How do you feel about statistics? For a long time, I was a stats refusenik. When I was doing my first degree back in the 1970s, I took a class in mathematical statistics but it never made any sense toContinue reading… How to get yourself started in statistics
Author: Caroline Jarrett
Surveys in practice and theory, J Boye 2011
At the 2011 J.Boye conference in Aarhus Denmark, I had the opportunity to run a workshop on surveys. We focused mainly on the practicalities of better surveys: how to write better questions and how to run a good survey process from startContinue reading… Surveys in practice and theory, J Boye 2011
Book Review: Questions and answers in attitude surveys
Which is better: an open question or a closed one? Should you include a “don’t know” option in your closed questions? Is there a “right” order for asking questions? If topics like these concern you, then you’ll want to readContinue reading… Book Review: Questions and answers in attitude surveys
Putting the ‘Long’ into Longitudinal: UX lessons from survey research
Most of us in user experience are used to thinking short-term—in weeks or months. But, increasingly, organisations are planning to build long-term relationships with their customers. The European Survey Research Association Conference was a chance for me to hear from thoseContinue reading… Putting the ‘Long’ into Longitudinal: UX lessons from survey research
Using EEG in a usability test of a survey
We all know that people will give up on surveys if they are too long or too boring. But exactly how long is too long? Exactly how boring is too boring? One of my most fascinating clients is Kantar, theContinue reading… Using EEG in a usability test of a survey
Book Review: How to Lie with Statistics – not recommended
Update in 2025: I no longer recommend this book. See Why I no longer recommend how to lie with statistics Surveys are all about getting numeric data, and then reporting on it. What points do you want to make withContinue reading… Book Review: How to Lie with Statistics – not recommended
SUS: a good enough usability questionnaire
One challenge of survey design is whether to use an existing questionnaire, or roll-your-own, or do some sort of hybrid. One of the best-known usability questionnaires is SUS. Is it good enough? I’m going to start by mentioning the advantages andContinue reading… SUS: a good enough usability questionnaire
Avoid being embarrassed by your error messages
An error message made it to Top Tweet status on Twitter in 2010. ““An unknown error message ‘APIEpicFAIL’ was received from the device”. The only user option: click on OK. When Duncan Campbell (@dunk) tweeted about this message, he commentedContinue reading… Avoid being embarrassed by your error messages
Form assessment toolkit: a step in the right direction but misses the real issues
Records are crucial for government. Neil MacGregor, in his radio series A history of the world in 100 objects chose a government record – a Mesopotamian clay tablet – to describe the origin of writing, and explained that writing wasContinue reading… Form assessment toolkit: a step in the right direction but misses the real issues
Design to read: guidelines for people who do not read easily
These guidelines are co-authored by Janice (Ginny) Redish, Kathryn Summers, and Caroline Jarrett. Orignally published in the June 2010 issue of UXPA User Experience, our work orginated in the ‘Design to Read’ project. Design to read project archive This articleContinue reading… Design to read: guidelines for people who do not read easily