Your software project success lies in the acceptance from the final users, and that includes not only having the expected functionalities, but also the experience generated by using it. That is why the user experience (UX) emerges as a discipline that supports the projects’ success.
Heuristic evaluation
It is an usability inspection method without users. It specifically involves evaluators examining the interface and judging its compliance with recognized usability principles (the “heuristics”).
Focus Group
It is a research method and inspection technique frequently used to integrate a small users group during the design process.
Usability testing
With the collaboration of the potential users, specific use goals are established, and the possibility of reach them is analyzed. The techniques and number of tests depends on the type of project. This process guarantees the correction of more than 80% of the usability problems.
Field Observation
The observer studies legacy or “new” systems in the user’s real working environment to determine its problems. This might be a highly necessary study depending on the type of user and their environment.
Validations
For each development process iteration, the new functionalities are validated with the user and the expert.
Every usability principle are review to determine if one of them was not considered during the iteration.
Eye, Hand & Mouse Tracking
Eyes, hands and mouse are track to determine the best action locations within the software product.
It is complemented with a time analysis of the carried out actions.
Screen Recording
Today, the screen recording is a great tool to observe the software products’ usability problems. It allows to remotely run analysis (for users located in other areas) and verify hypotheses.
Card Sorting
Card Sorting works as a technique to evaluate how the user links concepts associated to the software product being developed.
After this, new elements’ reorganization are suggested according to the obtained results.
Ethnography Study
This kind of study is used to get to deeply know the users outside the software product use and to design a product that reach their expectations, goals and dreams.
Interviews and Surveys
The users interview are used in qualitative research in which companies try to understand how users think work.
The users surveys work as a quantitative measure of hypotheses verification. They can be used before, throughout or at the end of the development.
Prototyping
Prototyping allows to design screens before implementing them. The possibility of screens being disposable let the user to express their wishes and real needs.
Strategy
No methodology is useful if it is not complemented with a clear defined strategy from the beginning and fed back by the process.
The product objectives and the user needs must complement each other to create a 100% successful product.
