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Question: In a question posted on January 8, 2008 by Roopa Salagundi of Cary, NC, Roopa is interested in learning about Usability where you replied: "I would tend to suggest getting a Masters degree to start." Masters degree in Usability? I'm in South Africa and the concept of Usability Engineering is still a foreign concept here and finding a course related to the subject is non-existent. I am seriously trying to find out where I can obtain such a degree. The only alternative is to attend HFI's CUA certification program when they are in the country. Any suggestions about the degree type and any correspondence options? |
Eric's response: We have the answer from David Bell, one of our intrepid master consultants who has worked extended periods in South Africa.
I haven't seen an HCI Masters programme like we might see in Europe or US, but there are HCI modules that can be taken as part of a postgrad course and I understand there are many opportunities to obtain a Masters degree in HCI by research.
The CHI-SA site has some pointers to universities with HCI interests in SA: Darelle van Greunen or Gary Marsden would be a good start point for Yolandi.
At the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (in Port Elizabeth) where Darelle is based, postgrad students can take a module in HCI and there appears to be ongoing HCI research in the department:
The university of Cape Town offers Masters by research in Computer Science, and the student can make a heavy focus in HCI. According to their website, Gary Marsden is offering some exciting research in HCI.
We teach the HFI CUA courses at the Meraka Institute in Pretoria. Meraka have a large department dedicated to language, and they have a group of researchers focused on human factors aspects.
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Question: Can I make a living in usability as a contractor? I'm an expert-level BA in the biz for 20 years. I used to code interactive green and mini screens and enjoy the HCI aspect of it. I notice that more and more companies are forming internal usability groups or are training their Web programmers in it. Are these groups generally effective vs a specialist? Is there still a specialty niche out there if I go the whole nine yards and learn usability from the ground up in all of its facets? What is a typical hourly rate for an independent contractor (southeast US)?
Can you recommend one book that I can read that will help me to decide if this is for me? |
Eric's response: Indeed, there are many companies that are training software specialists in usability issues. But this approach is not the best practice. Usability is a specialty that requires people who are full time professionals. In fact, we are beginning to seriously face SUB-specialization within the usability field.
There was a time when a usability generalist could meet most demands. You would then perhaps need a graphic artist to support the usability person. But today we see the need for specialists in areas like cross cultural design, ethnography, and persuasive strategies. Beyond this we are specializing in specific domains (banking, media websites, etc). We are also specializing in technologies (Web 2.0, mobile).
The field is lucrative, certainly. And there is a market for freelancers. But frankly I think that this is a diminishing area. Companies need industrial strength user experience design. They need process-driven usability operations with methodologies, tool sets, standardized training, and certification. Not just an individual.
In any case, if you are curious about the field, a great book for a light and inspirational introduction is Don Norman's "The Design of Everyday Things". |
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Question: One of the most interesting graphics I have seen for explaining usability as a concept is that of the hungry rodent (Columbia experiment). This experiment is referenced quite a bit in HFI's materials, however I haven't quite got hold of the original experiment anywhere online. Any idea where I can find it online/offline? |
Eric's response: You could try looking at "Approach-Avoidance". You will find this in most introductory psychology texts and also on the Web. |
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Question: I'm a java developer and have an experience about 3 years in this field. Lately I started hearing about "User Experience" and have an interest in learning it. I'm completely new to this so can you please guide me what I should begin with, what tools I should know about and what books I should refer to. Thanks. |
Eric's response: First I want to say that Usability is a full profession. You statement is a bit like saying "I have been flying planes for three years and have noticed that the maps are very interesting, what do I do to enter the cartography field?" The answer is you are talking about starting from scratch in a big field that requires lots of education and training. I would tend to suggest getting a Masters degree to start.
If you are INTERESTED in the field, and want to be entertained a bit or sensitized, I like to start people with Don Norman's wonderful book, The Design of Everyday Things. |
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Question: Hi Eric, I recently attended HFI's 4-pack course in Mumbai and really liked it. I am presently working in the e-learning industry as the UI person. I am keen on changing my domain from e-learning to Usability Expert and was thinking to do a masters degree in the same. I wanted to check with you which are the best courses available out there (in USA or some other country) and how can I apply for it. I have seen the university listing on the HFI website but am unable to make out which are the best ones. Really need your support on this. |
Eric's response: Well I am delighted to hear about your interest!!
I think you would find Virginia Polytechnic Institute, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and University of Maryland are all very good. We have also had some good experience with staff from Clemson University.
And DO give us a call when you graduate! |
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Question: Could you tell me how a college graduate would go about getting started in the field of usability? Is there an entry level job that could lead to information architect or user experience lead? Thanks for your time. |
Eric's response: While exceptions exist, most usability professionals have a Masters degree in usability or a related field. The MS seems to be the normal working degree. You can certainly try to get a job in industry and work your way up to the point where they will pay for your education and training in usability, but if you can swing it; get a masters in the field. Graduate programs are listed on the HFES Web site. |
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Question: As an international usability consultant (educated and bought up in the UK), I am of Indian origin. I wonder how much can someone of at least 7-8 years experience expect to earn in India, especially Mumbai? |
Eric's response: Salarys depend on your skill set, including both usability techniques and management skills. With 8 years of experience and good management ability you should expect around 25 Lakh. With limited management ability but good technical skills you might see half that. Of course with that salary you will have quite a lifestyle in India. |
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Question: I am interested in a position at a company where they have just completed the design/development of a new Web site.
The site is designed using current Web 2.0 technologies. While the backend is very sophisticated the managers of the firm have decided they do not like the new site design. If I accept a position as the new in-house designer how can I persuade them to go with my newer design and stick with it? |
Eric's response: It worries me that the metric of success is that managers "LIKE" the new design. The proper metric should be business results!
If you take a job in a firm that has "Boss Likes It" as the key metric, you are certainly in an out-of-date and primitive place. Not the best for career growth OR stability.
But it is pretty easy to "suck-ceed". You just pay a lot of attention to what the Bosses like – if possible get them to made the design decisions. They will own it and love it. But I pity the poor users, and shareholders. |
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Question: I have done my undergrad in Management and grad degree in Human factors (worked on designing automobiles for the physically challenged). I am keen on doing an HCI degree on a masters level as I am now able to appreciate the area. Do you think I can understand the field with my background AND find a job? :) |
Eric's response: Hi Deb,
There are certainly LOTS of jobs in User Experience these days. But I'm a bit worried for you. If you have just completed a degree with a focus on physical ergonomics, you are truly switching to a very different field. Much of what you learned will help, but there is a lot that is specific to the software arena. A masters in automobile ergonomics does NOT let you do masters level work in HCI.
