Saturday, February 2, 2008        CANCELLED
(Snow date: February 9, 2008)

Never conducted a usability test? Want to add structure to your informal testing efforts? Need to cost-justify investment in usability? This hands-on workshop will train you to conduct a usability test and lay the foundation for incorporating structured techniques into your work processes. Learn introductory skills such as how to recruit participants, interact with them, and compensate them for their time, as well as advanced topics such as remote testing, handling difficult participants, and writing useful recommendations once the test is done. Practice test moderation in Bentley’s state-of-the-art usability testing facilities (photos at http://www.bentley.edu/usability/facilities/index.cfm) and receive individual feedback from the instructors. We’ll also dedicate time to responding to your specific concerns and questions about conducting usability tests - and provide lunch!

The techniques you will learn here are applicable to whatever you work on: software, documentation, websites. Sign up soon because space is limited. We'll take the first 24 who register. See you there!

Topics

Lesson 1 – Designing and Planning a Usability Test ROI: How usability testing saves money. Who can benefit from usability testing? Local or remote testing? Selecting participants Selecting tasks Choosing performance measures Recruiting participants Exercise: Design a test of a website

Lesson 2 – Conducting a Usability Test Set-up and pilot testing First contact with participants Moderating test sessions Recording data Ending the session Exercise: Conduct a test session in the lab Lesson 3 – Analyzing and Reporting the Results Debriefing Analyzing the data Exercise: Analyze the data from our session Writing effective reports Making useful recommendations Wrap-up/special topics

Beth Loring, Director of the Bentley Design and Usability Center, has over twenty years’ experience in product design and usability. She has expertise in user requirements gathering, UI design, ergonomics, and evaluation methods. She has designed and evaluated a wide array of consumer products, web sites, desktop software, business applications, and medical devices. Beth has also been a faculty member in Bentley’s Information Design Certificate program since 2001.

Beth holds an MS in Engineering Design from Tufts University and is a Certified Human Factors Professional. She has over twenty publications and is coauthor of the forthcoming book, Moderating Usability Tests: Principles for Interacting with Participants (Morgan Kaufmann Publishers, 2008) with Joe Dumas. She has received design awards from IDEA/Business Week and ID Magazine. Beth is past chair of both the New England Chapter of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society and Boston CHI.

Lena Dmitrieva is a Usability Consultant at the Bentley Design and Usability Center. She leads projects for a diverse range of clients in a variety of industries, particularly education, financial, and e-commerce. Her areas of expertise include usability testing, expert reviews, and field research. Her particular areas of interest are categorization of information and design for aging populations. In addition to project work, Lena is in charge of training DUC students on methodology and processes.

Lena holds an MS in Human Factors from Bentley College. She is active in the Usability Professionals' Association, the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, and Boston CHI. Before joining the Center, Lena worked as a Technical Writer for an IT consulting group

9:30 am to 4:00 pm

Design and Usability Center
Bentley College
Smith Academic Technology Center, Room 221
175 Forest Street
Waltham, Massachusetts
781-891-2500
Map and Directions

Payment must be received by January 26:
     $99 for STC Boston chapter and Northern New England chapter members
     $149 for other STC members and non-members

Lunch is included in the cost of the workshop.

Enrollment is limited to 24 people. Registrations will be handled on a first-registered-and-paid, first-enrolled basis.

Cancellations must be made by January 26 to receive a refund.

Registration and Payment Instructions

For more information about the program, contact Pam Sarantos by e-mail. For assistance with registration or payments, contact Cindy Cookson, Accountant for the Boston Chapter, by e-mail or phone at 978-409-6112.