Corporate Pioneers
Lessons Learned: Introducing and Promoting Usability Testing in a Corporate Environment
Lora Davenport
- CompuServe Incorporated
- 5000 Arlington Centre Blvd.
- P.O. Box 20212
- Columbus, OH 43220-0212
- (614) 538-4079
- lwd@csi.compuserve.com
KEYWORDS:
Usability, tools, corporate environment, testing, quality.
Summary
Customers today demand to receive a quality, usable product. Companies are finding that their products will not sell unless they have the reputation for being usable. One way that companies can ensure usable products is through usability evaluations, user involvement, and testing. A direct result of the need for user-centered design and testing is the challenge of establishing and evolving usability methodology as an integral part of the development process within the corporate environment.
During this SIG, individuals who have had a direct impact on establishing and growing usability efforts in their companies will share their successes, failures, and lessons learned.
Representatives from the following companies will lead this SIG:
- Arnie Lund - Ameritech
- James Geyerman, Lora Davenport - CompuServe, Inc.
- Mary Beth Raven - FTP Software, Inc.
- Marta Miller - GE Information Services
- Virginia Lund - Motorola
- Kristyn Greenwood - SCO
- Pat Dorazio - SUNY Institute of Technology - School of Arts & Sciences
- Denise Pieratti - Xerox Corporation
Format
The SIG will begin with a brief introduction to the issues covered during the session. Each attendee will have the opportunity to attend two 30-minute breakout sessions on the issues of their choice. The breakout sessions will be facilitated by the various co-leaders of the SIG. They will cover collaborative materials developed by all leaders of the SIG. During the breakout sessions, there will also be group discussion on other ideas in that issue area. A combined wrap-up session in which the leaders present a brief synopsis in each issue area will conclude the SIG. The results from this session will be summarized and made available.
Issues
The followings issues are covered during this session:
- Gaining approval from the top down (executive approval)
- Gaining approval from the bottom up (development teams)
- Recruiting and hiring usability professionals
- Managing usability resources and projects
- Usability testing process improvements
- Marketing usability within an organization
- Processing the data
- Usability lab equipment and facilities
- Spreading the word on results
- Training on usability methods
Goals
The goal of this SIG is for attendees to leave with ideas and techniques to establish or enhance usability in their own organizations. It is designed for the novice and the advanced usability professional.
