1. Slide: Usability - Is it a matter of perception?
Usability
Is it a matter of perception?
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Sapo Codebits // 13 November 2010 Célia Leocádio

2. Slide: Usability - Is it a matter of perception?
Disclaimer
All of the ramblings contained in these
slides and the speech that follows it may
be affected by my soon to be mommy
hormones and should not be taken too
seriously.
In case you like it and agree I advise you
to take a pregnancy test, just as
precaution.
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3. Slide: Usability - Is it a matter of perception?
Usability
Is it a matter of perception?
3
Sapo Codebits // 13 November 2010 Célia Leocádio

4. Slide: Usability - Is it a matter of perception?
Yes!
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Thank you so
much for your
time
look into my eyes,
not around my eyes
and repeat:
AWSOME

5. Slide: Usability - Is it a matter of perception?
Oh wait, there’s a
couple more things
I’want to say
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6. Slide: Usability - Is it a matter of perception?
Background
Check
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Webdesigner @ Novabase
I design & code backend
Interfaces for the bastards
who live of our tax money.
Yep, you guessed it:
Public Administration

7. Slide: Usability - Is it a matter of perception?
And...
Freelancer (retiring...)
Cat lover
Suburban Housewife
Workaholic (retiring too)
CSI Addict (Vegas only)
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8. Slide: Usability - Is it a matter of perception?
What is?
Usability is the degree to which something - software,
hardware or anything else - is easy to use and a good fit for the
people who use it.
It is a quality or characteristic of a product.
It is whether a product is efficient, effective and satisfying for
those who use it.
It is the name for a group of techniques developed by usability
professionals to help create usable products.
And, it is a shorthand term for a process or approach to creating
those products, also called user-centered design.
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9. Slide: Usability - Is it a matter of perception?
Aaaaand....
A Buzzword
But not a vain one, although used very
abundant, and redundantly to justify...
All sorts of mistakes and black holes
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10. Slide: Usability - Is it a matter of perception?
We bring it on...
When the site is ugly
When the product does not sell well
Seo & bullshit metrics are not getting us
good numbers.
Overall underperforming
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11. Slide: Usability - Is it a matter of perception?
Yet we fail...
Does the site content matters?
Is the product usefull, any good? People
want it?
SEO pundits can go to hell...
Did you define goals? Realistic ones?
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12. Slide: Usability - Is it a matter of perception?
Because It´s all about
• Content
• Purpose
• Needs
• Users
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She meant
Stakeholders

13. Slide: Usability - Is it a matter of perception?
Who?
Let me name a few:
Your manager
Your project manager
Your technical director
The programmers
Who ever sees you working on the design
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14. Slide: Usability - Is it a matter of perception?
Oh Wait...the client:
Your manager
Your project manager
Your technical director
The programmers
Who ever sees your design
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15. Slide: Usability - Is it a matter of perception?
And the user?
Oh, he will get the chance to see it!
When we lauch
When we deploy
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16. Slide: Usability - Is it a matter of perception?
Sooooo....
• Perception remember?
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17. Slide: Usability - Is it a matter of perception?
Yeah, about that...
Perception is one of the oldest fields in
psychology. The oldest quantitative law
in psychology is the Weber-Fechner law,
which quantifies the relationship
between the intensity of physical stimuli
and their perceptual effects. The study of
perception gave rise to the Gestalt school
of psychology, with its emphasis on
holistic approach.
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18. Slide: Usability - Is it a matter of perception?
Say what???
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19. Slide: Usability - Is it a matter of perception?
Sorry.
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Immediate or intuitive recognition or
appreciation, as of moral, psychological,
or aesthetic qualities; insight; intuition;
discernment.
Also referred as awareness, sense,
recognition

20. Slide: Usability - Is it a matter of perception?
Humm.. I see
It is acquired
It is knowledge
It’s a matter of taste (>Flash sites
anyone?)
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21. Slide: Usability - Is it a matter of perception?
Usability + Perception
You have no access to the user
Personas, Roles, Polls, metrics
Time
Budget
The stakeholders myriad of inputs
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22. Slide: Usability - Is it a matter of perception?
You call the shots
Perception plays a key role
Your perception, based on knowledge
and rules (yeah they are important too)
User’s perception (Oh, I haz mind
reader?)
Purpose and goals
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23. Slide: Usability - Is it a matter of perception?
Simply ask yourself
the questions
Do they get it?
If you are asking for user input,
giving information, Terms &
Conditions, Contacts...
Do they see it?
The big download button, the login,
the obvious link, the Signup...
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24. Slide: Usability - Is it a matter of perception?
Simply ask yourself
the questions
Do they like it?
Marketing, campaigns, e-commerce,
online apps...
Can they do it?
Accessibillity, forms, e-commerce,
online apps,
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25. Slide: Usability - Is it a matter of perception?
By asking yourself
You HAZ mind reader, you get to be a
profiler
You are obvious biased by your own
involvement
You gain more knowledge
But yes, you will fail sometimes.
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26. Slide: Usability - Is it a matter of perception?
Usability testing
It’s a buzzword (the guerrilla one)
There is no time. Mockups have to be
ready in 3 days.
You can’t afford it!
Tweaks are part of business (ongoing
cash flow)
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27. Slide: Usability - Is it a matter of perception?
At the end of the day
Perception does matter and its your main
tool of trade.
It’s your biggest asset and you should invest
in it
Added value to your work and should be
developped.
Whithout you are screwed. Go make Flash
websites.
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28. Slide: Usability - Is it a matter of perception?
References
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perception
http://www.useit.com/alertbox/
20030825.html
http://www.upassoc.org/
usability_resources/about_usability/
what_is_ucd.html
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29. Slide: Usability - Is it a matter of perception?
Game Over
Insert Coin!
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30. Slide: Usability - Is it a matter of perception?
Thanks
Questions?
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@cleocadio
cleocadio@gmail.com