Usability Testing Essentials by Carol Barnum

About the Book

“What makes so many products so difficult for the average person to use?” Carol Barnum posits this question in her introduction to this book. Too many perfectly functioning products are being returned because they are not usable. Strong usability testing is the key. But what do we do if under a strict budget and time constraints? How do we properly prepare, test, analyze, and measure across a multitude of cultures, generations, and countries? There are many different testing methods and numerous situations in which to test; however, all are grounded in the same basics of usability testing.

Usability Testing Essentials presents a practical, step-by-step approach to learning the entire process of planning and conducting a usability test. It also explains how to analyze and apply the results and what to do when confronted with budgetary and time restrictions. This is the ideal book for anyone involved in usability or user-centered design—from students to seasoned professionals.

Key Features

- Presents a step-by-step approach to the entire process of planning and conducting a usability test–an essential component of designing usable products

- Comprehensive coverage of one of the most important skills necesary for usability and user experience practioners, and the first book of its kind to include international testing

- Follow-up to Usability Testing and Research, which won the highest-level award from the Society for Technical Communication, and is already listed among the most widely recommended books in the field.

Who should read this book?

User Experience practitioners (usability specialists, user experience researchers, usability analyst, information architects, interaction designers, human factors engineer [analyst, specialist, manager]), software/web developers, quality personnel. Students in industrial design, HCI, information technology, psychology, computer science, technical communications.

Table of Contents

Introduction: Getting started guide

1. Establishing the Essentials
2. Testing here, there, everywhere
3. Big U and little u usability
4. Understanding users and their goals
5. Planning for usability testing
6. Preparing for usability testing
7. Conducting a usability test
8. Analyzing the findings
9. Reporting the findings
10. International usability testing

Carol Barnum