We provide a range of consulting,
evaluation, and design services in the areas of software and Web usability.
In addition to our own expertise, we draw on our
Consulting Associates and
our network of colleagues to meet even the most demanding client needs. If
we cannot provide the services you need, we will do our best to help you
find them.collaboration-in-context
integrated design help and training
Collaboration-in-Context is an innovative new service that provides
project teams with regular, ongoing access to help on design problems
along with efficient, sharply focused training directly related to
and fully integrated into current work. Collaboration-in-Context combines
on-site and off-site work in a package that is much more affordable than
conventional consulting. We help you find better solutions faster,
tackling the tough problems together and providing review, feedback, and
guidance on your work. As opportunities arise, we create short,
tightly-focused learning experiences for your team to acquire new skills and
techniques for application to current problems. To make efficient use of
everyone’s time, collaborative sessions are regularly scheduled at
intervals, giving teams time to continue regular work and apply
new learning. Between visits, we are available for questions and ongoing
support as the need arises. To facilitate budgeting and cost control,
these services are offered on fixed contracts for a set number of units,
each unit comprising a day of on-site work with the client team and a
half-day of off-site consultation. On-site days can be scheduled monthly,
twice a month, or every 3 weeks, depending on the pace of the project. The
service can be surprisingly economical, with a minimum contract of
only 4 units and substantial savings available in exchange for certain
concessions, such as a regular schedule and fixed contract in advance.
Contact us for pricing and details.
design
independent design
For select clients with particularly challenging problems and
applications where usability is a major criterion for success, we carry out
independent visual, conceptual, and interaction design work. The scope of
design work can range from an isolated subsystem to a complete application
and we can work either on-site or off-site. For example, we did the visual
and interaction design for the imind integrator, a comprehensive classroom
information management solution for K-12 teachers. We completely redesigned
the on-line member-services features for a major book club. (See our
portfolio for more details on
some of our design work.) If you want a world-class design but lack the lead
design resources in-house, contact us
to discuss pricing and details.
| World-class designs result when the creative synergy of
a top-rate team is multiplied by the proven power of usage-centered
design. |
collaborative design
We can work collaboratively as part of your user interface design and
usability team just as we have for other clients. The award-winning work
with Siemens AG is a good example of the creative synergy possible when an
outstanding team of professionals is assembled and then equipped with the
gold standard in effective processes and conceptual tools. Often this
collaborative work shades over into coaching, mentoring, and training, as
we help build the skills of the team in the advanced aspects of
usage-centered design. Contact us
to explore the possibilities.
evaluation
usability reviews
Usability reviews are scenario-based evaluations by experts in usability
and user interface design. An alternative to routinized
usability testing or mechanized measurements methods, expert reviews are
grounded in the expertise and experience of highly skilled usability professionals
guided by established usability rules and principles. Expert evaluations can
identify subtle usability problems as well as glaring defects and provide
practical guidance for re-design.
Expert evaluations can be conducted remotely at our facilities and can be
scoped and oriented to fit with specific client needs and objectives for a
wide variety of software-based products ranging from commercial Web sites to
applications software to automation controls. For a fixed fee that depends
on the scope and complexity of the product and the specific objectives of
the evaluation, clients receive a complete written report identifying major
usability problems and recommending solutions. Pricing is determined after
an initial review of the site or application and clarification of the scope
and objectives of the evaluation. Contact
us for pricing and details.
| Usability reviews and usability inspections are rapid,
cost-effective alternatives to usability testing. |
collaborative usability inspections
We pioneered collaborative usability inspections, which have become a
popular and widely used alternative to conventional usability testing or
field testing. A specialized form of structured walkthrough that brings
together users, developers, designers, and usability specialists in a
carefully orchestrated collaboration, they are fast, easy to learn, and
highly efficient. Collaborative inspections of designs and prototypes help
designers and developers catch more usability problems earlier while also
spreading knowledge and awareness of usability issues among developers. We
provide a unique package in which we both train your staff in the techniques and facilitate your first inspection of one of
your own systems. Contact us for
pricing and details.
consulting
coaching and mentoring
As consultants, we see our job to be one of working ourselves out of a
job. Whatever the problem or the formal contract, we see ourselves as
collaborators with our clients. Our interest is often as much in the
transfer of skills as in the completion of immediate work. We and other
members of our team can provide formal training or informal, on-the-job
coaching. Contact us to explore
how we can help you build and extend your design and usability capabilities
to enhance your long-term competitive position.
| The real payoffs from usage-centered design come when
new practices become an intrinsic part of your organization and its
processes. |
process improvement and change
Changes in practices require more than just attendance in a training
class. Getting the fullest return on an investment in training hinges on the
dispersion and institutionalization of new techniques and approaches. Our
skills and experience in facilitating organizational change can be applied
to orchestrating the entire process of incorporating usage-centered design
into your organization. For example, we helped one of the leading
analyst firms to build its in-house capability through training, then
facilitated a workshop to outline a customized development process based on
usage-centered design. Contact us
for help in improving your development processes as well as the products you
deliver.
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