[Sigia-l] Usability Testing

[Arthur Fink]

At 06:59 AM 1/22/2007, Christopher Fahey wrote:
>Arthur Fink wrote:
> > When "test" is seen as "validate", then, certainly, yes.
> >
> > But when testing is part of an iterative cycle of development
> > by prototyping, then it almost has to be done by the same
> > group -- and that's just fine.
>
>I see your point. Would you say that "testing" is tactical, and "validation"
>is strategic? Can "usability testing" do both?

Too many complicated words ... I'm getting lost.

Years ago manufacturing companies thought that Quality Control (QC) 
meant careful testing of items before they left the factory.

Later they got the light ... quality could be designed into the 
product, and into the manufacturing processes.  Quality Control 
involved the whole cycle.

I believe that design and usability is similar.  Usability and design 
begin to merge.  Certainly somebody could look at a web site, or 
program interface, and measure its usability in some way.  But why 
JUST do this?  In the course of a design process, such tests could be 
performed for a useful diagnostic purpose.





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