So one suggestion is to get a job in the Automotive Ergonomics area, and then see if you can find opportunities to work and train in HCI within that company. Another angle is to get training in HCI and then job hunt off that. For example, HFI's CUA™ on top of the physical ergonomics masters is likely to get you more serious attention from software UX recruiters. |
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Question: How are you? I am a CUA and I would like to upgrade and learn more about usability and HCI. Could you please point out some places where I can learn more about usability in US (basically I wanted to learn more about the methods, how users think, related to psychology, etc.). I am looking for something that can be done in a distance education. |
Eric's response: Well congratulations on the CUA. That shows you have a good start. There are two paths you can take. One is to go ahead and get an advanced degree. There really are NOT any good distance programs that I have seen. But you might find a program you can work with. There is a fantastic listing of graduate programs in usability from the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society.
I am really glad that you understand that a CUA or Masters, or even a Doctorate is not the end of learning in this field. Al Capanis looked at the supporting literature in usability about twenty years ago and said there are 70 things published a DAY. So you must ALWAYS work to stay current. Go to conferences and join the local chapters of our organizations (UPA and CHI are probably the main ones right now). Keep track of the books that come out and read the ones that interest you. Read the related information, especially from the various fields in psychology. I ALWAYS read each year's "Annual Review of Psychology". It's a fantastic way to stay up-to-date in the foundational areas (I have copies of the review back to the year I was born.)
For professional development you should consider specializing. You might become interested in a domain (e.g., Medical Software Usability. You might address specific objectives (e.g., Emotional Design). You might also specialize to address certain usability functions (e.g., Usability Testing). |
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Question: What kind of skills should a Usability Engineer have? How is the future of this field? Is it open for people who are from non-design/human factors engineering, say computer science students?
What are the chances/further courses to develop in this field? As I see it this field is technically nothing when compared to Development and QA fields. These people can't even compete with Technical Support people. So, in this case how will it affect the future of a person who is from a computer science background? |
Eric's response: I think there will be a continuing role for computer scientists. Of course that role will steadily be less, as tools for creating software become more sophisticated. Eventually, I think much software will be created with a usability practitioner working on a simple application building tool. There will of course be some work BUILDING the content management tools for software technicians.
The usability field still provides opportunities for people to join from a wide set of backgrounds. Usually we find that computer science backgrounds are a POOR foundation for usability work. Computer scientists TEND to see the world from a system background and miss the user-centric part. That said, we occasionally find someone who CAN bridge the gap. But generally we find that selected product designers, visual communication graduates, etc. have a better foundation to learn this work.
Training for the usability field is still weak in India. The field is profoundly complex and the existing programs don't really do it justice. You can occasionally get HFI's training in India (the same as provided worldwide). There are several lower priced courses also. The Master degrees are still a bit rough, but I expect I will be recommending programs within the year. They are finally making real progress in my opinion, and good Masters programs will really help. |
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Question: Hi there, I would like to know how I could combine the knowledge of Robotic Engineering and Psychology together. I feel that the combination could be a "goldmine" career opportunity. I just need to know the right information and use it accurately. I personally think that psychology would give me the edge to Robotic Engineering. How would I go about this for college? |
Eric's response: Hi Matt. There is absolutely a field that specializes in the design of robotic control systems. Teleoperator usability is a very interesting and complex area. It often involves challenges of data visualization, and complex control/display relationships, sometimes operating with significant time delay. Applications in industry, space exploration, transportation, and military systems are extensive now, and sure to grow in the future.
There is another area where a psychologist can be involved. The design of robotic systems often take a bionic approach. That is, they model the machine design after biological systems. Just as aviation has often modeled after the function of birds and insects; robotic systems model themselves (roughly) after human information processing.
So there are at least two major areas; engineering psychology (for design of control systems), and bionics (to participate in the design of robotic sensory and information processing systems. Fun stuff... |
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Question: Hello! I am a physician in training. I am interested in medical informatics, a relatively new field. I do not have any programming skills. Even though I am pretty good at software and stuff, I am pretty new to usability. I would like to know and learn about usability. Since I am a practicing physician do you have any comment / suggestion on my career track in this. BTW, I love medicine and would like to see my patients (this is not a runaway from medicine). Can you help me in getting an insight into this? Thank you. |
Eric's response: First, the idea of combining an MD background and usability is totally fantastic.
At HFI we are pushing hard to verticalize usability, so that our usability practitioners know the language and issues in specific domains. In fact we are just finalizing training in Medical systems, a separate program in pharma. I think the future of usability work is in fact verticalized. The days where most work is done by usability generalists is numbered.
Second, our courses will be perfect for you. They do not at ALL require a technical background and will give you a perfect push into the field. |
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Question: With more than 6 years of Web designing experience I am working as a User Interface designer in a company in Gurgaon. Now I want to continue with the same profile of User Interface Designer. Kindly give me the suggestion which course of action would be helpful for me. In many articles on the internet I read that Human Computer Interaction is the best for my career growth in UI Designing. Is that correct? If yes, do you have any course like this or can you suggest another one which would be helpful for me? |
Eric's response: Tricker, I've seen a really disturbing trend in India. I often interview people who report that they have many years of experience as a UI designer. But then I find that they know almost nothing about the profession! Often they have not had a course, or even read a BOOK in the field. This is sad indeed and from my viewpoint makes them pretty much unemployable in serious usability work. This tells me that companies in India are assigning people without qualification to do usability work, and then failing to provide even the most basic training! I would really expect that people in this position would be funded to at least take training classes and perhaps a certification (like HFI's Certified Usability Analyst™ program). Beyond this I hope we will see more and better usability masters degree programs.
So in short, the usability field is a WONDERFUL field to be in. But it is NOT a function of common sense and good intentions. It is a function of proper training. So be sure that you are trained and not just holding an empty title of UI Designer. |
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Question: For a cognitive science student, what computational or other skills are needed to join a usability testing firm? |
Eric's response: Actually most usability testing requires very little beyond the ability to add numbers. Few simple usability tests require statistical analysis. It is important to UNDERSTAND the implications of probability in the interpretation of tests. But statistics are not needed.
If you are in a more sophisticated organization that does more advanced research then you will certainly need parametric and non-parametric statistics as well as multivariate analysis.
If you are in a more general usability firm, or expect to do more sophisticated work you will also need statistical skills to be able to properly interpret research studies that you read... if for nothing else. |
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Question: Look at the following listed titles/roles. Even though I have some clear understanding on certain roles, I'm quite confused with how are these things related to each other, and with the system/process.
User Experience Designer
User Centered Designer
Usability Engineer
Interaction Designer
Industrial Designer
Instructional Designer
Information Architect
Visual Designer
Graphic Designer
Pease clarify. |
Eric's response: Names get used in different ways. But let me take a shot.
