Steve KrugSxSW Interactive 2011Last Session, Last Day
Steve Krug explains it all for you
© 2001 Steve Krug
© 2001 Steve Krug
© 2001 Steve Krug
© 2001 Steve Krug
© 2011 Steve Krug
Let’s get a few things out of the way
© 2001 Steve Krug
© 2011 Steve Krug
Not present at time of photo
“Gameification” Social Networks You test them the same way you
test anything else
© 2001 Steve Krug
© 2011 Steve Krug
You damned kids get out of my yard
I was sitting in a session… My theory: You’ll enjoy this more and get more
out of it if you’re not multitasking Notetaking is an exception, of course I know it feels like you can, but you
can't really listen and tweet My son would say… Feel free to do it, but…
© 2001 Steve Krug
© 2011 Steve Krug
Lou’s brilliant idea
Talking to Lou Rosenfeld about it His idea: Pre-fab tweets
© 2001 Steve Krug
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© 2011 Steve Krug
Lou’s brilliant idea
We all know which quotes are tweetable
Sanitized for your protection Limited character count to leave
room for personalization “@skrug is doing pre-fab tweets
from his talk at #sxsw #skrugsxsw”
© 2001 Steve Krug
© 2011 Steve Krug
Show of hands?
Read Don’t Make Me Think?
© 2001 Steve Krug
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Show of hands?
Read Rocket Surgery? Heard of Rocket Surgery before
today?
© 2001 Steve Krug
© 2011 Steve Krug© 2001 Steve Krug
Ten years ago
I was trying to figure out what advice to give
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© 2011 Steve Krug© 2001 Steve Krug
© 2011 Steve Krug© 2001 Steve Krug
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© 2011 Steve Krug© 2001 Steve Krug
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“My ideal home page,” as told by…
© 2011 Steve Krug© 2001 Steve Krug
“My ideal home page,” as told by…
© 2011 Steve Krug
I believe anyone can do it
...if they keep it simple enough
© 2001 Steve Krug
© 2011 Steve Krug
All sites have usability problems
Correction: All sites have serious usability
problems We use sites all the time that don’t
work How can this be?
© 2001 Steve Krug
© 2011 Steve Krug© 2001 Steve Krug
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Problems you can find with just a few test participants
Problemsyou have theresources to fix
© 2011 Steve Krug
Most sites don’t get tested
$$$ Time Even if there was enough money,
there aren’t enough professionals
© 2001 Steve Krug
© 2011 Steve Krug© 2001 Steve Krug
My intent for today
Convince you that you should be testing, or testing more
Show you how easy it can/should be
© 2011 Steve Krug© 2001 Steve Krug
The plan
A live demo test So you can see how simple it should be
The whole book in 30 minutes Only a two-hour read
I’ll stick around for some questions
© 2011 Steve Krug© 2001 Steve Krug
Do-it-yourself usability testing
Three users per round Three should be plenty You’ll be doing it again next month You’ll find more problems than you can
fix No lab or mirrors
Set up a monitor in another room so the development team can watch
No elaborate recruiting “Recruit loosely and grade on a curve”
© 2011 Steve Krug© 2001 Steve Krug
Do-it-yourself usability testing
Record with Camtasia or Morae (Techsmith.com) or CamStudio
No stats, no exit questions, no faux validity
No big report Debrief over lunch
© 2011 Steve Krug
First, a demo test
Technical term: Biting the hand that feeds you
Didn’t pick it because it had more problems that average
Picked it because many of you are familiar with it
Observers for your tests will know the site
© 2001 Steve Krug
© 2011 Steve Krug
We need a volunteer
Qualifying criteria: Have used a Web browser English-speaking adult Doesn’t work for SxSW Wasn’t here on Saturday It’s painless!
You’ll get a big round of applause and a book when we’re done
© 2001 Steve Krug
© 2011 Steve Krug
There’s a complete demo online
www.sensible.com Or Google “Steve Krug” on YouTube
© 2001 Steve Krug
© 2011 Steve Krug© 2001 Steve Krug
© 2011 Steve Krug© 2001 Steve Krug
© 2011 Steve Krug© 2001 Steve Krug
© 2001 Steve Krug
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© 2011 Steve Krug
RSME: The thirty-minute version
Six maxims
© 2001 Steve Krug
© 2011 Steve Krug© 2001 Steve Krug
Show of hands?
Does your organization or department do usability testing?
How often and when? Never? Right before (or right after) product
ships? Routine (several times during
development)?
© 2011 Steve Krug© 2001 Steve Krug
A morning a month, that’s all we ask.
© 2011 Steve Krug© 2001 Steve Krug
© 2011 Steve Krug© 2001 Steve Krug
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Start earlier than you think makes sense.
© 2011 Steve Krug
Incorrect thinking
© 2001 Steve Krug
© 2011 Steve Krug
Correct thinking
© 2001 Steve Krug
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Recruit loosely and grade on a curve.
© 2011 Steve Krug© 2001 Steve Krug
Naturally, we need to test people who are just like our target
audience. … people who are a lot like
our users.
… people who actually use our
site.
Representative users!
Real users!
© 2011 Steve Krug© 2001 Steve Krug
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Make it a spectator sport.
© 2011 Steve Krug© 2001 Steve Krug
© 2011 Steve Krug© 2001 Steve Krug
Focus ruthlessly on a small number of the most important problems.
© 2011 Steve Krug© 2001 Steve Krug
© 2011 Steve Krug© 2001 Steve Krug
When fixing problems, always do the least you can do™.
© 2011 Steve Krug© 2001 Steve Krug
Your motto should be…
What’s the smallest change we can make that we think might solve the observed problem?
Tweak, don’t redesign Often the best solution is removing
something, not adding something
© 2011 Steve Krug© 2001 Steve Krug
© 2011 Steve Krug© 2001 Steve Krug
© 2011 Steve Krug
Blatant self promotion
Day-long workshops Lou Rosenfeld and Me and friends San Francisco – Indi Young, next week Atlanta – Whitney Quesenbery, April
27-29 Chicago – Ginny Redish, June 1-3 www.sensible.com/workshops
© 2001 Steve Krug
© 2011 Steve Krug
Rate me?
In something called a “Go app”? (They told me to say it.)
© 2001 Steve Krug
© 2011 Steve Krug© 2001 Steve Krug
Thanks for all the fish
Send any questions, feedback, gripes to
And come visit
@skrug on the Twitterwww.sensible.comSomeSlightlyIrregular.com
© 2011 Steve Krug
Questions, anyone?
© 2001 Steve Krug
© 2011 Steve Krug