Second Story Solutions: Usability Evaluations

Heuristic Analysis
This analysis evaluates how well a task -- such as purchasing a product or navigating through categories -- is implemented on your site. We leverage industry leading practices in user interface design to evaluate a site based on recognized "rules of thumb". These rules are called heuristics. The objective is to identify possible difficulties that users of the site may have with the current user interface and to recommend design improvements based on your business needs and technical requirements. Examples of analyzed heuristics are:

Is the site using terms and language with which the user is familiar or using technical or industry terms?
Are colors, layout, terms and progress indicators clear and consistent?
Is the site using design metaphors consistent with similar websites?

Heuristic Analyses are available on a per-task basis or for a full application. Most reviews can be conducted within days, rather than weeks. There is also time involved in documenting usability concerns and, if required, formulating design change recommendations.

User & Task Analysis
Whereas heuristic evaluations focus on look and feel in the context of user tasks, verification and validation reviews such as User & Task Analysis typically focuses on site functionality. During a User & Task Analysis, focus groups are polled and/or observed performing specific tasks on your site, such as finding a piece of information or purchasing a product. The findings are aggregated into a comprehensive report and video that eventually validates (or invalidates) a design or task. Examples of User and Task Analysis methods include:

Survey forms for existing users
Obtrusive observation during a focus group
Unobtrusive observation in a usability lab w/video support