These are ALL usability specialists. They do user-centered design and approach things based on an engineering psychology perspective.
User Experience Designer
User Centered Designer
Usability Engineer
They are ALSO called...
Human Factors Engineer
Software Ergonomist
Interaction Designers are sometimes solid usability specialists, but sometimes approach things from a technology background and do poor design as a result.
Industrial Designer is adept at doing the physical design of products. They worry about plastics, buttons, shapes, sizes, and manufacturability. They should work in conjunction with a usability specialist with good hardware design skills. They are sort of like visual designers for physical products.
Instructional Designers specialize in creating training programs. Some do online training.
Information Architects don't come from an engineering psychology perspective. They are generally librarians. They apply the librarian perspective about categorizing things to the organization of material in Web sites. I see fewer of these folks around. I think this is because they do a small part of what a usability specialist does.
Visual Designers and Graphic Designers both go the artistic work around an interface design. Hopefully they are trained about the issues with online graphics (bit depth and such). Working alone they tend to create designs that are cool, but unusable. But paired with usability specialists, they add essential inputs to the design and create the images necessary to code the interface. |
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Question: I'm a graduate in Computer Science, and have been in the field of Web & UI designing for the past 4 years. Now I am interested in switching my carrier into the usability area so I am planning to get on your training track in 2007. I would like to know the difference between a user-centric design approach and a business-centric design approach? |
Eric's response: Santhosh, the business-centric design approach tends to work off of a set of business rules and functional requirements. The designer thinks a lot about what the business needs in terms of functions, but much less about what the user will go through to meet those needs. The user-centric viewpoint does, of course, consider the business needs. But the main focus is on planning and designing the user's experience and performance requirements.
So, a business-centric designer might say that the site will sell office supplies, and these supplies will be sold online. There will be lots of detail on the types of supplies that the company will sell. There will be many rules about pricing supplies, data required for fulfillment, etc.
The user-centric designer realizes that the user does NOT primarily select items from a database and buy them. The user actually primarily wants to RE-ORDER things (more of this, more of that). Therefore the site becomes more about reordering things than just a database of products with a search function and shopping cart. This insight transforms the site from more frustrating than catalogue shopping by phone, to a quick and practical alternative. This differentiates the site from others and is worth millions. |
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Question: Hi Dr. Schaffer,
I'm a recent graduate in Computer Science, and I am interested in entering the usability area. I do have coursework experience in usability related areas, but I am having trouble figuring out how to enter the field. Do you have any advice on how to break into the field as a newcomer? |
Eric's response: Well right now the usability field is pretty hot, so there are a ton of opportunities if you are sharp.
It helps a lot to have some education and/or training in the field. A Masters in Usability would be a good foundation. If not that, at least a set of training courses and perhaps certification would help. Then select a large usability operation and apply. The larger groups will have experts who can mentor you, and that is REALLY important when you are getting started. |
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Question: Is there a good resource for learning about human limitations? I'm doing research on end user ergonomics and am having trouble finding specific human limitations. |
Eric's response: You are kidding, right??? There are SO many limitations that are well known and researched. Humans as single-channel processors. Short term memory limits. Visual acuity limits. Reliable errors of estimation and decision making. And, every one of these has a direct impact on design decisions for user interfaces. You can read FOREVER about well researched limits of human perception, information processing, and motor behavior. |
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Question: Are there any distance non-degree certificates or Bachelors degree in HCI from universities around here. Being a Bachelors graduate I want to pursue my higher education and many universities have HCI programs but they are too strict about their requirements. Could you please advise? |
Eric's response: I am not aware of any reputable program that teaches graduate level, or even undergraduate HCI skills remotely. Perhaps someday this will happen. But I do suspect it takes direct interaction in person to make it really happen. |
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Question: I have now been studying the GRE for about two months with the idea of applying to Human Factors grad programs within the U.S. However, while researching grad programs, specifically I came across a program at SJSU where you earn a MS in Human Factors Design. This then stirred a 180 degree shift to now currently researching design programs (AGAIN after closure years ago). Everything I have heard tells me that it is a very risky idea to seek out a design degree at 30. However, I have been working with an admissions advisor from Art Center College of Design (the #1 Industrial Design program today), who persuaded me to come up with some sketch work. She actually told me that I was producing similar work to what she sees for entrance to their Bachelors program. So it seems also that my gift for "gab" is also equally matched with an equally raw talent for design conception.
My interest is design conception but I understand that I would be working with designers as a usability specialist anyways. I can't help but think that if I were to get a Masters in Human Factors, I would have a much better lifestyle with better affordances than starting at 36 with a BA in Communication and a BS in Design.
Herein lies the problem. I am interested in Design but scared to not have a Masters at 36 instead of two Bachelor degrees.
As a CEO, I would be interested to know from a man who has made many management hiring decisions as well as a human factors expert, please if you would tell me what you would prefer to see entering your company.
Thanks for any advice you have. |
Eric's response: I have had some wonderful usability experts working for me that had only a BA. But I will say that a Masters is really the working degree in the field. If you want to do usability work, then a Masters is the ticket. As a usability engineer you can do a lot of structural design. But you may find most companies want graphic artists to do the detailed visual treatment (they are much more common and cheaper).
So getting a Masters is a great idea if you want to do usability work. If you want to draw (be an artist) then that is a different path and you are right that the usability path is more lucrative. I am not sure if getting a design degree is exactly "risky." But if you are happy doing the somewhat more analytic work of the usability engineer, a good job is much more certain with the MS. |
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Question: Hello Dr Eric! After a long time I am posting a question on your Web site. I am a designer in a company that focuses and develops PLM (Product Lifecycle Management). Looking to this domain, what course do you recommend from the usability point of view.
My job involves writing, designing the look & feel, and making product simulations. In other words, developing the course content, which reduces the reading time! The clients are very high profile, as PLM is not affordable by average companies. Can you please suggest me how should I proceed for becoming a usability expert so that I can render my best services to my company! |
Eric's response: Well Prashant, right now there really are not product-specific usability courses. Instead, everyone takes a solid generalist software usability training program. HFI has such courses in Bangalore and occasionally in Mumbai.
Perhaps in the future we will see such courses. I am working on training like this for staff within HFI (medical usability training, financial usability training, etc.). However, I am pretty such it will never be as specific as PLM usability training. |
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Question: Is there any college or university web site that you consider user friendly and easily navigable? |
Eric's response: I tend to avoid pointing people to sites. The problem is that even the best sites have a mix of good design and some decisions that are not good. This may be due to politics, or legacy. But it is simply bad practice to teach usability by pointing to sites and saying "this is good". I could point to sites like http://www.cumc.columbia.edu/ which we worked on and seem to be rather solid ergonomically. But we could certainly find things that are not ideal examples. It is far better to look at the usability literature, or take usability training. This will really do a far better job of identifying the processes and principles needed to make a great site. |
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Question: What is the minimum qualification, experience, skill set required to do the usability course.
