Asking questions and making changes
Crafting questions to investigate a user’s experience will always be my starting point in a project. I started developing this skill as a librarian, where I would assist in solving research queries, and has evolved into a conversation with audiences who are trying to decipher dense, complex information.
Sketches for grouping content
A card sort to narrow down the number of subject categories from over 100 to less than 10, making it easier for students to find research guides
My first usability test! NYU Libraries, A/B testing, February 2014
Interviews
Talking to users and having discussions about their experiences are invaluable for me when understanding what is (or is not) working for them. Uncovering their backgrounds, asking what they are trying to accomplish, following their logic to learn their user path are just some of the testing goals when interviewing users. I strive to find time in each of my projects to prioritize user feedback at multiple stages to ensure a user-centered design.
Card sort
Organizing information by related subjects or commonalities was one of the first things I picked up in grad school for library sciences. I find pairing content by similarities to be one of the most important foundations of a user-friendly experience, and it’s one of my go-to user testing exercises when developing a new interface or redesigning an existing one. It’s especially valuable to compare what I have imagined as a sitemap with what potential users would use to navigate successfully.
A/B testing
Comparing designs that could solve user pain points has been really helpful in deciding on a final solution. It’s an opportunity to explore different options in my designs while also validating a direction. I’ve used this testing method when comparing content and tone or different layouts in navigation structures.