UX Research and User Testing 101

Does “usability testing” seem like a daunting task? Is that because “usability” feels like a complicated domain? Or because there is a perception that testing adds to already tight timelines and resources? In fact, although many people make usability and user research their full time job, the user experience toolbox is full of methods that others in the field can apply as needed. Join Sr. Usability Engineers Amber DeRosa and Alicia Hatter as they review these methods and how they can be used in both desktop and mobile testing situations.

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Amber DeRosa and Alicia Hatter are Senior Usability Engineers at The Vanguard Group’s corporate headquarters in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Alicia and Amber have presented UX research at national and international conferences, including UXPA. Amber received a Master’s degree in Information Science and Technology with a focus in HCI from Drexel University’s iSchool in 2004. Since graduating, Amber was the founding Vice-Chair of PhillyCHI, a local chapter of the ACM SIGCHI. She remains an active member of Philadelphia’s UX community. Alicia is a southeast native. In 2011, she graduated from Clemson University’s Communication Studies and Information Design Ph.D. program, with a focus in usability. Before Vanguard, Alicia taught college-level courses in Advanced Composition, Business and Technical Communication, and Public Speaking.