Usability testing Pretty…but does it work?

The situation
A start up technology firm had developed a platform for delivering textbooks online. And, the venture capitalists were getting ready to provide a second round of funding so that our client could launch the product. But, they wanted to be sure that the product was valuable to users, and the technology was simple and easy to use.

The process
O’Donnell & Associates created a usability testing plan that would provide feedback for the investors and product development guidance to the client company. First, we conducted in-depth interviews with 20 instructors who had registered to review the product. We followed this with a usability lab with a small group of instructors, where we watched them register, customize and adopt a textbook. This enabled us to get specific feedback on the platform’s navigation and ease of use. Finally, we conducted online surveys with students who were using the digital textbook.

The results
The investors were convinced that this model was worth another round of funding. The client company received the feedback needed to finalize the design and navigation of the product. And, both the instructors and students provided a host of testimonials and enthusiastic endorsements for the client Website.