The following are the three main categories
of methods for evaluating usability:
-
Inspection methods:
Do not involve the users. A formal
review process includes design and content experts. These
methods are usually quick and inexpensive to use. They also
provide qualitative date used to derive some quantitative
metric. A few key inspection methods include:
- Heuristic Evaluation Review: Review
based on a set of usability principles.
What
is heuristic evaluation?
- Walk-throughs: Simulate a user's experience
with the web site. The results of the simulation are compared
with the goals, expectations, and knowledge that a first-time
user is expected to have with the web site.
What
is walkthroughs?
- Task Analysis: Defines a set of likely
customer tasks and breaks it down into sub-tasks and steps.
2. Lab Testing:
Involves the testing of representative
users in a usability tesing lab. The formal tests use the lab
allows the test to be videotaped and observed through monitors
and a one-way mirror. Usually it could be very expensive.
About
the Usability lab
3. Surveys and user reporting
methods:
To survey users about their experiences
on the usability of websites. This method provides subjective
data and is based on expressed feelings, attitudes, and perceptions
of the websites's usability and overall desirable qualities.
What
is Survey?
Chandler, k., & Hyatt, k. (2003). Tools and rules for winning
websites. In Customer-centered design, NJ: Hewlett-Packard
Books
Dr. Michael Hughes's workshop-"Usability Testing in e-learning"
at UGA, 2003
