Resources

Provided by Midwest Research, LLC

Please visit the Usability Professionals' Association Usability Body of Knowledge (BoK) Preview Site for a full glossary. Interested in volunteering for the BoK? Contact Carol Smith at info@mw-research.com.

Explanations and Definitions

Usability and User Experience

How easily can a person do what they need to with the product?
A product that enables its user to conduct their task effectively and efficiently has reached the pinnacle of user acceptance: usability. When users are also satisfied with the experience emotionally, physically, etc. it can be deemed a good user experience as well.

The Usability Body of Knowledge defines usability as:

"A measure of the degree to which a product can be used by specified users or groups to achieve specific goals of effectiveness, efficiency, and satisfaction in a specified context of use. Factors affecting this measure include learnability, readability, aesthetics, safety and error frequency. Another significant factor is keeping cost-effectiveness within acceptable levels for human cost measured in terms of tiredness, discomfort, embarrassment, frustration and personal effort. Keeping cost-effectiveness within acceptable levels increases user satisfaction, which in turn causes continued and enhanced usage of the system."

User Research and Market Research

User research is the study of individual people using the product being studied or in the situation for which a product may be developed. This research is usually done where the users live, work, shop and play - both physically and virtually. User research is conducted to gain an in-depth understanding of who the users are and what their needs are.

Market research is the collection and analysis of information about groups of consumers conducted either through analysis of data or through research techniques such as focus groups. Market research is conducted to determine the level of interest in new products, the feasibility of a new business, and to help develop strategies to improve customer service and distribution.

User research is most helpful to get a complete understanding of the person in the context of the product. Market research is most helpful to get an understanding of the intended audiences demographics. User research studies a smaller set of people that are identified as being primary users of the product, whereas market research looks at a broader set of people to determine attitudes and societal influences.

Both of these types of research can be used in conjunction with development of a new product or experience or for iteration of an existing product or experience.

Ethnography's Influence

User research has its roots in the study of ethnography. Ethnography, according to the UPA Usability Body of Knowledge Glossary, is "the process of gathering information about users and tasks directly from users in their normal work, home or leisure environment." Ethnography studies usually last between a few weeks to many years and require the researcher to immerse themselves in the culture and to live among the people they are observing.

We take many of the methods that ethnographer's use, but compact the time involved studying the situation. Ethnographers may spend months or years studying individuals. Midwest Research will work with you to determine what is needed, and usually the work can be done with just a few hours with each person being observed.

Number of Participants

The number of participants recruited for both research and testing has been a hotly debated subject for many years within the usability professionals community. Midwest Research works to determine how many user groups you have, and then works within your budget to make sure as many as possible from each primary user group are represented.

Midwest Research recommends at least two iterative rounds of testing during the early stages of development for best results. We recommend at least eight participants per primary user group for both research and testing (time and budget allowing). When iterative testing is conducted, fewer users may be used during each iterative test.

We encourage the inclusion of people with disabilities when usability testing with an accessible, high-fi prototype or finished product. Redesign efforts should include a short round of usability testing to set a baseline before starting design.

User Experience Related Organizations

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