Basically I am B.Com Graduate and I am doing my MBA, and employed as an accountant. My age is 30. I am interested in the usability profession. Please suggest to me the career prospects .if I am going to enter in this field. Will i get a job if I do your certification course. Please provide me course details, fees etc. |
Eric's response: The usability career is VERY active, especially in Asia. However, your background is a bit problematic. I hate to see you stop an MBA if it is near completion. Perhaps you can do some usability oriented work in the MBA. Then you will need to get specific training and/or education in usability.
There are courses (like HFI's certification track) that will give you a foundation. Even better, you might consider an advanced degree in usability (although there are really very few good programs in Asia. The best I think is under Martin Helander in Singapore).
When you do start work in the field it is critical to be in a company where there are senior usability people who can guide you. There is no substitute for experience and mentoring. |
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Question: What would be the benefit for a person to do this CUA certificate if they do not have a degree in the same field? |
Eric's response: A certification is a way of adding credibility (a valid indicator of established knowledge and skill). If you have a degree, you already have a pretty good level of credential. Adding certification is good. But if you do NOT have a degree, then a certification is even more important, as it is then your only credential in the usability field. |
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Question: We are just beginning to put together a UI team at our company. What UI conferences in 2006, post February would you recommend for those new and with some experience in this field? |
Eric's response: There are two core conferences each year, and they are both well worthwhile. SIGCHI (Interact.Inform.Inspire) in Montreal, April 22-27, and the Usability Professionals' Association (Usability through Storytelling) in Denver, June 12-16.
There are also many local and specialized events. Most of these are sponsored by local chapters of either CHI or UPA.
Finally, there is the venerable Human Factors and Ergonomics Society. Years ago this was the best place for usability insights. But they now have little to offer for the software usability crowd. |
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Question: I'm a Graphic Designer with five years of experience in both Web and graphic design. I hold a Bachelor's Degree In Fine Arts. I would like to update myself by doing the usability designer course offered by Human Factors. I would request to clear some of my doubts
1) Who is eligible for doing this course?
2) What are the qualifications required?
3) Will it help any designer or is it just for Web-based designers?
4) How is it going to help me in India?
I heard from my friend this course is for Web designers. I'm into Graphics and I really love what I'm doing. I would not want to shift my work area but I would like to keep updating myself. If you can shed some light on how it is going to be useful in my work it would help me take the right decision to join the course or not. Thank you, Chandana |
Eric's response: The HFI usability courses do not have a prerequisite. It is certainly useful to be familiar with computer systems and the system development environment. But we have had people take them without much background and still benefit.
You will find that these courses do help your graphic work. The "Science and Art of Effective Web and Application Design" is particularly applicable. The other three courses are helpful to support the user-centered design process. But, for example, if you do not plan on doing usability testing, a course in usability testing will be of limited value. |
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Question: Hi Eric. I am Rajesh Gode. I am an HFI-CUA now. I would like to know more about the overlap between online branding and usability. I think a user's experience of completing his objective on a site contributes majorly to the online brand perception. And building up USABLE information architecture is more important than including brand feel-good graphics. Can you shed more light on this. Also guide me where can I read more using usability techniques for brand strengthening. Many thanks!! |
Eric's response: There is beginning to be a literature on branding issues and usability. We have studies coming out that indicate that good usability is very important to brand perception and particularly trust in a Web site. Usability is not the only determinant of brand. One study showed that positive images of people help for sites that don't have a positive brand due to a known name.
This is part of the whole area of emotional design which I think is the hottest area of study in our field today (thank you, Don Norman). But we are still far from a solid set of prescriptions to create a positive brand perception.
The good news is that we are very good at testing brand perception. It's a bit like we do not have a formula for creating a joke, but we can measure how loud they laugh. |
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Question: Dear Dr.Eric,
I would like know what are the designations and hierarchy for the usability career in an IT industry. Is it similar to software engineers or something else? How do they get treated in industry. |
Eric's response: There is not really a standard set of titles for work in the usability field. But the general growth path is similar.
You start fresh from school as a trainee. You get classes and some easy/boring stuff to do.
Then you get good enough that you can start to do projects.
You start being really trusted on projects. Then you have a big decision. Some people want to just do technical work and they continue to do more advanced usability work. Others decide to go into management.
Whatever path you take, you can be assured of a lifetime of challenges.  |
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Question: I graduated in June 2005 with a master degree in
Human Computer Interaction and have a bachelor degree in psychology. Presently I am interning in the Information Systems dept for the
American Bar Association trying to get my foot in the door anyway I can. I am trying to get projects and full time work with usability companies but I have been turned down a couple of times. My goal is to be a usability analyst / engineer and be part of a usability team. Would being a Certified Usability Analyst give me better chances of finding that kind of job? Any advice from you about reaching my goal would be greatly appreciated. Hopefully I am on the right track. Thanks |
Eric's response: Ritchie, I just don't get it. There is a huge demand for qualified usability people. Given that you are just out of school, you should be looking for a position in a firm that will give you good experience and mentoring.
You have a good set of basic credentials. A CUA would not hurt. But I don't see lack of credential as your core issue. I don't see a CUA solving your particular problem.
Are you getting exposure? Go to the UPA and CHI conferences. They each have a good job placement service. You should get involved and network. Also be sure to post on monster.com.
Are you interviewing well? Perhaps get some coaching on how to handle an interview.
The usability field is HOT and there is no good reason you are not getting a load of good opportunities. |
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Question: Can you recommend a degree program in user interface design in the Atlanta area (or a quality online degree program)? I'm a technical writer with 15+ yrs. experience with an undergraduate degree in Journalism. I'm interested in transitioning into a role involving UI Web design (preferably for e-commerce). |
Eric's response: The Human Factors and Ergonomics Society has a great listing of all the graduate programs in the field. It is available on their Web site. I am not aware of a top-end program in Atlanta however. CMU has a very good program that will tend to accept people from eclectic backgrounds. VPI, RPI, and GWU are also very good programs with solid software usability focus. We have also had very good results with staff who completed their training at Clemson. |
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Question: What are the two major topics in software
development over the past 3 years? |
Eric's response: Hmmmmm. I'm not writing your essay
for college am I? Since you are writing to me I assume you are interested
in the usability aspects of software development, not software coding
(like .NET or something boring like that). In the usability field the
two major topics are certainly Institutionalization of Usability and Emotional
Design. |
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Question: For last 4 years I am working as Web designer
and worked on portals, shopping cart sites, etc. Will the (HFI-Certified
Usability Analyst program help me in enhancing my career prospects. There
are companies in India who are continuously looking for Usability Testing
Engineers, User Experts, etc. Could you please tell me if this course
will help me get better job opportunities. I have knowledge of HTML, DHTML,
XML, XHTML, XSL, DOM, JavaScript, CSS etc.
