Understanding the Value of User Research, Usability Testing, and Information Architecture + Slides
Online it's survival of the easiest! Now more than ever, the success of any website is largely dependent upon how easy it is to use. It doesn't matter how many people visit a site; what matters is what they do. A true measure of online success reflects the achievement of the desired goals of the web site and it's users.
You will learn the importance of user research, usability testing, & information architecture and how to conduct these aspects of user-centered design yourselves.
Do you know what your users want? Do you know what they like and dislike? Have you talked with them yet? Conducting solid user research gives us the answer to these vitally important questions.
Is the launch of your website the first time it is put in front of a user? You can find out long before your website goes live if it meets your users needs by conducting usability testing. There are many different testing methods we can employ early in the design process to ensure that your website is one that can be used efficiently and without frustration.
Can your users find the information they need on your website? Does your search functionality actually yield appropriate results? There is no point in building a content management system if people can't find the content they need. Having a solid information architecture will help ensure that all the hard work you put into developing a CMS will not be in vain.
In the session you will learn the importance of user research, usability testing, and information architecture and how to approach conducting these important aspects of user-centered design yourselves.
Slides:
http://www.slideshare.net/usableinterface/understanding-the-value-of-use...