Usability resources

Affinity diagramming: A simple but powerful technique for grouping and understanding information.

Writing Usability Reports: Clear communication when reporting is crucial.

Facilitation techniques: Tips for running successful workshops.

Handling logged data: How to log and manage large data sets.

Pre-publication checklist: A simple quality control checklist.

Website Redesign: A case study illustrates suggested steps to take during a redesign.

Reading list: A selection of books on usability and related topics.

Cultural Probes: A self-reporting technique for user needs analysis.

Contextual enquiry: A technique for examining and understanding users and their tasks.

Site visit materials: Schedule, script, interviewer guidelines, and logging sheets.

Scenarios: A powerful and simple technique for describing user interactions.

Card sorting: Exploring how users group items, to help develop a usable structure.

Paper prototyping graphics: A simple low-tech collection of user interface elements for paper prototyping.

Participatory design: Conducting design sessions with all stakeholders is higly efficient.

Documenting a user interface: How to communicate your design.

Conducting Walkthroughs: A simple paper-based multi-participant variation of usability testing.

Usability Testing: The gold standard in usability evaluation, usability testing is a relatively simple technique.

Usability Testing Materials: Schedule, guidelines and script - materials you can use when conducting tests.

Usability Testing Mistakes: Usability testing can be simple, but beware of some common pitfalls.

Conducting Usability Reviews: How to conduct a usability review (or heuristic evaluation).

Usability Review Materials: A simple format and severity matrix for use when conducting a review.

Web Evaluation Materials: Checklists for evaluating websites and online stores, and a sample report.

Voice Interaction Evaluation Checklist: A checklist for evaluation voice user interfaces.

Structure evaluation: A simple process for evaluating website or other information structures.

The Myth of the Stupid User: If users are "stupid", then we need to design accordingly.

Humans - A Designer's Guide: The quirks and characteristics that present such a fascinating challenge to the designer.

Usability for Technical Communicators: Technical communicators are well placed to engage in a usability role.