Creating Usability

With the use of GUIs, ASP software, and sophisticated websites, there is increased need for more usable, "user friendly," easy to learn, cognitively straight-forward, and consistent systems. Whether deemed an art or a science, this is our specialty... because somebody needs to look after user experience.

Producing successful software products requires quality information about users, audiences, customers and other relevant consuming publics. The same is true in the development of services, websites, smart devices, and all sorts of corporate productions. Is the information you have about users and their cognitive and affective viewpoints pertinent, accurate, and insightful enough for development decision making? Is it trustworthy and up-to-date? Do you rely on conventional surveys, garden-variety Focus Groups, and usability labs or are you interested in employing the methods which yield the best information?

If you introduce good usability design EARLY ENOUGH in the development cycle, all the rest is very easy.

We can help you by

• choosing methods keyed to the stage of development of your project, your time frame, and your budget,
  
• producing valid and reliable data which speak to your priority questions, and
  
• translating results into concrete plans of action, specific recommendations, and storyboards.

We look at...

• "Account Planning," psychagraphic profiles, knowledge, behavior, cognitive maps, and attitudes,
  
• results of Usability and Beta tests and statistics of behavior and usage,
  
• user and non-user reactions to existing services, communications, and products,
  
• reactions to new and revised features and to products and services that do not yet exist, and we look at
  
• "images of alternatives."

Behavioral research techniques are deceptively easy to use. But to use them properly, sophistication, technique, and experience are required.

We use...

• qualitative and quantitative approaches such as Task Analysis,
  
• surveys, Focus Groups, and participatory design approaches,
  
• behavioral observations, including video-taping,
  
• laboratory measures, such as effectiveness of prototypes, simulations, Wizard of Oz methods, and mock-ups of all sorts,
  
• ergonomic and Human Factors analysis including handbook data such as Dreyfuss,
  
• face-to-face, mail, and telephone methods, and
  
• qualified field staff and professional survey statistics analysis packages,
  
• and if we thought it would help you, we would read tea leaves!

Behavioural Team's human research expertise has been used for a wide variety of projects - over 350 so far - and we bring our experience to each unique project.

DATA MANIPULATION

Because of our specialized in-house data analysis capabilities, we are sometimes asked to process, analyze, or re-interpret data collected by others. We do this quickly, efficiently, and objectively and can communicate the information with plain words and clear charts.

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