widening usability's reach: extending usability methods to marketing and design

Widening Usability’s ReachExtending Usability Methods to Marketing and Design

Ashley Annis, Ph.D.Director of User ExperienceBridgeline Software

Usability MethodsThat Answer

Marketing Questions

Wayfinding

Content

What does usability research do?

Assess preference

Measure performance

Features Ease of Use

How’s it done?

Usability Research

Where would you click first?

How?

Loyalty

Confidence

What does market research do?

PrideIntegrity

Passion Brand

How likely are you to buy?

How’s it done?

Market Research

A Case Study:Usability Methods

That AnswerMarketing Questions

Traditional UsabilityDeliverables•Usability Test Plan

•Scenarios

•Report

Activities•Measure Performance

•Assess Preference

They wanted marketing questions answered.

But...

Market research

CredibleTrust

Objective

Brand

So how’d we do it?

Session Plan

Screener

In-PersonSessions

2 Designs

Web based tools

Questionnaire

Sticky

Clicky

When you use the web to research home financing,what matters to you most?

Look and feelEasy to useA brand name I recognize and likeCredibilityTrustOther

How likely are you to tell afriend about a home financing website that you liked?

How likely are you to use this site to research home financing loans like mortgages, home equity loans, etc

How motivated are you toexplore other pages on this site

Session Results

Brand mattered

I trust Acme. It’s not a Mickey Mouse operation.

It’s important that it’s Acme - my informationis secure with Acme.

Seeing Acme there makes me feel more comfortable. They’re a reputable company.

“I like the “brought to you by Acme” - it's more credible

right off the bat.”

Where would you read first?

Session Results

Brand mattered, but…

Users responded more to content and features than brand

"Rates. The bottom line

is the money! Rates are very

important!”

Where would you click first?

Project Outcome

A Happy Client

An Acme-branded site

Content users wanted

Lessons Learned

Widening Usability’s ReachExtending Usability Methods to Marketing and Design

Ashley Annis, Ph.D.Director of User ExperienceBridgeline Software