In reading Stewart's response I thought I'd chime in on something I think is important: the difference between "formal" usability testing and other, less formal methods of validation/research.
I feel that much of what we'd call "usability testing" isn't all that practical and often isn't a good use of time, money or effort. That doesn't mean that I don't think designers shouldn't have face time with people using their products and designs, only that that face time doesn't have to be "10 folks in a room with a half silvered mirror" and I totally agree that "context is king" when it comes to user research. When I say I feel that things like Offermatica won't kill usability testing, I don't mean they can't be used to help us get better data and make better decisions without doing "formal" testing. I'm only saying that it's important for designers to get face time with users, preferably in an appropriate context. New methods of gathering and analyzing data won't ever replace the benefits we get from face-to-face time with people interacting with our designs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Posted from the new ixda.org http://www.ixda.org/discuss?post=24061 ________________________________________________________________ *Come to IxDA Interaction08 | Savannah* February 8-10, 2008 in Savannah, GA, USA Register today: http://interaction08.ixda.org/ ________________________________________________________________ Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ....... [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe ................ http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines ............ http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .................. http://www.ixda.org/help
