Usability Testing as Design Research

I recently gave a presentation to WVU University Relations’ Professional Technologist Co-Hort group about why web designers should be conducting usability testing, and how to start to do so. I decided to put this up on SlideShare for anyone to share/view.

In the context of this presentation I refer to an article on A List Apart titled Usability Testing Demystified by Dana Chisnell. Chisnell states:

“Every time a person has a great experience with a website, a web app, a gadget, or a service, it’s because a design team made excellent decisions about both design and implementation—decisions based on data about how people use designs. And how can you get that data? Usability testing.”

The following is the full SlideShare embeded: