[Sigia-l] User research not usability testing. Was RE: Finding and Choosing a Consultant

[Jacqui Olkin]

<As an IA I need to know what the user is thinking, what they are looking to 
do, what they need, what is easy, what is difficult and why the use 
something. . . . I suppose it is still usability testing, just not scripted 
in the way I was first taught and is truer to the ideals of letting the user 
be the centre of the design.>

I think we share common goals, but some different approaches. I, too, seek 
to make users' needs central to Web site content, information architecture, 
navigation model, and design (the user experience). I try to get users 
talking before and during usability testing, because, as you pointed out, we 
need to hear from them in order to understand them.

Back to the issue of research, having users perform a standard set of tasks 
(the "scripted" sort to which you refer) allows one to make quantitative and 
qualitative comparisons (though in a small study, not a reliable statistical 
sample) and get multiple users' feedback on important aspects of a site.

Of course, there are numerous ways to apply usabiity methods and attain 
useful results. It has been interesting to hear your take on things.

Jacqui



Jacqui Olkin
Olkin Communications Consulting
jacqui at olkincommunications.com
571-643-6020 ph.
703-834-5653 fax
www.olkincommunications.com

web . print . content . strategy





>From: Stewart Dean <stew8dean at hotmail.com>
>To: <jacqui at olkincommunications.com>
>CC: lauran at etr.org, sigia-l at asis.org
>Subject: [Sigia-l] User research not usability testing. Was RE: Finding and 
>Choosing a Consultant
>Date: Sun, 4 Feb 2007 02:14:55 +0000
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>----------------------------------------
> > From: jacquiolkin at hotmail.com
> > To: stew8dean at hotmail.com
> > CC: lauran at etr.org; sigia-l at asis.org
> > Subject: Re: [Sigia-l] Finding and Choosing a Consultant
> > Date: Sat, 3 Feb 2007 19:54:43 -0500
> >
> > <Testing the site at the start of a project will tell you things like 
>'the
> > navigation doesn't work' and 'this section is very confusing' - it will 
>just
> > tell you what is broken.  What is needed is to find out what works, what 
>is
> > needed and find out how your site works with the needs of it's intended
> > audience.>
> >
> > Stewart,
> >
> > I would agree that interviews can be very useful, but I would disagree 
>with
> > your narrow view of usability testing. Usability testing--with the right
> > tasks and protocols--can reveal both weaknesses and strengths of a site, 
>and
> > both types of findings are essential in guiding a project.
> >
> > Usability testing can also uncover very useful information about the way
> > users think about and use information, the naming conventions they use 
>and
> > understand, the way they use Web sites generally, and their conceptions 
>and
> > approaches concerning common tasks--none of which could easily be 
>discovered
> > through interviews or focus groups. There is a big difference between 
>the
> > way people think they will behave when confronted with a Web site and 
>the
> > way they actually do.
>
>
>Jacqui,  I both agree and disagree with you.  The last lab based usability 
>test I ran I used multiple websites including the site that was being 
>redesigned to find out about the users interaction. Since then in my 
>standard interviewing process there is often a short amount of  computer 
>use towards the end of the conversation once you ger all the context has 
>been defined.  This evolved out of usability testing and I found that 
>getting the user talking before going near a screen gives much better 
>results than sitting a user down in front of computer and giving them tasks 
>to carry out.
>
>In my view it's basic psychology - get the user talking about tasks and 
>information and thinking about that and that alone first before seeing how 
>the internet/intranet/interactive media fits in with there way of doing 
>things.
>
>
> > Tests can also yield helpful surprises. In one usability study I did for 
>an
> > association, some members of the association did not understand 
>themselves
> > to be members, because they were members through their employers. The
> > finding prompted further investigation by my client and a new membership
> > communication effort.
>
>I tend to call it user research not usability testing as that's what it's 
>really about, but then I tend to avoid the term usability increasingly in 
>favour of user experience. As an IA I need to know what the user is 
>thinking, what they are looking to do, what they need, what is easy, what 
>is difficult and why the use something.  By watching my users use a wide 
>range of sites I can see what works for them as well and by talking to them 
>and them showing me things I can find out what doesnt work for them.
>
>I suppose it is still usability testing, just not scripted in the way I was 
>first taught and is truer to the ideals of letting the user be the centre 
>of the design.
>
>Cheers
>
>Stewart Dean
>
>
>------------
>IA Summit 2007:  Enriching IA
>Rich Information, Rich Interaction, Rich Relationships
>March 22-26, 2007, Las Vegas, NV
>www.iasummit.org

_________________________________________________________________
>From predictions to trailers, check out the MSN Entertainment Guide to the 
Academy Awards® 
http://movies.msn.com/movies/oscars2007/?icid=ncoscartagline1