My sister lives in Melbourne and that naturally makes me want to get to Australia as often as I can. So I was especially pleased when a few things came together and I was able to make it to OzCHI,Continue reading… Teaching beginners to find usability problems
Author: Jane Matthews
Ticket, please? Thoughts on visibility of system status
We open with a story that’s a touch complicated. Hang in here with me, the usability point will come through in the end. My husband loves his railways. He’s mostly into railways as they actually are today, as a practicalContinue reading… Ticket, please? Thoughts on visibility of system status
What’s News? And what’s not?
Novelty attracts – or so we’re told. If you want to get repeat visitors to your website then you need to be offering them ‘new stuff’ with each visit. Perhaps the popularity of blogs is partly because you’re likely toContinue reading… What’s News? And what’s not?
Registration Forms – what to do if you can’t avoid them
The sad thing about registration forms is that users hate them. Stick a form in front of them and they leave your site, they lie, or if they are really web-savvy they use a privacy protection service such as Bugmenot.Continue reading… Registration Forms – what to do if you can’t avoid them
Survey response rates? 2% is not good enough
In the 1950s, a well-designed survey could often achieve over 90% response rates. Since then, response rates have consistently declined. But I was still a bit shocked the other day when a post on a usability discussion group quoted aContinue reading… Survey response rates? 2% is not good enough
Persona-led heuristic inspection is here
Last week, a sell-out crowd made their way to Oyster Partners to hear Ginny Redish talk about her recent work at a meeting of the UK chapter of the Usability Professionals’ Association. Ginny’s talk ranged widely across content and theContinue reading… Persona-led heuristic inspection is here
Long forms: scroll or tab?
As some of you will know, I’m pretty much a diehard forms obsessive and there’s nothing I like more than a question about forms – especially if I have some experience or data to support my answer. So I thoughtContinue reading… Long forms: scroll or tab?
One facilitator good, four facilitators better?
I’m a lone consultant, and occasionally I get lucky: I persuade a client that it would be great if we could have a trained observer/logger helping me to conduct the usability test. That’s about as elaborate as it gets. ButContinue reading… One facilitator good, four facilitators better?
Books on usability? … not one in a thousand
I live in England, and here Christmas is pretty inescapable. That suits me fine as I love the whole thing: twinkly lights, family get together that’s always exactly the same every year, crazed people rushing through the shops. And so,Continue reading… Books on usability? … not one in a thousand
Not beyond usability – just nearby
I’ve got a pet peeve: the phrase ‘beyond usability’. It doesn’t matter who uses it and how appropriate it is to the content of their article, website, speech or whatever. I hear it, I get annoyed, I stop paying attention.Continue reading… Not beyond usability – just nearby