
Usability
testing
Pretty…but does it work? |
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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.
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