Application Development, Usability, mobile, Mobile App

Three Use Cases for Mobile Apps July 21st, 2010

New mobile apps are being developed at an exponential rate these days.  In November 2009, the number of iPhone apps in the iTunes App Store exceeded 100,000.  Android and Blackberry each carries a large number of apps as well, making the smartphone app expansion even more heated.  It is estimated by 2013, yearly worldwide app downloads will reach 21.6 billion. Amid the hype of apps, have you wondered whether your organization should also create one?

Usability, User Experience Design, User Research

To Scroll or Not to Scroll July 14th, 2010

Scrolling content is an often debated topic and usability consideration when designing an online experience. Ultimately the answer to whether the content or page should scroll is not always clear and often needs to be validated with user testing.  In order to get to user testing the design needs to first balance the user’s needs and the content needs. You need to find the answers to these questions: “what is the content”, “who is the user ?”, “what are the user’s goals?”  and “what are the user’s task?”

Internet Strategy, Usability, User Experience Design

A New Model for News From Yahoo July 7th, 2010

Yahoo is taking user-centric content to a whole new level.

Search is more often associated with “how to” topics than with news. Yahoo has always used its software to track search terms.  It will now begin to collect and provide that data to their staff in order to create news-related content.

Technology, Usability, Web Content Management, Web Development, Webcast

Why Could Your Content Management System Implementation Fail? June 30th, 2010

Are you about to invest in a new CMS? Or are you struggling to salvage your current system? So many CMS implementations fail, don’t let it happen to you.  In this live Webinar, I explored the reasons why so many fail, and focused on how to make your CMS work for you.

If you missed it, check out the slides on Slide Share, below, or listen to the recording.

Usability, User Experience Design, User Research

User Research and Usability Testing, the Key to User-Centered Design June 3rd, 2010

The most successful Web sites are those that put the user’s needs, rather than the organization’s, at the center of its design.   But without User Research and Usability Testing, how can you have a user-centered design?

In this presentation to the Potomac Forum, Director of User Research, Toral Contractor, and Information Architect, Kirsten Miller, outline the following major methods of user research and usability testing, providing case studies for each method with tips and important discoveries.  And help you understand how each method fits in to the project lifecycle.

Check out the whole presentation or download it from slideshare:

Application Development, Social Networking, Usability

Creating a Successful Mobile Experience May 27th, 2010

NavigationArts sponsored the Web Content Maven’s Web to Mobile event last night, which will be the first in a series of talks on the topic.  With the proliferation of smart phones and the invention and success of the ipad, mobile is on the top of everyone’s minds right now.  But are we thinking about it in the right way?

Technology, Usability, User Experience Design, User Research, Visual Design

Integrated Solutions: Part 2 – Why User Experience Design is Important May 25th, 2010

User Experience Design (UXD) considers interaction flows, user research, usability, efficiency, visual design, navigation and technology.  It incorporates aspects of human performance factors and usability and focuses on the interaction between people and computer systems and the design that makes this interaction effective, optimal and valuable.

At NavigationArts,

UXD = IA + Visual Design + Technology

Information Architecture, Insight Article, Internet Strategy, Social Networking, Technology, Usability, Web Content Management

Digital Consolidation : Growing Urgency to Rationalize the Business Web May 3rd, 2010

When I pose the question “What’s keeping you up at night?” anywhere in the C-Suite these days, the conversation inevitably turns to issues of measuring and managing their extended Web enterprise.  In all sectors of business, not-for-profit organizations, and government agencies, the Web has rapidly and thoroughly become the undisputed platform for communications, commerce, and community building.  But while many execs celebrate the entrepreneurial spirit that has blossomed in their respective organizations around the Web, the proliferation of sites, applications, microsites, tools, widgets, and social media connections has confounded many user segments and placed growing strain on the ability of organizations to manage this distended organism.  Of course, it has also greatly complicated the challenge of extracting meaningful performance metrics from this platform which could indicate how cost effectively (or not) the organization’s business needs are being supported online.

