wondering how you define them. Not looking for a text book answer ;) just curious what your thoughts are there.

Lisa

]]> By: admin http://maadmob.net/donna/blog/2008/no-more-usability-testing#comment-897 admin Wed, 30 Jan 2008 02:27:24 +0000 http://maadmob.net/donna/blog/2008/no-more-usability-testing#comment-897 And Bettina, you certainly can offer usability testing as a service. I would just recommend you don't go down the path of offering detailed design recommendations - unless you have lots of design experience (in which case you are better selling this service) or can arrange to spend a bunch of time working through the problems with the design team. And Bettina, you certainly can offer usability testing as a service. I would just recommend you don’t go down the path of offering detailed design recommendations - unless you have lots of design experience (in which case you are better selling this service) or can arrange to spend a bunch of time working through the problems with the design team.

]]> By: admin http://maadmob.net/donna/blog/2008/no-more-usability-testing#comment-896 admin Wed, 30 Jan 2008 02:16:03 +0000 http://maadmob.net/donna/blog/2008/no-more-usability-testing#comment-896 Thanks for your comments... Andrew - no Ford jokes around here ;) I do agree that much usability testing done is just an embuggerance, and I don't want to be the consultant pulled in to be the one who delays a project and tells everyone how badly they are doing. Gary - yes, lots of us can pull off great work without endless (or single) rounds of usability testing. Bettina - your two situations are good examples of when it is worth bringing a consultant in to help. I'd probably do these pieces of work, though I think of them more as user research. But I do disagree that brand, design & marketing agencies won't do this. I think usability testing is easy enough for them to at least be doing some quick, informal testing...but maybe I'm just to optimistic. Thanks for your comments…

Andrew - no Ford jokes around here ;) I do agree that much usability testing done is just an embuggerance, and I don’t want to be the consultant pulled in to be the one who delays a project and tells everyone how badly they are doing.

Gary - yes, lots of us can pull off great work without endless (or single) rounds of usability testing.

Bettina - your two situations are good examples of when it is worth bringing a consultant in to help. I’d probably do these pieces of work, though I think of them more as user research. But I do disagree that brand, design & marketing agencies won’t do this. I think usability testing is easy enough for them to at least be doing some quick, informal testing…but maybe I’m just to optimistic.

]]> By: Bettina Walter http://maadmob.net/donna/blog/2008/no-more-usability-testing#comment-893 Bettina Walter Wed, 30 Jan 2008 00:53:44 +0000 http://maadmob.net/donna/blog/2008/no-more-usability-testing#comment-893 Hi Donna, Thanks for your thoughts which are extremely relevant to where my business is at. I have only conducted informal usability testing as part of my UX Design package but would like to expand my business for various reasons in this area. The points you raise about a standalone service are very valuable - especially the one about knowing the design context, challenges and constraints of a project. One exception to this would be: Usability testing for a redesign: testing the existing site to provide the 'whys' to the what the analytics say. Usability testing as part of a competitors analysis - to see what works for users and what doesn't. As for teaching clients how to do it themselves: I cannot see my clients (Brand, Design and Marketing Agencies) conducting user testing themselves - not in the short term anyway. It does take quite a bit of confidence in the process to pull it off. Talk about 'standalone testing' have you seen this: http://www.usertesting.com/ ? Hi Donna,
Thanks for your thoughts which are extremely relevant to where my business is at.
I have only conducted informal usability testing as part of my UX Design package but would like to expand my business for various reasons in this area. The points you raise about a standalone service are very valuable - especially the one about knowing the design context, challenges and constraints of a project.
One exception to this would be:
Usability testing for a redesign: testing the existing site to provide the ‘whys’ to the what the analytics say.
Usability testing as part of a competitors analysis - to see what works for users and what doesn’t.
As for teaching clients how to do it themselves: I cannot see my clients (Brand, Design and Marketing Agencies) conducting user testing themselves - not in the short term anyway. It does take quite a bit of confidence in the process to pull it off.
Talk about ’standalone testing’ have you seen this: http://www.usertesting.com/ ?

]]> By: Gary Barber http://maadmob.net/donna/blog/2008/no-more-usability-testing#comment-875 Gary Barber Tue, 29 Jan 2008 08:07:46 +0000 http://maadmob.net/donna/blog/2008/no-more-usability-testing#comment-875 Getting people to agree to usability testing within a project is hard enough. It's usually first to go when the time or financial budget is in peril. Adding it on at the end as separate consulting item is often as you said worthless. Interestingly most of the major project on this side of the country get launched without any real "usability" testing, but you know that. Getting people to agree to usability testing within a project is hard enough. It’s usually first to go when the time or financial budget is in peril. Adding it on at the end as separate consulting item is often as you said worthless.

Interestingly most of the major project on this side of the country get launched without any real “usability” testing, but you know that.

]]> By: Andrew Boyd http://maadmob.net/donna/blog/2008/no-more-usability-testing#comment-867 Andrew Boyd Mon, 28 Jan 2008 21:16:50 +0000 http://maadmob.net/donna/blog/2008/no-more-usability-testing#comment-867 Hi Donna, this is great :) It is a bit like "God invented Fords so that knuckles wouldn't drive Holdens". Without clear ROI a lot of usability testing gets done on the back of some really fast talking - mostly it is an unnecessary embuggerance on the project and adds no real value. This in turn smokescreens the places that usability testing would be of use - we need to provide the real thing and not the shadow of the appearance of the thing. Brave move and well done! Best regards, Andrew Hi Donna,

this is great :)

It is a bit like “God invented Fords so that knuckles wouldn’t drive Holdens”. Without clear ROI a lot of usability testing gets done on the back of some really fast talking - mostly it is an unnecessary embuggerance on the project and adds no real value. This in turn smokescreens the places that usability testing would be of use - we need to provide the real thing and not the shadow of the appearance of the thing.

Brave move and well done!

Best regards, Andrew

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