When to use which method?

“Usability engineering is not a one-shot affair where the user interface is fixed up before the release of a product. Rather, usability engineering is a set of activities that ideally take place throughout the lifecycle of the product, with significant activities happening at the early stages before the user interface has even been designed.” Jakob Nielsen, 2003

Jakob Nielson who is one of the usability pioneers emphasises in his statement that usability engineering should not be implemented as a kind of single methods but as a superordinated life cycle.

We have internalised this approved, user-centered approach. Our consulting is geared towards independent advices to improve the usability of your product in each stage of development. During the early stages of development of your product, your website or your application we can give you some recommendation of optimisation to avoid expensive undesirable developments.

To give you first pointers of the fields of application of single methods or services of the eResult GmbH we have arranged our portfolio into four important project stages (a precise description of the single stages ensues below the matrix):

We differ the following fours stages of the usability engineering life cycles:

1. Analysis
   The demand analysis helps to examine user intentions, expectations and requirements of your target group(s). On the basis of the results the single target groups become “more concrete”. The following steps can be derived for a user-centered conception and optimisation of the product.
2. Development / conception
   On the basis of ascertained requirements and expectations concept creators and designers work out first outlines in the form of scribbles or partly functional prototypes. Representative users test the previous concepts before the final specifications for design and structure are stated. In this way expensive minus developments are avoided. The aims of usability methods during the concept phase are clearly defined interaction processes, functional structures and a constant optimisation of the product from the beginning.
3. Programming
   Continual tests on the basis of entirely functional prototypes should be done during the implementation. An integrated ascertainment of positive and negative expectations takes place e. g. referring to the interface- and interaction-design as well as the navigation and architecture of information of its website. But even soft skills like emotionality, joy of use, trust and optical design are considered. If there are no (rough) problems in dealing with the product, it can be “produced”.
4. Live activity
   The regular application of usability steps during the live activity functions as a success control and the continual quality management to adjust to permanent changing user needs and to content the users.

When to use what method acts for one thing on the development phase, for another thing on the following criterion and questions:

• What questions should be answered?
• In what form is the application, or rather, the website available (schematic wireframes, grafical developed screens, interactive click-dummy, etc.)
• What resources and what time frame are available?
• What target group do you would like to appeal, or rather, to test?

Depending on assignment and development phase we choose the appropriate method in concert and adjust it to your concrete project needs and questions. In the process we would like to support you during the ascertainment of your problems.