As we dive into the depths of some of these large enterprises, we see symptoms of unplanned and unconstrained organic growth.  The benefits of time-to-market advantage are obvious, but the risks less so. I’m reminded of a comment made to me by Dr. Max Coppes, Head of Oncology at Children’s National Medical Center; he said, “Growth for the sake of growth is the philosophy of a cancer cell.”  That’s hardly the analog we’d hope for when inventorying a business Web enterprise.  But in many offices the idea still prevails that “If I can build it, I should build it.”  So as we watch organizations innovate, add new product lines, and expand their global markets, we see their technologies and business processes proliferate, and any vestiges of coherent discipline seem to vanish in that euphoria of growth.

Application Development, Technology, Usability

How to Gather Better Requirements for Custom Software Development April 21st, 2010

I’ve been building software applications for about 15 years and I have come to one inescapable conclusion: the best apps are the ones that I think of myself and build myself!

Sounds quite pompous doesn’t it? I guess what I meant by “best” apps is that the custom apps that worked the best, fulfilled requirements the best and solved the intended problems the best were the ones that I thought of myself and built myself. Why is this?

I think this is because the most difficult part of custom software development is not writing the code or building the architecture or picking the tools – it’s describing what you want. It’s figuring out the requirements. The hardest part is translating the needs and desires of the customer to the developer. When I write software for myself I am both the customer and the developer so there is no translation needed! But when I write software for someone else there is a transfer of knowledge, needs, desires and requirements that is required.

Why is this so difficult and what can we do to make it easier?

Information Architecture, Usability, User Experience Design, User Research

IA Summit ’10 Part Four April 13th, 2010

The IA Summit ’10 has had a great mix of the tactical and the inspirational.  I’d like to share some highlights from a few of the sessions I attended.

Beyond Card Sorting:  Michael Hawley of Mad*Pow gave an overview of techniques other than basic card sorting to get content rich sites under control.  I’m eager to try out several on upcoming projects.

Information Architecture, Social Networking, Usability, User Experience Design

IA Summit ’10 Part One April 9th, 2010

With a few minutes to spare before boarding my flight to Phoenix I thought I’d kick-off my blog coverage of IA Summit 10. A small contingent of NavigationArts Information Architects / User Experience Designers will once again have the opportunity to chat with our peers, as well as share impressions of the current state of the discipline and where it’s going.

Sitting at the airport, heading to this conference, made me think: just to get this far I’ve already interacted with several interfaces designed by my peers…and in doing so I have seen the successes and pitfalls of how they’ve crafted their online processes:

Technology, Usability

The Apple iPad: Just Hype? Or a Glimpse into the Future? April 6th, 2010

Ok, I admit it I bought into the hype and I preordered an iPad on March the 12th, with a guarantee it would arrive on Saturday the 3^rd of April.  I patiently waited Saturday morning for the UPS truck to arrive.  It arrived and my first impression, I was surprised by its small size.  Upon closer inspection I promptly noticed it is another in a long line of beautifully designed Apple products, thanks Dieter Rams.

Usability, User Research, Visual Design

YouTube’s User Experience Updates March 31st, 2010

Not that YouTube’s user experience interest is a new phenomena, but it looks like they are about to implement the changes that were introduced earlier this year.  As they are already seeing impressive results, improving usage by 6% in the small set already being tested, this looks like its a great success story for the proper use of improving the usability of a Web site.

Hat tip Gizmodo.

Usability, User Experience Design, User Research

The Virtual Fence: Unmet User Requirements Can Cost Billions February 2nd, 2010

When designing a Web site or application a basic rule is to design with the user in mind.  Or, to quote an old HFI button, “Know thy users for they are not you.”

Easy concept, right?

Sometimes, the people who write the requirements preceding a Web project assume they know what those requirements should be. They rarely  involve the user upfront in the requirements process or solicit any feedback.

Information Architecture, Usability, User Research

Going Green in Usability Testing January 21st, 2010

A few months ago, the theme of World Usability Day was “Designing for a Sustainable World.”  Well, think about going green with your usability testing for your Web sites by offering more remote testing options than in-person usability test sessions.