Should I do this course? or only .NET, Java Programmers, etc. can do
this course? |
Eric's response: Well there is a full set of HFI courses
in progress as I write this here in Mumbai. There is no question in my
mind that it is the best usability training available. Heck, I'm teaching
some of it. :) Also, we are working hard on more extensive training offerings
here in India.
Training in technology, like HTML and .NET is only marginally useful
for usability work. When we hire here at HFI we barely note it. The only
thing you might consider in addition to usability training is more study
of English. Good English skills are very important unless you intend to
develop software in the vernacular. |
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Question: I am in fourth year in University of Limerick,
Ireland studding information technology and telecommunications. I am doing
my final year project on Authoring Methodologies of a Web Site using an
athletics web page as a case study. But the information I am getting so
far is more about making your Web page competitive prompting your business,
making it easier to use to promote reuse and positive word of mouth, so
my questions is should I pick a more business Web site as a case study? |
Eric's response: "Making your Web page competitive,
prompting your business, making it easier to use to promote reuse and
positive word of mouth." Actually that all sounds damn interesting.
Is there a problem with that? I would love to see results in those areas.
Certainly, if you want to measure sales you would need a site that sells
something... |
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Question: I want to learn software testing and QA so
my question is do I have to know languages like C, C++, Visual basic,
Oracle, C#, PL/SQL in order to be a good tester. What all does the good
tester need? |
Eric's response: This is not our expertise. But lower
level QA staff need only exercise software, following a testing plan,
and identify the failures. You will not need to understand how the software
works. However higher level QA staff must understand the technology so
they can anticipate where problems will occur and develop efficient test
plans. |
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Question: I would like to know, if we can consider usability
as a part of SDLC. Or the other way round, why is usability not a part
of SDLC as it plays a great role in deciding the way any product or application
will be used? Please correct me if I am wrong.
Also, please tell me which crash course will help me sharpen and add
value to my skill set and experience. I am a multimedia designer with
more than 5 years of experience. I am keen to learn more about usability
testing. |
Eric's response: Every professional operation has an
SDLC. ANY SDLC can have usability work included. However SOME of the more
current ones are "user centric." That is to say they let the
usability people "go first." The first order of business is
figuring out the user needs and designing the user interface. With that
done, the technology side makes it happen.
I can't stand it any more. We have had some courses in India, but it
is clearly not enough. I am going to open up 1 1/2 months of our internal
training program to selected students in India, at low cost. India needs
60,000 usability practitioners and we are not going to get them at this
rate. So I have asked our staff to offer an "HFI Professional Training
Program." |
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Question: I am a master degree student. My thesis will
be in the hospitals software. (It is doing well like expected.) Can you
give me any suggestions on some specific issues that would be great to
research? And any sites where I can find research related to mine. |
Eric's response: The most current hot topic in the usability
field is emotional design. I think this applies VERY well to medical environments.
For example nearly 30 years ago I wrote a white paper on how to design
physical restraints (for us in an early CAT scanner) that were not frightening.
Given that you are in the Middle East I would also suggest looking at
cross-cultural issues. I have been in a number of sessions where designs
suggested that physicians in the Middle East can be treated very generically
as they know English. But are there differences in medical practice? Currently
most device and software developers don't bother to test in the Middle
East. Are they missing something? |
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Question: I am working as graphic designer and want
to become a UI specialist. Now I have to make a plan to become a UI specialist.
Please help me know what are the steps to become a UI specialist |
Eric's response: This has been a terrible problem in
India. So many people have asked, but there are limited solutions. There
are some visual communication programs and some attempts to offer HCI
masters degrees. But I have yet to find one that is as advanced as I would
like. Therefore I have asked our staff to offer a 1 1/2 month professional
training program using the same materials we use to train new HFI staff
in India. I think we will be piloting this shortly. |
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Question: Hi Dr. Schaffer. Great Web site!
I've been a software designer/ developer for quite sometime. I have a
strong passion for usability as well as the look and feel of the final
product; fine art with functionality. I would like to obtain a degree
in Human Factors Engineering; however, I'm having a difficult time locating
a school in the state of Washington. Do you know of any distance education
programs in this field of study?
Thank you and keep up the great work. |
Eric's response: To work in the usability field it is
best to hold a masters degree. I am not aware of an effective program
providing a distance masters in the field at this time. I suspect that
this will be difficult. Very basic training in usability is possible in
a distance education format. We have also been able to provide advanced
training to professionals. But getting a real core foundation in the field
really requires being there. I personally spend hours every week with
HFI intake training classes. I need to see them do interviews with each
other. I need to be sure they understand concepts like "mental model"
and "psychodynamics" in a very personal way. It is hard to see
how to get this done remotely.
There are basically only two paths. One, do a formal degree. This is
really the best foundation for a career in the field. If this is not possible,
find a place to work that has a solid institutionalized usability team
and let them train and mentor you. |
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Question: Currently I am working as a graphic designer.
What would be the best start to step into the field of GUI design? |
Eric's response: There are really two different routes.
One excellent alternative is to get a masters degree in the usability
field. This will give you a firm foundation and make you more attractive
to potential usability employers.
The other route is to go through the industry. This means getting training
and certification (like that available from HFI). It also means finding
a company where you can work under good mentors and in an environment
that will fine-tune your skills. |
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Question: I'm interested in the HFI certification, but
I'm concerned that HFI is not taking part in the effort by the UPA to standardize certification. Would this mean that if an official certification
is introduced, that I would need to re-certify?
Thanks!
Carlos |
Eric's response: When we created the certification we
did it because their was a crying unmet need. In order for usability to
become a mature profession we needed a specific and practical certification
method. We did that and there have been over 400 people certified to date.
HFI is continuing to try to support certification worldwide. Dr. Phil
Goddard, one of our executive directors, is on the Board of Certification
in Professional Ergonomics. We would like them to create a certification
specific to software ergonomics that is practical for practitioners to
take. We met just this last week with UPA certification advocates in Europe.
I understand it was a positive meeting. I hope we can work even more closely
together with them. We are trying to move this field forward and we will.
As the world's largest usability firm (by a factor of 9) we consider it
our responsibility.
