Usability Evaluation & User Testing Usability evaluation is usually performed or facilitated by a usability expert who reviews concepts, designs, mock-ups, prototypes or products. Usability testing usually involves direct customer or psuedo-customer contact with a concept, design, or product. Users may be anywhere in the world. Inspection Methods Expert Heuristic Evaluation Usability Walkthroughs Feature and Consistency Inspections Standards Compliance Guideline Compliance Check Direct Testing Think Aloud Co-discovery Performance Measures Directed Dialog © Laboratory Observation Indirect Testing Onsite Observation Questionnaires Surveys & Interviews Instrumented Products Panels of Customers © & Focus Groups Benefits In the Requirements & Concepts phase, these methods can be employed for competitive assessment and to explore design ideas. In the Design & Innovation phase, these methods are used iteratively to validate and refine designs, systems, and mechanisms. In the Implemenation and Evaluation phase, these methods are used for acceptance testing, product and system support systems tuning, and to feed design information forward to the next generation of products. To Design Technologies' Home Design Technologies Portland, OR Copyright © 2008 by Design Technologies