Usability is defined by the International Organization for Standardization as: “The extent to which a product can be used by specified users to achieve specified goals with effectiveness, efficiency and satisfaction in a specified context of use.” ISO Standard 9241-11 (1998)

In a nutshell, it refers to how easy a product—in this case a Web site — is for people to use.

Usability testing is a way to measure how easily people can use your Web site for its intended purpose.

Make it easier to find information!

Developing a Web site can be quite a challenge—you need an attractive design, the right information architecture, plus well-written and compelling content. Now, add another
ingredient to this recipe— usability best practices, to make your Web site user-friendly.

How many times have you navigated through a Web site that is awkward, confusing and ultimately frustrating? Think about the amount of time you’ve wasted trying to find information on such sites.

In today’s competitive online environment, potential clients want to find information quickly and easily. If your site is hard to navigate, they can simply go to your competitor’s more user-friendly site to find what they need.

Or, if you have an Intranet, think about how much more productive your staff will be if they can find the information they are seeking more quickly
and easily.

What Neural can offer

Neural can help you identify usability problems in your existing sites or in prototypes of sites under development, by conducting different methods of usability testing with your target audience. Neural will provide comprehensive recommendations on what should be changed to achieve better results, and will re-test your sites/prototypes for a before/after comparison.

Neural can provide the following usability testing methods:

• Heuristic evaluation - a usability analysis of a Web site done by an expert or a group or usability experts, not with real users. When? Used when there are no users available for testing or if budget and/or timeline are concerns.
• Scenario testing - users are faced with a scenario (e.g. how would you find information about product ABC) and they explain or show what actions they'd take. When? If you have an existing site to be evaluated, or if you have a prototype of a Web site to be tested.
• Card sorting - used to help determine the information architecture of a Web site, and for labelling. When? In the planning phase of a Web design project, before any development is done. Can be done remotely, ideal for companies with several offices.
• Task analysis - users are faced with different taks to be completed in a Web site, and are timed on the execution of these tasks. After usability recommendations are implemented, the tasks are conducted again, and the difference in time required to complete the tasks is meadured. When? In existing Web sites, for usability improvements, and in high-fidelity prototypes, before launching a full site.
• and much, much more.. these are just a few of the many usability testing methods. Neural can help determine which method is right for you.

As members of the Usability Professionals Association and other usability-related groups, Neural is confident it can deliver a Web site that is useful and easy for your target audience to navigate.

Users, users, users

Usability is all about involving users to test applications. Neural will help you answer the following questions:

• Who are the users, what do they know, and what can they learn?
• -What do users want or need to do?
• What is the context in which the user is working?
• What has to be left to the machine? What to the user?

Neural has extensive experience planning, screening, interviewing and conducting tests with users. Let us take care of your usability needs!