Usability Testing

Usability testing is something that few programmers or web designers do but it can drastically improve the user experience if done early and often. In an effort to inspire us to take this on, here are some articles and links.

• Don’t Make Me Think by Steve Krug
• http://www.useit.com/ – Jakob Nielsen’s website on usability is an excellent resource. You might want to subscribe to his listserv.
  • Time Budgets for Usability Sessions – Up to 40% of precious testing time is wasted while users engage in nonessential activities. Far better to focus on watching users perform tasks with the target interface design.
• Usability@90mph High-speed method for demonstrating user testing in front of an audience by Paul F. Marty and Michael B. Twidale

• Eye Track http://www.poynterextra.org/eyetrack2004/main.htm – supports the “F”-shape
• “Left is best,” it says, at right. http://usability.gov/basics/
• Context and perspective (http://www.37signals.com/svn/archives/000211.php) and pad little links (http://www.37signals.com/svn/archives/000296.php)
• Usability Myths http://www.uie.com/articles/usability_myths/
• Reducing User Interface Friction
• Agile Development Projects and Usability – Jakob Nielsen

This article was originally posted on the UCLA Programmers Wiki.