Re: Usability Testing

Arthur Fink wrote:
> When "test" is seen as "validate",
then, certainly, yes.
> 
> But when testing is part of an iterative cycle of
development 
> by prototyping, then it almost has to be done by the
same 
> group -- and that's just fine.

I see your point. Would you say that "testing" is
tactical, and "validation"
is strategic? Can "usability testing" do both?

-Cf

Christopher Fahey
____________________________
Behavior
biz: http://www.behaviordesi
gn.com
me: http://www.graphpaper.com

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At 06:59 AM 1/22/2007, Christopher Fahey wrote:
>Arthur Fink wrote:
> > When "test" is seen as
"validate", then, certainly, yes.
> >
> > But when testing is part of an iterative cycle of
development
> > by prototyping, then it almost has to be done by
the same
> > group -- and that's just fine.
>
>I see your point. Would you say that "testing"
is tactical, and "validation"
>is strategic? Can "usability testing" do
both?

Too many complicated words ... I'm getting lost.

Years ago manufacturing companies thought that Quality
Control (QC) 
meant careful testing of items before they left the
factory.

Later they got the light ... quality could be designed into
the 
product, and into the manufacturing processes.  Quality
Control 
involved the whole cycle.

I believe that design and usability is similar.  Usability
and design 
begin to merge.  Certainly somebody could look at a web
site, or 
program interface, and measure its usability in some way. 
But why 
JUST do this?  In the course of a design process, such tests
could be 
performed for a useful diagnostic purpose.





          ARTHUR FINK Consulting  arthurarthurfink.com
          ---------------------------------------------
           Ten New Island Avenue  Listening to users
       Peaks Island, Maine 04108  Designing for people
              www.ArthurFink.com  User interfaces that work
207.766.5722  cell 207.615.5722  Progress training +
consulting

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I, too, cringe at the concept of anyone "doing
usability".  The distinction
is between conducting usability evaluations as part of the
design process
and performing a user-based validation of a design.  (BTW, I
do not
personally refer to the validation as a usability study
test.  It's a
user-based evaluation and addressed more than just
usability.  Which is
where Jill's marketing concepts also get looked at, etc.) 
We have several
clients that come up with a design and ask us to validate
their concepts,
assumptions, etc.  And we present findings and discuss
possible alternatives
to areas we see possible issues.  It's a collaborative
effort.

Bill
-------------------------------------------------------
Bill Killam, MA CHFP
President, User-Centered Design, Inc.
20548 Deerwatch Place
Ashburn, VA 20147
email: bkillamuser-centereddesign.com
Work/Fax: (703) 729-0998
Mobile: (703) 626-6318
Web: www.user-centereddesign.com


-----Original Message-----
From: sigia-l-bouncesasis.org [mailto:sigia-l-bouncesasis.org]
On Behalf
Of Christopher Fahey
Sent: Monday, January 22, 2007 7:00 AM
To: Sigia-lasis.org
Subject: Re: [Sigia-l] Usability Testing

Arthur Fink wrote:
> When "test" is seen as "validate",
then, certainly, yes.
> 
> But when testing is part of an iterative cycle of
development 
> by prototyping, then it almost has to be done by the
same 
> group -- and that's just fine.

I see your point. Would you say that "testing" is
tactical, and "validation"
is strategic? Can "usability testing" do both?

-Cf

Christopher Fahey
____________________________
Behavior
biz: http://www.behaviordesi
gn.com
me: http://www.graphpaper.com

------------
IA Summit 2007:  Enriching IA
Rich Information, Rich Interaction, Rich Relationships
March 22-26, 2007, Las Vegas, NV
www.iasummit.org
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