Get Simplicated is a web log by Simplicate Interactive about finding simple and elegant solutions to interesting web development and interactive marketing challenges.

Can You Find The Hidden Message In This Video That Will Help Save Your Next Web Project?

Steve Comrie | Mar 03

I'll give you a hint, it's not about the perils of design-by-committee.

 

This video is hysterically funny and does a great job of shining a spotlight on the damage that you will do to your project if you decide to design-by-committee. As bad as that can be, stopping it will not help guaruntee success on your next web project.

The way that you can save your next web project is to ...

  

Test your design early & test your design often

It shouldn't matter what the all the opinions of everyone in the room are. It doesn't matter if the designer is "right" and the client is "being difficult" or the client is "right" and the designer is being "difficult".

What matters is: Does the design do what it needs to do?

Did you notice how late into the process the team waited until they tested their design?  If they dad they tested the first version against any of the following ones they would have likely noted a significant difference that would (or should) have lead them to rethink their position on making more frivolous changes.

 

Without data, you’re just another person with an opinion

The next time you're working on a web-project consider all of the steps that that you can pause at and solicit user feedback. Feedback can come from either your existing users or from users that have never seen your product, brand or web site before.

The point is: once you have something that is at least a working prototype or theory, get feedback from someone outside of the room. Not another designer, not another product manager, a real person that doesn't know what the corporate message or marketing objectives are.

 

My personal favourite user testing tools

There are plenty of inexpensive tools out there that will help you test various parts of your design if you spend the time to make sure you're asking the right questions.

• 4QSurvey by iPerception
• Feedback Army
• UserTesting.com
• Five Second Test

Ideally, I'll use all except 4Q Survey on any given web project. 4Q Survey comes in handy either before a site is redesigned and/or as part of a constant feedback and interative development plan to keep a site properly tuned.

I'll cover what tools to use during what parts of the web development process and how to ask the right questions in a later blog post.

For now, if you have any questions about any of those tools or any other tool to solicit user feedback, let me know in the comments.

Tagged with: Design  User Testing  Web Site Planning  

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