I can't know how UPA or other organizations will move in the area of
certification. It does seem clear to me that these offerings are a number
of years away. If we can have the HFI certification become the UPA certification
(an idea I proposed almost two years ago) we will of course make every
effort to see that previous certificants maintain their status (as we
did with the people certified by Weinschenk Consulting Group). |
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Question: I am looking for a standard (or validated)
test that can be used to assess the skill level of a large department
of interface design specialists with regard to general design guidelines
and the user-centered design process. |
Eric's response: The HFI Certified
Usability Analyst™ test has got to be the most systematically
developed and currently best known. There are now over 400 CUA's worldwide.
The test checks for a foundation in methodology, knowledge of usability
engineering tasks, principles, and research findings. It is a test of
general usability engineering principles. |
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Question: I am considering a graduate program related
to usability and human factors. I am fortunate enough to live near Virginia
Tech and know there are some good programs there. I have considered an
advanced degree in Human Factors Engineering, Instructional Technology,
or Computer Science with a focus in HCI. What I'm not sure about is which
of these programs would be most beneficial to me (and my career). My bachelor's
degree is in computer engineering, and I have worked as a programmer /
manager for a multimedia / software / Web development company for several
years. I have been told that I have great instincts when it comes to user
interface design and usability issues (unlike most programmers), but I
have no formal training. Do you have any advice on which graduate program
might be best for me, and what types of career opportunities would be
available to me when I finish? |
Eric's response: First I think it is very important
to stop relying on 'great instincts' and get the benefit of the research-based
models and principles. Learn the process of user-centered design. With
this in hand you can THEN apply your intuition with a good chance at optimal
design.
The VPI programs are very good. Unless you want to do training avoid
the instructional design track. Either of the other tracks will be a great
foundation. |
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Question: I am Vijay. I am working in United States
as a User Interface Developer, but I studied in India. I want to do Human
Factors Interaction Certification program. How will it be useful for my
future career?
If I take the certification program of Human Factors International, Inc.,
will it will be good and acceptable in big companies? Please advise me
for my
career. |
Eric's response: I funded and instituted the certification
program because I saw it as a critical need in the industry. If we are
to have "mature" usability operations we need to know that people
are capable. So after reaching total despair with the organizations that
I hoped would step up a certification program; we just did it. We made
a certification that does NOT test if you took the HFI classes. We made
one that tests your understanding of usability engineering methods, principles,
and research.
Rather to my surprise the Certified Usability Analyst™ program
has really taken off. We see companies selecting systems integrators because
they have a staff of CUAs. We see the "CUA" on people's cards
and resumes. We regularly hear of people hired or promoted with reference
to this certification. So, it does seem to have worked. We will probably
never break even on the program; but I am glad to offer it to the industry. |
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Question: Dr. Eric, your information regarding Informal
Usability was very useful for my project Business Analyst to understand
our users needs much better and many changes were done to make this easier.
I want to do my HCI certification. Could you recommend me some books
where I can read through or some tips where I can clear my exams. I want
to become a Human Factors person and do some research in them. Could you
guide me how do I go about. |
Eric's response: Well if you want to be serious in the
HCI field you need more then just informal processes for sure. In India
I am collaborating with the National Institute of Design to setup a Masters
program to our specifications. This program will include certification
and will mean spending two months with me in Mumbai. HFI India does also
offers public and onsite courses as well.
Hope to see you,
Eric |
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Question: I am a Human Factors Engineer working for
an MNC in India and deeply moved by the dedication & interest shown
by you towards the realization of India gaining expertise in this field.
I want to know where in India one can take up related training or certification
other than the HFI office in Mumbai? I came to know there are HFI offices
in Bangalore & Pune too. Can HFI's certifications or training be acquired
from these places too?
If yes, please brief the contact details of these centers. |
Eric's response: Thanks. We are trying hard and seeing
some GOOD movement in the right direction. We are setting up courses in
several cites in India. Also, you may find there enough people in your
organization to warrant an onsite program. We are also working with the
National Institute of Design to get a good usability Masters program in
place. We have already had one class onsite with me in Mumbai for two
months. I think that worked well.
Good luck Gopinath, and we hope to see you here. For more information
contact our Mumbai office at 91 (22) 2570 8465. |
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Question: Hello Dr. Eric! I'm a human factors graduate
in the job search phase. I have two questions.
1. Looking at 'Software Development/ Programming' as a domain and 'Research
in Interaction Design' as a different domain (though I have had a lot
of reasons backing up the significance of the latter) I have always found
it difficult to defend its degree of vitality in the software creation
process. "Attach numbers - like statistical results" or "Add
a price tag to show the difference" have been my words of advice,
but when they say "We have people who are highly experienced in what
they do, they know when to take off the programming hat and put on the
designer hat", I often find it difficult to find words to debate.
What do you think can help me?
2. Is there a field that concentrates on 'Redesign of user interfaces?'
if so does it have a specific name? We do have a lot of research and guidelines
framed for designing interfaces and Web pages but what about when a designer
is employed to 'enhance' a user interface that is bad and already in use? |
Eric's response: Suresh, in my experience UI designers
and technical staff are VERY different. Certainly they must have a totally
different background. You will find few programmers with extensive training
in cognitive psychology or usability engineering. I also have noticed
that the UI designers must have a different style and world-view. I will
say I have found only 2-3 people in my whole career who have done both
well. I suggest in presenting this case you point to the very, very different
education and training requirements for the two jobs. There is very little
overlap.
Your question on the strategy for enhancement of application usability
is important. First I would say that MOST of the work we do is enhancement.
The HFI methodology is focused on enhancement and you have to read the
fine print to do an application from scratch. But perhaps you are referring
to the smaller tactical usability enhancement situation. This is interesting
and indeed I have seen little written on it. The key is that you will
have a limited budget for changes. You must select the changes that have
a substantial impact on usability but are also cheap to implement. |
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Question: Dear Sir, I am a student planning to pursue
my post graduation in new media. I would like to know more about how new
media could help mentally challenged children as I would like to specialize
in this field. Thanking you. |
Eric's response: I am delighted to hear of your interest
in helping mentally challenged children. I am afraid I see far too few
programs in India that address this issue. Certainly new media allows
development of great new training systems. These interactive systems may
even address the specific needs of children with various types of disabilities
(e.g., there are many programs that are specifically designed to help
children with Dyslexia). It may also allow development of assistive devices.
For example, applications that help with daily management of household
chores. I would like to recommend The
Medical Systems & Rehabilitation Technical Group of the Human
Factors & Ergonomics Society. |
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Question: Hi Eric. I've been in the field of UI design
for last 7 years and have been primarily working on Government Projects
(conversion from Mainframe to Web) for the last 3 years, I do not see
a growth here unless I get a formal degree in HCI. I can do a masters
program anywhere in Europe (preferably then I get to pay local fees),
America is too expensive. Would you have a list of rankings of the institutes
in Europe? |
Eric's response: This is from our Managing Director
in Europe, Dr. John Meech.
