Usability

While brainstorming an idea for any new product, we always keep the usability guidelines in mind.
We design a lot of different options and filter the most useful and simple ones. The lowest common denominator is the key factor in doing so.
Here is an example from real life:
While strategizing to design a music store for one of our clients, we had to study a whole multitude of users. In such a case the users can range from a totally fresh user who has never bought music online to a power user who has an MP3 player and downloads music, shares it and likes to read about music.
Similarly for another social network project ease of use is the primary requirement. Also compatibility between different platforms from pc to mobile added yet another dimension to the whole usability concept.
Large user base web applications need constant improvements, as new features are added, size of the application increases like more pages, more sub links and detailed navigation.
Usability is a part of each step in our process, while developing wireframes – thorough reviews are carried out based on design patterns. Prototypes and interactions between different parts of the products are based on usability guidelines.
Each project is based around personas and use cases. After understanding the functional aspect of the product, personas are created followed by use cases. And designs are evaluated under these use cases – findings are recorded in different diagrams, sketches and text format. Solutions, limitations and recommendations are provided with each use case.

With these hands on effort in usability testing during all the critical phases of product development – our customers acknowledge key benefits:

• Increased end-user satisfaction – product is used by people with request to add more features
• Increased end-user productivity, success, and completion – able to be used by specially abled people in certain instances
• Reduced development costs – focus shifted to enhance feature set, rather than fixing issues
  
• Reduced learning curve – thus ease of use

Shakespeare used to write plays around people and not ideas. And software products are successful if these are designed and developed by keeping people in mind and not just a cool technology idea.
Though each software product is different specially when testing across different platforms and technologies, here are some of the steps we follow:

• Issue testing: This is the most common form of testing, done on different configurations, platforms like different browsers, different size monitors and laptops. Further on, if its a web app, test it on different hand held devices. The usability flaws in the design are also tested  very diligently to the minute detail like if user is connected or not, what if user gets offline during a critical process and so on.
• Goal-based testing: Purpose of the software product – whether it’s a shopping cart, or a simple application to add a new milestone in the calendar – it has to meet the high level goal identified by share holders. This goal is measured during testing.
• Value testing. Product design is identified how to highlight real benefits and values and effectiveness of communication.