Note to Intro Usability class – Feb. 22
Four weeks from now (i.e., March 22nd) you will be expected to turn in a test plan,
detailing your final project. Remember, the template test plans are just that -- you should
feel free to deviate from them as you see fit, or use another test plan as your model.
So, by this Thursday, please tell me whom you’ve paired up with and what you want to
do an evaluation of. I will NOT want you to do simply a heuristic evaluation. Rather, I
will want your evaluation to entail SOME user testing. Though, as I said in class, you are
free to test just friends, or fellow classmates.
You will NOT be obliged to complete IRB (Institutional Review Board) forms – I will
complete one form for the whole exercise. But you will still be obliged to follow good
testing practice, treating the test participants with respect, securing “Informed Consent”
from them, etc. We’ll talk more about this as the semester goes on.
If you have something you’d like to test, go for it. Here is a list of local nonprofits’
websites that you might find worthy of your attention. In the past, some students have
shared their results with the nonprofit organization, and have actually influenced
redesigns.
- http://www.austinhabitat.org/
- http://caritasofaustin.org/
- http://newlifetexas.org/
- http://www.hillcountryride.org/site/PageServer
- http://www.abcaus.org/
- Indeed, here’s a place to find a bunch of nonprofits:
http://austin.about.com/od/charitableorganizations/
Of course, feel free to pick any site you wish (almost!), or desktop application.
Here’s Dr. Laura Faulkner’s email address: laura@arlut.utexas.edu
Here’s the link to info about the UPA conference – if you’re interested, let’s talk more.
http://www.upassoc.org/conference/2007/
There’s a link there to try to sign up to be a volunteer, but there may be value in using the
Dr. Faulkner connection, too!
The Near Future
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March 1 – Prototype testing, with visits from some IBMers and (maybe) the
owner of a local usability consultancy.
March 8 – Visit to BMC Software, 10415 Morado Cir., at noon. Here’s a map.
http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?address=10415%20Morado%20Circle
%20&city=Austin&state=TX&county=Travis&country=US If you need a ride
and haven’t been able to hook up with a classmate, shoot me an email and I’ll find
you a ride.
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March 15 – Spring Break. This week I think you should be reading the following
things:
o Nah, I’m just kidding.
March 22 – Visit from local usability consultant, Gordon Montgomery.