I'm pretty sure that if this is from a resident of the US they will need
to satisfy residency requirements in the UK before they will be eligible
for UK fees - usually three year's residency, I think. Here is a summary
of the regulations.
Here are pretty good lists of UK HCI courses:
The best source of UK
university ranking information is from the Times, but not at the level
of detail I think is being asked for. However, I don't think this covers
HCI specifically, more likely the department that hosts the course. I'm
not sure if something exists Europe-wide. |
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Question: Hi Eric, I have been working as a UI Designer
for the past 6 years in India, but do not have a formal education in the
same area to back it up. I am a graduate in Commerce but have done a course
in graphics. I need your help to figure out what my course of action should
be to progress in this area since I have good designing capabilities and
have been successful so far in my career. I was also looking at HFI's
course content, but the seminars are not conducted in India and are not
easily affordable for an Indian. I even want to do the certification course
offered by HFI online but am not sure how I should go about it and where
to find relevant material to study for the certification exam that costs
$500. Could you please help me out in this regard. |
Eric's response: Mahesh: You are certainly in a common
situation. We have SO many interested people in India who want to do usability
work but have had trouble getting the training they need. HFI DOES provide
the full certification program in India and at Rupee rates. This 10 days
of training gives a great foundation for doing usability work. Of course
our internal program (given only at our Mumbai office) is 40 days and
even deeper. I think the internal program is by far the most extensive
industrial training program anywhere. For more information, please contact
our office in Mumbai:
HFI-India
Chemtex House, 4th Floor
Mainstreet, Hiranandani Gardens
Powai, Mumbai - 400 076
Phone: 91 (22) 2570 8465 /6 /7 /8
Fax: 91 (22) 2570 8468 (fax) |
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Question: I'm a Web site designer and want to be an
information architect someday. Is it possible to get a list of the top
10 Web sites that use the principles of information architecture or human
factors to successfully get "hits"? Thanks and regards for all
of your work for promoting human factors and information architecture. |
Eric's response: First, NO Web site EVER gets hits due
to good information architecture; with the exception of good word of mouth.
Hits happen because of good advertising, search engine placement, and
brand recognition.
In terms of sites that use usability practitioners, currently MOST major
sites have some level of usability staff involved. It is a sorry site
that would not have had some attention from professionals in the field.
Especially good examples of serious usability efforts include Dell, Fidelity,
and Staples. |
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Question: I am planning to get a degree in human factors
psychology, do you have a recommended university (online and off-line)
that I can visit. |
Eric's response: The Human
Factors and Ergonomics Society Web site has a free listing of university
programs. Be sure to check if they specialize in HCI. Virginia
Polytech has a great program. I have also been very impressed with
staff coming from Clemson.
BTW, I am unaware of any distance program in HCI that is an appropriate
professional foundation. |
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Question: Is there an online Usability course I can
enroll to that you can recommend? I really like the courses you offer
but you don't have it online. |
Eric's response: I am sorry, but I am unaware of any
substantive online program available to the public. At HFI we have a huge
online training package for internal staff. But even this must be done
in groups with facilitators. I am not enthusiastic about trying to develop
interview and design skills with purely Web-based training. It requires
more interaction. I strongly recommend taking live courses. |
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Question: The HFI certification is incredibly expensive
(for an individual sponsoring herself or himself). How do you justify
the high cost given the condition of the economy and the market.... And
what is the worth or value of this certification in the industry? Thanks
in advance for your reply. |
Eric's response: Actually, HFI set up the certification
as a service to the industry. We lose money on it. We charge just $500
to take the certification test (less if purchased with HFI courses). It
cost us $90,000 to develop the test for the first time, and more to administer
it. We create a new but equivalent test every quarter. I did this because
the industry had a crying need for software usability certification and
I wanted to fulfill that. It is a gift.
I have been very much pleased with the success of the Certified Usability
Analyst™ program. I get calls from companies who are deciding on
a vendor based partly on their CUA staff. We have MANY examples of people
getting promotions and jobs based on their certification. But most importantly,
I see this as one of many essential pieces to moving usability to a mature
and institutionalized practice. |
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Question: The CUA certification on the whole costs $4000
approximately. In a very narrow area I understand the specialization of
such a course. However in a country like India that is almost a years
salary for some.
Does the Indian operations provide subsidized pricing as per local conditions. |
Eric's response: I am very much dedicated to see Indian
designers gain expertise in Usability. HFI provides the full certification
program in India at local rates in rupees. We understand that two Lakh
is beyond the reach and beyond reason in India (while that price is very
competitive in the USA and Europe). So contact our office in Mumbai. Contact
details. Incidentally, I now spend most of my time in Mumbai. We are
serious about making offshore usability work. |
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Question: I would like to know if there are any programs
for HCI certification or the like available in India through any university
or any independent organization.
I have gone through lots of stuff on your Web site and have read the
article published in the Business world. Great stuff!! very interesting
and thought provoking. |
Eric's response: There are very limited choices in certification
for HCI work. The Board
of Certification in Professional Ergonomics provides a certification
that includes HCI work, as well as requiring competence in other unrelated
areas of ergonomics (workspace design, consumer products, etc). Because
of this problem HFI created the CUA
program (Certified Usability Analyst™). The test is available
electronically. You will find quite a few certificants in India. In addition,
Human Factors International, Pvt. LTD. (based in Mumbai) provides the
full set of courses that are offered by HFI worldwide and will support
successful test completion (you do NOT need to take the classes to take
the test).
Incidentally, our office in India is working hard to support usability
engineering education in India. We believe that India can make usability
a part of its reputation in Info tech. We will try to make that happen. |
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Question: As someone interested in getting into usability
and interface design, I think your site is great, particularly the list
of relevant academic programs; are you aware of any such programs outside
of North America?
Thanks in advance for any info you may be able to provide... |
Eric's response: Check this link. It has links to several
institutes in Europe, Australia, etc.
http://www.hcibib.org/education/#PROGRAMS |
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Question: I'm a Web designer with 5 years of experience
in Web/graphic designing and IA. I've been following the principles of
usability, but still I would like to master the usability field. What
are the best ways to master this field? Do I need to continue my same
techniques? What is the best method to adopt? Is there any usability bible
to follow. |
Eric's response: Murali, there is a lot to learn to
move from graphic design and IA to the full usability engineering discipline.