A common question clients ask me is whether remote testing will be comparable to in-person sessions.  You will definitely get the same results while offering more flexibility to your users, since they can conduct the tests while they are at home, work, or anywhere.   There’s no need for them to take a couple of hours out of their day to drive to your testing facility or office. Here are a few moderated and unmoderated remote testing options that you can try:

• UserVue
• UserTesting.com
• Silverback
• Userfly

Usability, User Experience Design, User Research

Applying for Improved User Experience January 20th, 2010

I recently helped my 17-year-old son apply to college. Not surprisingly, the process is a bit different than when I went through it years ago. Rather than painstakingly lining up a paper application in a typewriter, with lots of Liquid Paper on hand, applications are now most often submitted online. Sounds easy enough, right? Not so much. What a frustrating user experience!

Application Development, Interaction Design, Internet Strategy, Usability

Jared Spool’s Favorite Articles From 2009 January 13th, 2010

The usability guru picks his favorite articles published by his organization, User Interface Engineering, for the year. I quite enjoyed “A Recession Strategy for Web Apps” article.

Usability, User Research, Video

User Research and Usability Testing January 12th, 2010

“We always tell clients you don’t have to go overboard with either user research or usability testing, but not to do any is a big mistake.”

“The thing about usability testing and the iterative approach to solution development is actually, ultimately, if you take the long view, is actually much more cost effective.”

Usability, User Experience Design, User Research

Spice of Life November 19th, 2009

How do you organize your spices? Depending on who you are, you might have a different answer. A grocery store organizes their spices differently than the normal person. In the grocery store it is important for the spices to be alphabetically sorted within each brand. They are grouped alphabetically within the brand groups because how else would someone find a particular spice? The grocery store is fulfilling particular user tasks.

Information Architecture, Usability, User Experience Design, User Research, Webcast, Healthcare

M. D. Anderson: Creating a Hospital Web Site to Drive Value September 1st, 2009

If you missed the live session of the “M. D. Anderson Case Study: Creating a Hospital Web Site that Drives Value,” you’ll find the presentation below.

To learn more about applying Web strategy and a user experience design process to a hospital Web site, you’ll want to view the presentation.

The presentation covers:

Information Architecture, Insight Article, Internet Strategy, Usability, User Experience Design, User Research, Visual Design, Web Content Management, Healthcare

7 Principles for Designing a Successful Hospital Web Site August 1st, 2009

With health information Web sites like WebMD setting the standard, hospital Web sites must at a minimum meet basic user expectations. Your hospital Web site is a direct extension of your brand and a poorly designed or outdated Web site will translate in the public’s perception to a poorly run hospital with outdated services.

What are the keys to developing a successful hospital Web site? All of the principles outlined below are rooted in the practice of user-centered design.

Usability, User Experience Design

Read More and Click Here Links July 29th, 2009

The recent posting on Smashing Magazine, Designing “Read More” And “Continue Reading” Links, made me chuckle. To read about advocating ‘click here’ links baffles me. WCAG 13.1 states Clearly identify the target of each link.

Interaction Design, Social Networking, Usability, User Experience Design, Visual Design, Web Development

Audio and Video Standards in HTML5 July 1st, 2009

Ian Hickson on the HTML5 spec and why it will not contain language around what codec browsers should support for the <audio> and <video> tags (emphasis mine):

I have therefore removed the two subsections in the HTML5 spec in which codecs would have been required, and have instead left the matter undefined, as has in the past been done with other features like <img> and image formats, <embed> and plugin APIs, or Web fonts and font formats.

Usability, Usability

World Usability Day – November 13, 2008 October 16th, 2008

Haven’t heard of World Usability Day? Thanks to UPA, Usability Professionals Association, we have a day to celebrate and bring awareness to the work we do everyday. As the words “user friendly” and “ergonomic” are being thrown around a lot more to market and sell products, it is important to teach people what those words really mean and how critical it is to put people first when designing a product, application, or website.