Design and usability methods and techniques

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Introduction

This article will attempt to summarize major design and usability methods and techniques

Taxonomies of design and usability methods

Usability Net provides a nice interactive methods table leading to articles of which we reproduce a cropped screen copy below:

Methods table, Copyright usability.net 2006, retrieved 18:31, 3 March 2011 (CET). Reproduction permitted provided the original source is acknowledged.

Usability.gov presents a similar table leading to articles. It organizes usability methods according to where they take place in the user-centered design process.

[[image:*|frame|none|Usability Methods table| Source: Usability.gov, retrieved 18:31, 3 March 2011 (CET)]

The Nasa usability toolkit includes a (by default copyright-free) table that also is organized by stages.

</tbody>

Tool / Method	Requirements & Planning Stage	Conceptual Design Stage	Test & Evaluation Stage	Resources Required	Purpose of Method
<a name="1b"></a><a href="#1">Brainstorming</a>		X		LOW	Generates design ideas
<a name="2b"></a><a href="#2">Card sorting</a>	X	X		LOW	Helps structure interface content
<a name="3b"></a><a href="#3">Cognitive walk through</a>		X	X	MEDIUM	Checks structure and flow against user goals
<a name="4b"></a><a href="#4">Context of use analysis</a>	X			LOW	Specifies vital user and product characteristics
<a name="5b"></a><a href="#5">Contextual inquiry</a>	X			MEDIUM	Provides information about users' work context
<a name="6b"></a><a href="#6">Focus group</a>	X			LOW	Elicits user requirements/views through discussion
<a name="7b"></a><a href="#7">Functionality matrix</a>	X	X		LOW	Specifies functions required to support tasks
<a name="8b"></a><a href="#8">Heuristic evaluation</a>		X	X	LOW	Provides expert feedback on user interfaces
<a name="9b"></a><a href="#9">Interactive prototyping</a>		X		MEDIUM/ HIGH	Used for testing with users
<a name="10b"></a><a href="#10">Interview techniques</a>	X	X		LOW	Provides detailed user experience about product usage
<a name="12b"></a><a href="#12">Observation</a>	X			MEDIUM	Describes user activity in detail
<a name="13b"></a><a href="#13">Paper prototyping</a>		X		MEDIUM	Tests design ideas with users
<a name="14b"></a><a href="#14">Parallel design</a>		X		HIGH	Provides one conceptual design idea from several
<a name="15b"></a><a href="#15">Participatory evaluation</a>		X	X	MEDIUM	Detects task-related usability problems early in design
<a name="16b"></a><a href="#16">Rapid prototyping</a>		X		MEDIUM	Allows users to visualize future systems and evaluate
<a name="17b"></a><a href="#17">Scenarios</a>	X	X		MEDIUM	Illustrates requirements and supports conceptual design
<a name="18b"></a><a href="#18">Storyboarding</a>		X		MEDIUM	Visualizes relationship between events and actions
<a name="19b"></a><a href="#19">Surveys</a>	X		X	HIGH	Provides mass data from users
<a name="20b"></a><a href="#20">Task analysis</a>	X			MEDIUM	Analyses current user work in depth
<a name="21b"></a><a href="#21">User-based testing of design</a>			X	MEDIUM	Provides recommendations for how a design can be improved.
<a name="22b"></a><a href="#22">User-based testing of interaction</a>			X	HIGH	Measures usability and identifies interaction problems
<a name="23b"></a><a href="#23">WAMMI</a> - Web site Analysis and Measurement Inventory			X	LOW	Provides an objective way of assessing user satisfaction with a web site
<a name="24b"></a><a href="#24">Wireframes</a>		X		LOW	Fast and easy concept prototyping that focuses on layout, navigation and high level content

[Usability Body of Knowledge] includes a the following list of articles: Affinity Diagramming, Brainstorming, Card Sorting, Checklist, Claims Analysis, Context of Use Analysis, Contextual Inquiry, Critical Incident Technique (CIT), Cultural Probe, Diary Study, Ethnography, Field Study, Focus Group, Formative Evaluation, Free Listing, Function Allocation, Heuristic Evaluation, Metaphor Brainstorming, Parallel Design, Phone Interview, Photo Study, Pluralistic Usability Walkthrough, Rapid Prototyping, Rating Scales, Storyboard, Wireframe, Wizard of Oz.

Links

Standalone introductions

• Practical Usability Methods in Website Design by Darren Gerle et. al. CHI 99 2-page tutorial.

Overview tables and articles

• Methods table at usabilitynet.org
• Design and Usability Methods and Techniques by Michelle Dalmau, 1008, Indiana University Usability Working Group Knowledge Base
• The Usability Methods Toolbox, website by James Hom
• Usability Methods at usabilityfirst.com
• Usability Professionals' Accosiation (upa) Designing the User Experience Free poster for non-commercial use.