An Interview with REI's Online
Design Manager
A passion for the outdoors and a savvy sense for business have made REI a Northwest success story since their inception. We talked with Nicola Harper, REI's Online Design Manager, about how usability testing has helped turn small changes into big results.
What prompted REI to consider usability testing? What was the impetus?
If customers have a positive experience on our site they are more likely to shop with us again and develop a positive association with our brand. By fixing usability issues, we are able to keep our customers happy and coming back. Usability testing is a great way to get folks on the online team focused on what's important to users. Unless you're in the call center or working in the stores, it's hard to know how the customer shops and what they need. By having the online team participate in and observe usability tests, we are able to create a better experience through greater understanding of the customer… read more >
.NET Gets Smarter with Smart Client Applications
You have probably heard quite a bit about Microsoft's .NET platform and how it makes developing Web applications and Web services easier. Businesses that use .NET save on development costs and benefit from easier integration between their internal business processes. But, what you may not know is that .NET can also help you develop rich desktop applications, called smart client applications… read more >
Becca Galfer, Saltmine’s very own usability expert, answers some common questions about the when, where, and why of usability testing.
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What if we hire a good designer? Do we still need usability testing? |
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A good designer — particularly one with experience observing usability tests — can do wonders for the appeal and usability of a user interface. But even the best designers cannot take the place of watching your target audience interact with the system first hand. There are always insights gained and improvements to be made based on feedback from a targeted, well-conceived usability test. The participants demonstrate what works and what doesn't, so design decisions can be made with confidence. |
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When should we run a usability test? |
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As early as possible. Consider running a usability study BEFORE re-designing your user interface. We can learn right now what problems are most critical to overcome, and also what works well and needs to be retained. And if you don't have a user interface design yet, we can learn these things from studying similar or competitive systems. Imagine avoiding critical problems your competitors made and starting off with leg up on the competition! This saves time designing a site that truly meets the target audience needs... the first time. |
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How much should we budget for usability? |
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A good rule of thumb is 10% of the investment into the user interface design. Flexible, creative methodologies allow an experienced usability professional to devise test plans to suit just about any budget. Consider how valuable direct target audience feedback would be toward the success of your system. Then compare the benefits of a full-scale, lab-based study with dozens of users to a quick, easy-to-implement, informal study on a smaller scale. The ends should justify the means. |
