Usual development
stage: Generally done after a project is authorized and budgeted,
such as during:
- Design stage
- Specifications stage
What this is: Projects that use this method correctly
usually produce the most successful systems. One or more studies
are run to identify and solve both major and minor usability problems
early, before they're built and become costly to solve:
- A paper prototype is created rapidly.
- Real users are recruited, generally 4 to 6 users per test.
- Designers can and should try multiple designs, to find the best
combination of elements.
- By using paper designs, iterate rapidly and retest until target
users perform well.
- Because it's paper, even the largest problems can be fixed immediately
and cheaply.
For example, the "T Model" is one of the best ways to
design a paper prototype and plan an initial low-fi test:
Average turnaround time: Low fidelity tests can
be among the fastest and cheapest to run:
- "Point tests" (few users, small
scope) can be run in 1 to 3 days.
- If the interface is prepared separately, a full test can be
finished in 3 to 5 days.
- A typical turnaround time for both designing an interface and
testing it: 5 to 7 days.
How it works: The process is customized to fit
your situation, turnaround time and goals.
Here's an example schedule, from a fully staffed, skilled team
that had a tight deadline and ran its first two tests during
its first week. It then used those results to help prepare
the project specification and user research, and re-tested an advanced
design in about its fourth week.
Key knowledge questions: The best tests are based
on what I call "The Four Reals" These are the critical
areas that converge early tests with the users' eventual realities,
based on the team's best available answers to the questions that
should have been addressed during User
Research:
- Real users
- Doing real tasks
- With as real a system or product as possible
at that stage In the user's real environment
(as much as possible)
How to get it right: Contact
us.
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