Usability Testing in a Pinch

Despite the goal of UX to design, communicate and code with the end user in mind, many websites and apps are never tested for actual use by regular people. This creates software that is a collection of untested assumptions resulting in ineffective designs and unwanted user behavior. Usability testing is often the first thing cut on projects that are behind schedule or have a slim budget. Common excuses are "it takes too long," "it's too expensive" or "it's lower priority than X." My goal is to convince you that if you have a few hours and are willing to buy someone coffee, you can do usability testing.

In this talk, we'll explore some easy, inexpensive workflows to get same-day results. These techniques can be used by anyone interested in user experience and needing feedback on an application. This talk is for beginners who want to learn to test their software themselves and as well as user experience and software professionals looking to discuss creative techniques for rapid usability testing.

Learn:

• How to conduct your own tests and minimize bias

• Techniques for getting same-day feedback for $30 or less a participant

• Who, what and how to test for different types of projects, at both large and small companies

About the speaker

Sarah is currently a UX designer at Duke Energy with experience in interaction design and usability testing at organizations of differing sizes and industries. She's been attending the Charlotte UX meetup for about 2 years and loves caffeine, Kpop, anime and photography.

Schedule:

• 6:30 - 7:00 Network and Food

• 7:00 - 8:00 Talk/Session