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?”

Insight Article, Internet Strategy, Social Networking, User Research

Improving the Health of the Healthcare Web July 12th, 2010

Healthcare organizations today face many challenges on both the mission and margin side of the house.  While grappling with the implications of the new healthcare legislation, many healthcare providers are trying to understand “meaningful-use” directives regarding Electronic Health Records (EHR) while simultaneously seeking systems that will streamline hospital-physician interactions and promote physician alignment and loyalty. Of course, ever-present are the demands for increasing customer acquisition and revenue generation, along with driving reductions in operating expenses, while providing enhanced levels of service to patients, families, and all levels of caregivers.

While many of the early visions of a fully digital healthcare economy are still to be realized, some health organizations are finding success in pursuing a small set of focused, tactical objectives rather than attempting more comprehensive and ambitious strategies sometimes characterized as “boil the ocean” approaches. The best results seem to follow when new Web-based applications / functionality are deployed carefully and incrementally in phases that are closely tied to the individual organization’s ability to metabolize such change.  This approach will certainly leave some important aspirations pushed out till much later on the timeline. However, it does streamline the crucial process of internal socialization necessary for adequate funding and broad-based institutional acceptance.

There are three Web tactics we see driving significant ROI for healthcare organizations. The first is focusing on demand-generation, or using the Web platform as a customer acquisition tool. The second tactic is focusing on patient retention through access to quality information and self-service convenience tools. And the third tactic focuses on using the Web as a platform to promote physician alignment and loyalty. If the appetite and urgency is sufficiently high, some healthcare organizations will move forward simultaneously with aspects of all three tactics.

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:

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

Social Networking, Technology, User Research

Design Research Conference 2010: Day 1 May 11th, 2010

Two years ago I attended the IIT Institute of Design’s Design Research Conference and I had such a great experience learning from and meeting fellow researchers that I had to come back and see what new research methods are in the mix now.

I just finished up a workshop this afternoon with Martha Cotton of gravitytank called Self-documentation 2.0.  Technology is now becoming more portable, smaller and an even bigger part of our everyday lives (especially with social networking sites).  So how do we utilize these tools to gather data from participants in conducting our research?

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.

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, User Experience Design, User Research, Webcast

Leveraging the Web to Extend Global Reach: SHRM India Case Study January 28th, 2010

If you missed the live session of “Leveraging the Web to Extend Global Reach: SHRM India Case Study,” you can check out the presentation on SlideShare.

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!

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.”

User Research, Business Decisions, User Research

Boomers and Technology January 5th, 2010

You probably never thought your 60-year-old mother would help shape technological trends in the next decade.  You would be surprised.  Microsoft and AARP recently did research on how the baby boom generation is influencing the future of technology and how technology companies should focus more on designing for this generation to expand their reach. Hint: baby boomers adopt new technologies more than a lot of people realize, just in a more selective way compared to younger groups.

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.

User Research, User Research

A Pen Makes User Research a Little Easier October 16th, 2008

The Livescribe Pulse Pen has been out for a while and has been marketed towards high school and college students.  However, this will definitely make user researchers’ lives a little bit better.  Let me rephrase that.  It seems like this pen will make taking notes a little easier, but I still have not bought one yet.

Interaction Design, User Research, prototype

Prototyping 102 July 17th, 2008

If you haven’t yet read Prototyping 101 you may want to do so before proceeding. While it is widely considered a pre-requisite for Prototyping 102, experience may be substituted.