What Usability Testing Means to PinPoint Performance Solutions

Usability testing is a process used to measure the ease of which people can use a particular tool or object, be it tangible or intangible such as an online training module, to meet a particular goal.  Typically, the discussion of usability is centered on user interfaces for software and web applications, but usability can also be discussed in context of communications and knowledge transfer via technology.  Usability serves as the basis of PinPoint Performance Solutions’ usability testing service.

It goes without saying that usability is focused primarily on a user’s psychology (how they think, learn and solve problems) and physiology (their ability to do physical tasks).  When it comes to the object they are to use, crucial questions need to be asked.  Can it be made more efficient and can it be made easy to learn?  By understanding the interaction between the user and the object through usability testing, an intriguing insight into the functionality of the object and design flaws that may not have been anticipated emerge.  By identifying the success factors and barriers to performance in an object, you have a greater chance of buy-in and increased performance from the user when they are presented with a usable object.

At PinPoint Performance Solutions, usability is a primary concern to us when we create any form of workplace performance improvement intervention.  In order to improve performance by way of usability, the following must be considered prior to usability testing:

• Who are the users? Careful audience analysis on what is already known among the users will help you concentrate on areas that are lacking and what needs to be known.
• What is the context of the desired performance.  What is the user’s environment, when and how will the performance intervention be used?
• What needs to be left to the user and what needs to be left to the performance intervention itself to improve performance?
• How much training is needed (if any)?
• What documentation and supporting materials are needed to perform and is it accessible?

These can be objectives you establish prior to testing.

In the end, a usable object developed with usability principles in mind and with the goal of improving performance yields many benefits.  Chief among them are reduced development costs, reduced support costs, decreased training costs and increased productivity.  For more information on usability and usability testing, visit the following sites:

• Usability 101: Introduction to Usability – This is from Jakob Nielsen’s Alertbox. It’s written in the context of websites and web applications yet it is still informative.
• The Usability Professionals’ Association – Global advocate for usability and professional organization for usability professionals which PinPoint Performance Solutions is a member of.
• Usability.gov – An impressive resource of usability materials, tools and methods managed by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.