public marks

PUBLIC MARKS from amyrussell with tag "usability testing"

18 June 2007

Agile Usability Testing

Even in waterfall-based design and development projects, formal usability testing at the time the system is being finalized is essentially “too much, too late”: a time-consuming, labor-intensive activity yielding results that are frequently unactionable for the current release. Several iterative assessment techniques, however, can be employed throughout any process, providing timely insight and direction. These techniques are readily adaptable to the Agile methodology, and, with some minor adaptations, can in fact be regarded as “agile” usability testing methods. Low-fidelity testing, using paper prototypes (or even hand sketches) can provide a quick benchmarking, and can be incorporated into a scrum meeting.

06 June 2007

Grounding the Portable Usability Lab

Usability studies are experiencing a shift in geography. For some time now, there has been some consensus that a traditional, dedicated usability lab is an unnecessary expenditure for an individual organization. Of course, since we specialize in User Experience Design, including usability testing, it’s a moot point for us. But we’re not exempt from the cost factor, either.

29 May 2007

Usability Testing Techniques

Too often, usability testing is judged to be a “nice-to-have,” but dispensable within the time and budget constraints of a full design and development project.

16 May 2007

Usability testing in the agile environment: an overview

by 1 other
The growing partnership between user-centered design practices and the array of agile methodologies faces an impasse when it comes to usability testing. In a traditional waterfall approach, a formal usability assessment generally occurs close to release and is structured--and often perceived by clients--as a culminating Big Event. Consequently, the attempt to insert traditional usability testing events into the iterative agile process is viewed by developers as antithetical to their process.

amyrussell's TAGS related to tag "usability testing"

agile methodology +   usability +   usability lab +   user centered design +   user experience design +