Steve KrugPlain Talk in Complex Times

Sept. 23, 2011

Explain to me again why you AREN'T doing usability testing?

Show of hands? Who’s been confused by something

they’ve read related to healthcare that they needed to learn from? Web site or print Instructions for procedure prep Medication Hospital signage, etc. etc.

More than once? Was it your fault?

© 2001 Steve Krug

© 2001 Steve Krug

Who is this guy, anyway? Steve Krug (steev kroog)

(noun) 1. Son, husband, father 2. Resident of Brookline, MA3. Usability consultant

Advanced Common Sense Me and a few well-placed mirrors Corporate motto: “It’s not rocket surgery™”

Nice clients Lexus.com Bloomberg.com Technology Review

Another show of hands Have read Don’t Make Me Think? Exceeded my expectations

© 2001 Steve Krug

© 2001 Steve Krug

Ten years ago I was trying to figure out what

advice to give

© 2001 Steve Krug© 2001 Steve Krug

© 2001 Steve Krug

© 2001 Steve Krug

© 2001 Steve Krug

© 2001 Steve Krug

© 2001 Steve Krug

© 2001 Steve Krug

© 2001 Steve Krug

© 2001 Steve Krug

© 2001 Steve Krug

© 2001 Steve Krug

© 2001 Steve Krug

“My ideal home page,” as told by…

© 2001 Steve Krug

“My ideal home page,” as told by…

Your “religious debates” may vary More about content, perhaps Prominence issues (Home page

wars) But I’m sure you still have them And you don’t really know (usually)

if your “stuff” works

© 2001 Steve Krug

My solution? Usability testing Best thing I know of for quieting

arguments Based on watching users, not personal

biases Shared experience Aha moment: Our users are not like us You’re too close to realize how little

they know See it through their eyes

It just works© 2001 Steve Krug

© 2001 Steve Krug

What is a usability test? Watching people try to use what you

create while thinking out loud NOT a focus group

Focus groups are about opinions Usability tests are about watching use

© 2001 Steve Krug

© 2001 Steve Krug

My intent for today Convince you that you should be

testing, or testing more Show you how easy it can/should be

© 2001 Steve Krug

The plan A live demo test

So you can see how simple it should be The whole book in 20 minutes

Only a two-hour read Questions

I believe anyone can do it ...if they keep it simple enough

© 2001 Steve Krug

Most sites don’t get tested $$$ Time Even if there was enough money,

there aren’t enough professionals

© 2001 Steve Krug

Traditional usability testing Lab Experienced professional 8 users, minimum Big honkin’ report Weeks of work, usually by an

outsider $5k - $10k Happens rarely

© 2001 Steve Krug

© 2001 Steve Krug

Do-it-yourself usability testing Three users per round

Three should be plenty You’ll be doing it again next month You’ll find more problems than you can

fix No lab or mirrors

Set up a monitor in another room so the development team can watch

No elaborate recruiting “Recruit loosely and grade on a curve”

© 2001 Steve Krug

Do-it-yourself usability testing Record with Camtasia or Morae

(Techsmith.com) or CamStudio No stats, no exit questions, no faux

validity No big report

Debrief over lunch

First, a demo test

© 2001 Steve Krug

We need a volunteer Qualifying criteria:

Have used a Web browser English-speaking adult Doesn’t work for Cook Children’s Not a low-talker It’s painless!

You’ll get a big round of applause when we’re done

© 2001 Steve Krug

RSME: The twenty minute version Six maxims

© 2001 Steve Krug

© 2001 Steve Krug

Show of hands? Does your organization or

department do usability testing? How often and when?

Never? Right before (or right after) product

ships? Routine (several times during

development)?

© 2001 Steve Krug

A morning a month, that’s all we ask.

© 2001 Steve Krug

© 2001 Steve Krug

© 2001 Steve Krug

Start earlier than you think makes sense.

Incorrect thinking

© 2001 Steve Krug

Correct thinking

© 2001 Steve Krug

© 2001 Steve Krug

Recruit loosely and grade on a curve.

© 2001 Steve Krug

Naturally, we need to test people who are just like our target

audience. … people who are a lot like

our users.

… people who actually use our

site.

Representative users!

Real users!

© 2001 Steve Krug

© 2001 Steve Krug

Make it a spectator sport.

© 2001 Steve Krug

© 2001 Steve Krug

Focus ruthlessly on a small number of the most important problems.

One problem: testing works too well If you’ve done any testing, you know

uncovers lots of problems quickly But I finally realized this is part of

the problem: It takes far less resources to find

problems than to fix them You can find more in a day than you

can fix in a month

© 2001 Steve Krug

© 2001 Steve Krug

Problems you can find with just a few test participants

Problemsyou have theresources to fix

© 2001 Steve Krug

© 2001 Steve Krug

When fixing problems, always do the least you can do™.

© 2001 Steve Krug

Your motto should be… What’s the smallest change we can

make that we think might solve the observed problem?

Tweak, don’t redesign Often the best solution is removing

something, not adding something

© 2001 Steve Krug

© 2001 Steve Krug

© 2001 Steve Krug

© 2001 Steve Krug

Resources aplenty

© 2001 Steve Krug

There’s a complete demo online www.sensible.com Or Google “Steve Krug” on YouTube

© 2001 Steve Krug

© 2001 Steve Krug

© 2001 Steve Krug

© 2001 Steve Krug

© 2001 Steve Krug

© 2001 Steve Krug

…and all the documents in the book Test script Checklists Handouts www.sensible.com

Got to the Rocket Surgery book page Turn left at “Downloads”

© 2001 Steve Krug

Run, do not walk, to Amazon.com

© 2001 Steve Krug

And the companion volume…

© 2001 Steve Krug

Later, that same day Nicole Burton at 2:15 pm First Fridays program at the GSA

© 2001 Steve Krug

© 2001 Steve Krug

© 2001 Steve Krug

Thanks for all the fish Send any questions, feedback,

gripes toskrug@sensible.com

@skrug on the Twitter

And come visitwww.sensible.com

Questions, anyone?

© 2001 Steve Krug

© 2011 Steve Krug