Steve KrugPlain Talk in Complex Times
Sept. 23, 2011
Explain to me again why you AREN'T doing usability testing?
Show of hands? Who’s been confused by something
they’ve read related to healthcare that they needed to learn from? Web site or print Instructions for procedure prep Medication Hospital signage, etc. etc.
More than once? Was it your fault?
© 2001 Steve Krug
© 2001 Steve Krug
Who is this guy, anyway? Steve Krug (steev kroog)
(noun) 1. Son, husband, father 2. Resident of Brookline, MA3. Usability consultant
Advanced Common Sense Me and a few well-placed mirrors Corporate motto: “It’s not rocket surgery™”
Nice clients Lexus.com Bloomberg.com Technology Review
Another show of hands Have read Don’t Make Me Think? Exceeded my expectations
© 2001 Steve Krug
© 2001 Steve Krug
Ten years ago I was trying to figure out what
advice to give
© 2001 Steve Krug© 2001 Steve Krug
© 2001 Steve Krug
© 2001 Steve Krug
© 2001 Steve Krug
© 2001 Steve Krug
© 2001 Steve Krug
© 2001 Steve Krug
© 2001 Steve Krug
© 2001 Steve Krug
© 2001 Steve Krug
© 2001 Steve Krug
© 2001 Steve Krug
“My ideal home page,” as told by…
© 2001 Steve Krug
“My ideal home page,” as told by…
Your “religious debates” may vary More about content, perhaps Prominence issues (Home page
wars) But I’m sure you still have them And you don’t really know (usually)
if your “stuff” works
© 2001 Steve Krug
My solution? Usability testing Best thing I know of for quieting
arguments Based on watching users, not personal
biases Shared experience Aha moment: Our users are not like us You’re too close to realize how little
they know See it through their eyes
It just works© 2001 Steve Krug
© 2001 Steve Krug
What is a usability test? Watching people try to use what you
create while thinking out loud NOT a focus group
Focus groups are about opinions Usability tests are about watching use
© 2001 Steve Krug
© 2001 Steve Krug
My intent for today Convince you that you should be
testing, or testing more Show you how easy it can/should be
© 2001 Steve Krug
The plan A live demo test
So you can see how simple it should be The whole book in 20 minutes
Only a two-hour read Questions
I believe anyone can do it ...if they keep it simple enough
© 2001 Steve Krug
Most sites don’t get tested $$$ Time Even if there was enough money,
there aren’t enough professionals
© 2001 Steve Krug
Traditional usability testing Lab Experienced professional 8 users, minimum Big honkin’ report Weeks of work, usually by an
outsider $5k - $10k Happens rarely
© 2001 Steve Krug
© 2001 Steve Krug
Do-it-yourself usability testing Three users per round
Three should be plenty You’ll be doing it again next month You’ll find more problems than you can
fix No lab or mirrors
Set up a monitor in another room so the development team can watch
No elaborate recruiting “Recruit loosely and grade on a curve”
© 2001 Steve Krug
Do-it-yourself usability testing Record with Camtasia or Morae
(Techsmith.com) or CamStudio No stats, no exit questions, no faux
validity No big report
Debrief over lunch
First, a demo test
© 2001 Steve Krug
We need a volunteer Qualifying criteria:
Have used a Web browser English-speaking adult Doesn’t work for Cook Children’s Not a low-talker It’s painless!
You’ll get a big round of applause when we’re done
© 2001 Steve Krug
RSME: The twenty minute version Six maxims
© 2001 Steve Krug
© 2001 Steve Krug
Show of hands? Does your organization or
department do usability testing? How often and when?
Never? Right before (or right after) product
ships? Routine (several times during
development)?
© 2001 Steve Krug
A morning a month, that’s all we ask.
© 2001 Steve Krug
© 2001 Steve Krug
© 2001 Steve Krug
Start earlier than you think makes sense.
Incorrect thinking
© 2001 Steve Krug
Correct thinking
© 2001 Steve Krug
© 2001 Steve Krug
Recruit loosely and grade on a curve.
© 2001 Steve Krug
Naturally, we need to test people who are just like our target
audience. … people who are a lot like
our users.
… people who actually use our
site.
Representative users!
Real users!
© 2001 Steve Krug
© 2001 Steve Krug
Make it a spectator sport.
© 2001 Steve Krug
© 2001 Steve Krug
Focus ruthlessly on a small number of the most important problems.
One problem: testing works too well If you’ve done any testing, you know
uncovers lots of problems quickly But I finally realized this is part of
the problem: It takes far less resources to find
problems than to fix them You can find more in a day than you
can fix in a month
© 2001 Steve Krug
© 2001 Steve Krug
Problems you can find with just a few test participants
Problemsyou have theresources to fix
© 2001 Steve Krug
© 2001 Steve Krug
When fixing problems, always do the least you can do™.
© 2001 Steve Krug
Your motto should be… What’s the smallest change we can
make that we think might solve the observed problem?
Tweak, don’t redesign Often the best solution is removing
something, not adding something
© 2001 Steve Krug
© 2001 Steve Krug
© 2001 Steve Krug
© 2001 Steve Krug
Resources aplenty
© 2001 Steve Krug
There’s a complete demo online www.sensible.com Or Google “Steve Krug” on YouTube
© 2001 Steve Krug
© 2001 Steve Krug
© 2001 Steve Krug
© 2001 Steve Krug
© 2001 Steve Krug
© 2001 Steve Krug
…and all the documents in the book Test script Checklists Handouts www.sensible.com
Got to the Rocket Surgery book page Turn left at “Downloads”
© 2001 Steve Krug
Run, do not walk, to Amazon.com
© 2001 Steve Krug
And the companion volume…
© 2001 Steve Krug
Later, that same day Nicole Burton at 2:15 pm First Fridays program at the GSA
© 2001 Steve Krug
© 2001 Steve Krug
© 2001 Steve Krug
Thanks for all the fish Send any questions, feedback,
gripes [email protected]
@skrug on the Twitter
And come visitwww.sensible.com
Questions, anyone?
© 2001 Steve Krug
© 2011 Steve Krug
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