Big U and little u usability

This chapter focuses on the applications of “Big U” usability testing and a host of other tools that help in creating usable, useful, and desirable product. Big U usability is everything that goes into “creating a product that works for people. It covers the entire process and includes all the techniques in the usability specialist's toolkit. User-centered design, (UCD) is a process that can be divided into three phase, analysis, development, and post-release. At each phase, information by and about users is central to learning what to design, how to design it, and how to improve the next release in a cycle of continuous product improvement. Analysis tools are typically used before development begins. This is the stage in which you gather product requirements based on information you can obtain about users, tasks, and their environments. Development tools are used at various stages of development, and some are used iteratively throughout development such as card sorting, participatory design, heuristic evaluation, and cognitive walkthrough (CW). Post-release tools are typically used after the product has launched. They can be used to assess the effectiveness of the product in the user's environment of use, for requirements gathering for the next release, or for new product development. These tools include: on-site usability testing, server log data analysis, and longitudinal study.