Usability is the extent to which products can do what they are meant to do with efficiency and satisfaction for the intended users. It may sometimes be referred to as "Ease-of-Use". It is based on understanding how users interact with their environment.

Usability is not only about making things easy to use, but also about understanding what the intended users need in the first place. At Customer input, we bring the Business and User needs together to create a value exchange that will provide not only customer satisfaction, but better return on investment.

Products that can benefit from our usability services include e-commerce Web sites, Software, Mobile Phone Application, PDA, Interactive Voice Response Systems (IVRS), etc...

Usability Evaluation

Based on recognized usability principles (heuristics) a team of experts objectively evaluates the usability of a system and discovers potential issues that affect user performance and satisfaction.

Usability Testing

We provide our clients with laboratory or on-location usability testing of their system (Web site, Software, IVRS, etc.). We gather qualitative data like performance measurement and qualitative information in the form of satisfaction self-assessment, along with observations from usability experts, while users try to accomplish realistic tasks with the client's Web site or other system. We probe the users to understand how well the system meets their need and expectation, and identify and diagnose areas of the system that create a negative customer experience.

Our Usability Research reports are throrough, explain in detail the problems and opportunities found, with a description of the human factors and cognitive factors in play, in a clear, easy-to-digest format. We typically give a management presentation to summarize the research report.

Redesign Recommendations

Based on results of Usability Testing or Expert Evaluations, and with applied knowledge of usability heuristics and human behavior, we develop sound and solid recommendations on how to improve clients' product or services.

Our usability reports have proven to improve our client' business substantially, as well as increasing customer satisfaction.

Information Architecture

Information architecture involves the organization, labeling and navigation of information on systems to help users find information efficiently and intuitively.

Designing good information architecture lies both in understanding the information, and understanding user's mental models of the information. We achieve information architecture through various techniques depending on the scope of the project.

Methods that can be used to ensure user involvement and insight include card sorting, survey and low-level prototype testing.

Typical deliverables include comprehensive site maps, task flow diagrams that show how the system behaves from step to step and wireframe prototypes.

Longitudinal Studies

Longitudinal studies are studies or user behavior with a system over time. This can be done in many ways from punctual qualitative assessments (with individual usability tests or interviews) of an interface over a period of time, or constant monitoring through software logs of all user activities.

Much more than simple Web logs, this allows companies to know exactly how users interact with a system at a detailed level. Longitudinal studies allow companies to assess the learning curve of a system, how more efficient users become over time, what is the efficiency threshold, what features become more used, others less, what work-arounds users develop, etc.

Training

We provide training for interested individuals and companies on User-Centered Design.

Courses range from introduction to engineering psychology to cost-benefits of User-Centered Design, all the way to specific usability engineering methodology methods.