I've deployed many usability tools throughout my career and generally when I find one that I like I stick with it. I also have discovered that a tool is only as good as the person using it. This week I had the opportunity to try out Loop11. The website says, "Loop11 is an application that […]

Conducting a usability test requires skill. As user experience professional you have to understand how to recruit users, organize the test, run the sessions, analyze the results and make recommendations.The results of your test will be used to impact the design of the product and will be reviewed by many stakeholders that have varying interests. […]

If your car attempted to operate without oil, if your body attempted to live with out air, if your usability consultancy didn't deliver reports it would not run. The creation a usability report is the life blood of why user experience professionals exist because they bring instant value. The results are what clients are waiting […]

Conducting a usability test is like running a small business. You need to pay attention to the details and know when to use the right touch to make a sale. Moderating a usability session takes a gently touch. During the test, the moderator has to remember many details. They are responsible for all aspects of […]

This week I gained clarity on the difference between qualitative and quantitative user analysis. I discovered how facial expressions can be used more effectively in usability analysis and applying a qualitative method like success rate can help drive design decisions. Choosing the right usability tests can build indicators which can focus your design efforts. Qualitative […]

Recruiting the best participants and then having them follow tasks that make sense during a usability test takes precision. Proper steps need to be followed to line up users, have them show up and ultimately complete the test. This weeks readings stressed following a focused recruiting and usability test creation process. Even though I've conducted […]

This week I discovered some clarity on the distinct types of usability testing. For years I have been performing different methods of usability testing like 1:1 lab sessions, heuristic evaluations, contextual inquiries, focus groups, surveys and AB tests to produce results. Over the years, I typically refer to this diagram from Jakob Neilsen to assist […]

In my final year of graduate school and my first class back, the assignment was to argue how many participants are needed to run a usability test. I stated five participants is best. I cited a case study from my days at Insurance.com that was quite powerful and I found citations from the class readings […]

I had the opportunity to storyboard, concept and develop this video to promote user experience at Hyland creator of OnBase. A summary of the video, "From the no-spill coffee cup to the OnBase Patient Window, the world around us is constantly improving with user experience feedback. Help us make OnBase even better with your ideas […]

Thanks to Terri Mrosko from the Plain Dealer who wrote a great piece on how you can use your degree to amp up your career. I would like to also extend a special thanks to George Shuba for the photography. Cleveland.com