Articles and resources tagged “tools”

Layout grids for Axure

Designed for use with Axure RP Pro 5, this resource will help you layout prototype web pages using the 960-grid system.

Data collection for usability research

How should you go about collecting data in usability tests? This article examines the data collection process in usability studies and describes some popular data logging solutions. Since most of these tools are expensive, we show you how you can use Microsoft Excel with Visual Basic macros to collect the data.

Measuring satisfaction: Beyond the usability questionnaire

Most usability tests culminate with a short questionnaire that asks the participant to rate, usually on a 5- or 7-point scale, various characteristics of the system. Experience shows that participants are reluctant to be critical of a system, no matter how difficult they found the tasks. This article describes a guided interview technique that overcomes this problem based on a word list of over 100 adjectives. We also include a spreadsheet to generate and randomise the word list.

Usability RSS feeds

Are you finding it difficult to keep up with the variety of web sites, blogs and articles devoted to usability? If so, help is at hand. We've put together a web page that aggregates the best of these web sites and made the page available through Netvibes.

Usability test datalogger

This Excel spreadsheet allows you to measure task completion rates, time-on-task, analyse questionnaire data, and summarise participant comments. Latest version just released!

Checkpoints for reviewing usability test reports

Usability practitioners are called on, not only to conduct many research studies during their careers, but also to read, review, and advise on usability studies that have been conducted and reported by others. The ability to critically review the research of others, and to help stakeholders weigh up the merits or shortcomings of research data and conclusions, is an extremely valuable skill. These checkpoints will help you ensure your review covers the key issues.

Web accessibility tools

A concise list of the most useful accessibility tools on the Web. These tools and web sites are indispensable when carrying out accessibility reviews.

Usability Test Plan Toolkit

This eBook contains all you need to make sure that you're fully prepared for your next usability test. The document includes easy to customise usability test forms, such as screeners, a discussion guide, questionnaires and data logging sheets.

Usability crosswords

These crosswords feature words and concepts in usability. Use them in your training courses or to raise awareness of usability in your team.

Omnigraffle stencils

These stencils will help you communicate user-centered design activities and proposals to clients and development teams.

Are You Customer Centred?

This page reproduces an assessment form from the book "E-commerce Usability", written by one of our consultants. The test will help you measure where you are now and provide a framework to help you improve. Use this to work out the strengths and weaknesses in your current process.