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Alex Genov <[log in to unmask]>
Fri, 7 Jul 2006 05:47:49 -0700
text/plain (61 lines)
Interfaces are invariably related to tasks (or jobs).  Tasks, on their part, are related to target user groups.  So you cannot recruit a specific user group for a specific task and a specific interface and test other random interfaces with it.  

You can, but I will not buy your conclusions ... :)

Alex Genov, PhD
Staff User Researcher
Intuit, Inc.

Derek Olson <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > For example, if I'm doing a study for a client, I could see if  
> they'd let me do one extra session at the end of the day on a topic  
> of interest to *me*. No charge to them for my time (maybe I'd even  
> discount the project a little bit), but I'd take advantage of the  
> fact that I'm all set up for testing anyway and bring in a  
> participant to do a session on bread crumbs.

I think that's a brilliant idea... in fact, if we all used the same  
sets of interfaces to test, these interfaces may eventually provide a  
baseline of (subject self-reported) "absolute usability" against  
which the 'real work' being done for the client could be benchmarked.  
If these standardized testing interfaces were then tested against  
other interfaces, products, etc., we may eventually be able to say to  
the client something like: "Your website is about half as usable as  
an aircraft carrier..."

: )

This not only obviates the need to discount anything or explain why  
we're testing an interface that is not the client's... but in my mind  
could add enough benefit to be marketable. Could even be valuable  
enough to charge more!

-Derek

Derek Olson

Foraker Design
5277 Manhattan Circle
Suite 210
Boulder, CO 80303
(303) 449-0202
www.foraker.com

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