Usability Testing Essentials - Ready, Set...Test!

Usability Testing Essentials provides readers with the tools and techniques needed to begin usability testing or to advance their knowledge in this area. The book begins by presenting the essentials of usability testing, which include focusing on the user and not the product; knowing when to conduct small or large studies; and thinking of usability as hill climbing. It then reviews testing options and places usability testing into the context of a user-centered design (UCD). It goes on to discuss the planning, preparation, and implementation of a usability test.
The remaining chapters cover the analysis and reporting of usability test findings, and the unique aspects of international usability testing. This book will be useful to anyone else involved in the development or support of any type of product, such as software or web developers, engineers, interaction designers, information architects, technical communicators, visual or graphic designers, trainers, user-assistance specialists, and instructional technologists.

• Provides a comprehensive, step-by-step guide to usability testing, a crucial part of every product's development
• The fully updated four-color edition now features important usability issues such as international testing, persona creation, remote testing, and accessibility
• Follow-up to Usability Testing and Research (9780205315192, Longman, 2001), winner of the highest-level award from the Society for Technical Communication

Carol teaches a graduate course in usability testing and also works with clients on projects ranging from software, hardware, web applications, web sites, e-learning, and training products. Barnum is well-known internationally, having keynoted and presented at numerous national and international conferences. Her presentation at the first European Usability Professionals conference in London, in conjunction with British HCI, won the 'best presenter' award at the conference. She was invited to be interviewed for the UX Pioneers web site (www.uxpioneers.com), among such luminaries as Jakob Nielsen, John Carrol, Ginny Redish, Ben Shneiderman, and Alan Cooper. She was also recently named one of the 'Top 20 Women Professors in Georgia.'