[Sigia-l] Discount vs. High End testing

[Donna Maurer]

Kenneth Bryson wrote:
> Hi folks,
>
> I'm planning usability testing for a government website redesign, ie.
> modified Information Architecture, interaction design, and navigation
> scheme.   My plan is to use various discount usability techniques to get
> through this in an effective and efficient manner, including card sorts,
> paper prototyping, lo-fi online prototyping, use cases, etc.
>
> My question is, will this be "enough" to go on, or should I also look
> at "high end" options like actually recording users, analysing time on
> task, number of clicks, etc. using something like Morae?  
> http://www.techsmith.com/morae.asp
>
>   
I just got lost. Are you redesigning the website, or conducting 
usability testing on it? You mention testing, but then talk about design 
activities.

If you are designing it and doing some testing through the design 
process, these types of lo-fi techniques will help you check the design 
is on track. You shouldn't need high-end options through the early 
stages, but they may be useful later or on a completed site if you need 
more concrete 'data' to report against.

-- 
Donna Maurer
Maadmob Interaction Design
e: donna at maadmob.net
web: http://maadmob.net/maadmob_id/
book: http://rosenfeldmedia.com/books/cardsorting/