Bad user testing beats no user testing
Jakob Nielson offers a great summary of why to do at least some user testing. Even if it’s poor, you’re likely to catch at least a few major errors. I believe that when deadlines are short and expectation high, even chatting through ideas with a colleague has its benefits.
Nielsen initially launched his ‘discount’ ideas on the world twenty years ago this month. So what’s changed in all that time?
It might be hard to appreciate today, but these ideas were heresy 20 years ago… it has come a long way since I launched it to a lecture room of maybe 100 or so people. On balance, I’m happy that I started this campaign and will continue the fight for simpler usability, more broadly applied.
Discount Usability: 20 Years, Jakob Nielsen
Hear, hear!
Read more: http://www.useit.com/alertbox/discount-usability.html