[Sigia-l] Usability testing into the dustbin?

[Boniface Lau]

> From: sigia-l-admin at asis.org [mailto:sigia-l-admin at asis.org]On
> Behalf Of Mitchell Gass
> 
>  
> At 04:03 PM 5/1/2003 -0400, Listera forwarded from Usability News:
> >...usability testing now appears to be a highly variable art in
> >which the results depend on who is testing what by which protocol
> >with which particular subjects. It is quite possible that for some
> >systems being evaluated by some procedures, no matter how many
> >subjects you test, you will continue to uncover new and significant
> >problems...
> 
> When something better than current diagnostic usability testing
> comes along, I hope that all design teams embrace it.

There is. It is called "usability by design". Here is the last
paragraph from Larry Constantine's article:

http://www.usabilitynews.com/news/article1058.asp

LC> As I listened in on the buzz among attendees leaving the session,
LC> it became even clearer that Molich was addressing a small sect
LC> that believes in usability by design while Wixon was preaching to
LC> the choir. The widespread belief in the power of testing remains
LC> safely unshaken by the facts.

However, embracing "usability by design" requires self-discipline and
a much higher skill level from design team members.


Boniface