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Do we really have to?

Submitted by navyguy on Thu, 11/13/2008 - 11:37

Since we’re in the middle of our usability project, I tried to find a decent article that isn’t just a re-hash of what everyone else has already found/written about. This article takes an interesting look at usability testing, and its expense (from several vantage points).   The author makes the case that there are many myths about usability testing, and those myths prevent many companies from actually employing the techniques that would be advantageous to their business. 

Myth 1: Usability is expensive. The author quickly kills the notion that a usability test has to be expensive. Big companies may pour many dollars into studies, but smaller businesses often use cheap (and quick) tests, much like the one we are conducting between the 420 and 421 classes. Even with $200, a business can conduct a moderate test that will end up saving much more money in the end.
Myth 2: Usability Engineering will delay my launch date. Again, while big companies spend a lot of time and money on studies, usability tests can be small and simple. Simpler methods can take days or less, and they will allow the designers to quickly ascertain what users actually need early on, ultimately saving time and money.
Myth 3: Usability kills creativity. Although usability may be viewed as yet another constraint on the design process, it in fact facilitates more creativity. The designers can know and understand how people actually react to and interact with their work, and they will be able to come up with ways to tackle real problems.
Myth 4: We don’t need usability, we already listen to customer feedback. This last myth is caused by misleading feedback. The author makes the point that when people are sitting in a room, “they’re easily wowed by demos…and multimedia design elements.” Often these fancy elements don’t work when actually put to use, which is uncovered when a user is sitting at a computer by themselves. The usability test collects relevant, important data that will not delay projects.
As much of a pain that usability tests may seem to be, as far as creating and executing go, they are extremely useful tools that really do save time and money in the end. It’s always worth putting a little more effort into a project in the beginning, so you are not scrambling when the due date is due.