I think one of the best ways to start is to complete the HFI
certification track. This will give you a solid foundation (equivalent
to many masters degrees in my opinion) but take only a couple of weeks
to complete. We now are regularly offering the full set of courses in
the Indian market. While there are many books in the field (the HFI Web
site contains a bibliography that you can start with), I feel that you need the direct contact and
practice that comes with personal instruction. |
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Question: Hi, I would like to know exactly what a Human
Factors specialist has expertise in. It would be a great help to clear
my concepts. Thank you, Rina. |
Eric's response: 'Human Factors Specialist' goes by
other names like 'Usability Practitioner', 'Software Ergonomist', and
'Engineering Psychologist'. They all mean the same thing. They are professionals
trained to ensure that Web sites and applications are practical, useful,
usable, and satisfying. They do this by applying research-based principles
from the field of user-centered design. There is at least a billion dollars
worth of research into the best design of user interfaces. They must be
familiar with this material. They must also be familiar with the underlying
models of human cognition, sensation and perception, biomechanics, sociology,
environmental psychology, and consumer psychology. Finally, there is a
whole set of user-centered development activities that the specialist
must know. This includes contextual inquiry, interface design, and usability
testing. |
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Question: I have a couple of Masters degrees in psychology
and worked successfully for over a year as a usability analyst for a prominent
Web site near Washington, DC. Now I am interested in pursuing independent
consulting work in usability but don't know how I should get started.
Should I offer to do a free evaluation of a business site in my area?
What else? Any good resources to recommend as I begin down this road?
I would love to help local companies and Mom & Pops to improve their
sites. |
Eric's response: Elizabeth, I am delighted to see your
enthusiasm for our field. But please consider one step before "hanging
out your shingle." From your description you have far too little
experience to be an effective consultant in the usability area. Even if
your enthusiasm will land you work; you will almost certainly find yourself
failing to offer the level of service your customers deserve. Get a job
working for a major specialized usability consultancy, or a company that
has a large usability team. Get at LEAST 5 years of diverse usability
engineering experience under a good mentor. Get some education or training
focused specifically on interface design. Get certified. Then consider
working as a consultant. With 5-10 years of experience you may be part
of the solution in making information technology meet people's needs,
instead of part of the problem of unqualified people pawning themselves
off as usability experts.
When you have a reasonable foundation in the field let me know. I will
be happy to make some suggestions for how to work in the very difficult
mode of a small consultancy. |
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Question: I am a graduate having completed my Computing
degree, during July 2000 from De Montfort University, Leicester. During
the final year of the course I was extremely interested in the Human Factors
of Systems, particularly Usability.
My question is what advice can I seek from you in order for me to pursue
a career within Usability. |
Eric's response: Vimal, I am delighted you are interested
in the usability field. I think it is the most critical type of expertise
needed to make the information age reach its potential.
A systems background is useful, but it will take some work to get transitioned
into the usability area. There are basically two paths. First, you can
consider going back to school and getting a Masters degree which is a
good working degree for a practitioner. There is a list
of programs at the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society site.
Alternatively, you can get a job where you can learn the field. Find
a company which wants to get usability work done. Then have them send
you to a training program (like the HFI certification track). That will
give you a foundation. Then work with as many more experienced usability
practitioners as you can.
In either case, I think you will find the field full of good challenges
and opportunities. |
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Question: I often encountered the phrase "effective
user interface" while searching the web. Can you please give me a
definition for this phrase? Thank you. |
Eric's response: Of course!
An "Effective Interface" is...
- Practical and Useful. That means it has real value and fits into people's
lives in a reasonable way.
- Fast. Meaning the user can do tasks quickly.
- Accurate. Meaning it is designed to minimize the likelihood that users
will make mistakes and catches errors and handles them well.
- Self-evident. Meaning it is designed to minimize or eliminate the
need for training.
- Finally, occasionally there are issues of safety.
While you might not consider user satisfaction "effective"
we definitely count that as an essential part of the user interface design
objectives.
ALL of the variables I have described are measurable. Speed is measurable
with a stop watch, satisfaction with rating scales. So this is not "soft"
and unknowable. These are concrete design issues. |
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Question: What are the key differences between machine-centered
and human-centered design? |
Eric's response: Wonderful question Mazen! In "machine-centered"
design you start with the needs of the machine. You consider internal
structures based on the logic and needs of the physical (or computer)
structures. So you might start with the database structure based on a
"logical" construct. So you might have all the Accounting data
in one file and all the insurance policy data in another.
In user-centric design we start by understanding what the user does and
make the technology fit what the user does. For example you might find
that the user virtually alternates between customer data, insurance policy
data, and accounting data. It may make much more sense to structure things
by new customers, existing customers, and past customers.
A user-centered process always starts with a focus on the user needs,
limitations, and environment. THEN the technology is addressed. This is
the ONLY way I know to reliably create a usable application or product. |
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Question: I'm looking into pursuing a career as a Web
site developer, but I'm not sure if I should pursue the field of design
or go down a path for usability. They both seem exciting to me, but I'm
not exactly sure of the difference. Perhaps you could help explain where
they are the same, where they are different and what can qualify someone
to consider themselves a "usability expert."
Thanks in advance |
Eric's response: Both design and usability work have
the same end goal: an optimized level of user experience and performance.
However, they use different approaches. Designers take a more artistic
role. Usability staff are more analytic, systematic, and scientific.
To go into design work you will need a graphic arts and creative background.
You will get a MFA and hopefully specialize in online presentation. In
the end you will do a lot of work on the graphic look of sites and ensure
that the sites fit with brand objectives.
To go into usability you will need a psychology background and specialization
in human computer design. There are specific degrees
available in the field and a Masters degree is probably required.
You will study human perception, cognition, memory, learning theory, and
biomechanics. You will study methods of task analysis, testing, etc. In
the end you will work on the structural organization of sites. You will
establish standards and help with the wording, layout, color selection,
and controls. But you won't draw much. That is for the designers.
There are some people who do both, but only a few. Most people come at
the site optimization problem from an artistic or an analytic angle (though
it is never quite that black and white). |
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Question: My question and the underlying problem is
exactly similar to that of December 11, 2002 question submitted by Max
William of Mumbai, India.
I have been in the field of UI Design and Usability since last 4 years,
but feel really inadequately qualified. I need to take up a course in
HCI in India, preferably while working simultaneously.
Please guide me...
Thanks and Regards
Sudhir Nain |
Eric's response: The first couple of years of evangelizing
about Usability to the Indian Infotech industry felt fruitless. In each
venue I was listened to with serious attention and treated with wonderful
hospitality. But I did not see anything much being done.
Now I am deeply gratified to find so many companies embracing usability
as a competitive advantage. I am working very hard to provide training
and certification at reasonable local prices for the India market. We
now have our full certification program available in India. In fact I
write this response enroute to Mumbai for my 17th trip. I now feel sure
that India will become known for its high quality and unique user-centered
design work.
For more information on our offerings in India, please be in touch with Mahesh Menon. |
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Question: I am an User Interface Designer from Mumbai,
India. Since there are no formal training or certific |
