Expert Review

In HFI’s Expert Review, an experienced ergonomics professional will apply a large, research-based set of usability heuristics, algorithms, and our extensive experience to determine how to improve the user-interface design of a web site or software application with detailed attention given to target personas (user types) and principal tasks. Our evaluation will include analysis of the navigation and design features that promote user efficiency, accuracy, and satisfaction. We provide specific redesign recommendations.

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PET design™

Drive conversion by attending to the Persuasion, Emotion, and Trust response to your Web pages.
Through an analysis of Persuasion, Emotion and Trust, HFI’s Usability PET Review provides deep insight into the users' decision-making processes to create positive relationships with consumers and impact conversion.
Deliverables to our clients include a written report and a verbal presentation, including strategies, persuasion flow diagrams, trust scorecard, visual heat maps, and emotion maps.

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Web Navigation

A successful User Interface Structure makes a Web site or application self evident, easy to navigate, and visually compelling.  Once this is defined the detailed design is a relatively straightforward and low risk activity.

At the end of this process the web site will be fully defined at a high level. All the major parts of the web site will be defined from the user’s viewpoint and different groups of users will be considered.  Unnecessary parts and functions will be eliminated. The organisation and categorisation of the content and functionality will be solidly defined and validated. The navigational mechanism will also be fully described. Also, the appearance of the web site is defined and validated against the target brand values.

Benefit

Studies have shown that 80% of usability is determined by the structural design. This process is the most important in terms of usability assurance.  It will increase function usage (as users will know what is available), increase task completion speed (as navigation is faster), and it will also improve the subjective evaluation because of improved organisation and aesthetics. The philosophy and commitment of this process is wholly focused on optimising human performance and experience. The end result is a web site that is successful not simply in processing accurately and quickly, but it is as successful from the user’s viewpoint as it is useful and usable.

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Usability Testing

We provide a complete range of services for progressive testing of software applications.
Testing confirms the appropriateness of design, minimizing the need for recoding and redevelopment. We use a variety of testing techniques to match the deliverable being refined and the type of feedback needed. We apply our knowledge and practical experience from the design of hundreds of interfaces to use this data as the basis for very specific design recommendations.

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Remote Testing

Usability testing is the acid test of interface design. However, classical usability testing is not always feasible – primarily because of the cost factor. It also requires a physical facility and technical infrastructure, as well as the necessity to travel to the various testing locations.
Remote Usability Testing (RUT) is the breakthrough HFI has achieved to counter such problem scenarios. We successfully run tests in other countries, across different time zones – all this from the sophisticated remote testing lab in our Mumbai office.
HFI's experience over the years has proved that both classical lab and remote usability studies capture very similar performance information.

Benefit

Data from real users performing real tasks, and our recommendations for improvements and redesign.

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User Interface Standards (Web and GUI)

General Description

We employ a consensus-building process to effectively develop and implement a Web or GUI Standard. This type of engagement is best for mid-to-large size companies who are developing multiple Web pages or site which can benefit from standardised, consistent, graphically elegant page templates. We create customised User Interface standards to fit your branding, domain, conventions and existing standards. This will cover all screen design needed for the website or application and other user interfaces developed by you that would be included. In essence, it will be a business-wide standard.

Benefit

The key benefit of this approach is that it is consensus driven. The templates that are created are easy to use, developers learn about good usability by copying, decreasing development time and the standard facilitates a consistent a user interface.

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Detailed Screen Design

Working from a User Interface Structure, we develop the detailed user interface for a product, including content, layout, graphics and wording.
Detailed Screen Design sets the specifics of colour, layout, and wording. Content is organised so that the user will easily comprehend your message. Screens are designed to minimise the user’s visual, intellectual, mental and motor work. Effective labelling systems, object-oriented text presentation, and appropriate use of colour and graphics come together to enhance content structure and simplify decision making. Our graphic artists enhance visual appeal and motivate end users.

Benefit

• Designs that are visually appealing, clutter-free, and ergonomic
• Enhance content structure and simplify decision making
• Designs that fit the users' tasks, motivate them, and optimise screen performance
• Sets a direction for further design.

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Accessibility

HFI provides accessibility reviews and recommendations based on compliance with

• Section 508 
• Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)  
• IBM Web Accessibility Checklist

Accessibility helps with:

• Visual impairment(blind, low-vision)
• Hearing impairment
• Speech impairment
• Motor impairment
• Cognitive impairment
• Repetitive stress
• Colour blindness
• Search engines

Benefits

• Reduce legal liability
• Increase market share and audience reach
• Demonstrate social responsibility

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Graphic Factors – Visual Design

• Graphic concepts
• Branding style guide
• Icon design and library
• Interactive animation
• Marketing collaterals

HFI's graphics designers are specialists in visual design and have a strong background in user-centred design principles. They create sites that are visually compelling, easy to understand, and take into account both corporate goals and user expectations.

HFI's graphics consulting and production develops the visual elements of your site – i.e., navigation graphics, wireframes, icons, logos, and other images – using graphics factors. We determine the basis for the graphic style using proven data-gathering methods.

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Localisation and Internationalisation

HFI's well established localization process ensures that the design is acceptable and usable from a cultural perspective. This process may require translation to other languages and consideration of cultural differences.
Major issues include work style, practical issues of environment and resources, and detailed challenges of different field formats and conventions.
Some applications can be easily translated to be acceptable. This requires language translation. It also includes conversion of field formats and controls.
Some applications can be localized to a given target culture, but localization requires a complete cycle of development. This involves a complete rethinking of the target users, workflow, social environment, physical environment, and interface design.

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Contextual Innovation for the Design of Breakthrough Products

Contextual Innovation is a systematic multidisciplinary process of inquiry into the new frontiers of user system interactions. It allows you to gain practical knowledge about your target markets to develop entirely novel, more useful and effective products and services.
Users are the best source of new ideas. Our research methodologies, rooted in cultural anthropology, sociology, and psychology, help us contextually study the "situated" behaviours, goals, intentions and thoughts of the potential users.

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