Usability testing

I realized that I made a blunder today. I was talking with one of the members of the leadership team for UA. It was brought up that it would have been nice if we had been testing the Web site or planned to do some tests before launch. Now granted I was surprised that they would wait this entire time to bring up a concern like this rather than present it towards the beginning of the project. Nonetheless, I was at fault for not keeping everyone in the loop that IWSS makes usability testing a part of the regimen for Web design. Testing had been going on since the beginning. Maybe it would have made the process easier on everyone if they knew that the recommendations made by myself and IWSS were not coming from text book knowledge, but rather data collected from user experience and past experience dealing with Web sites. I took for granted that it would be a part of the process.

On a side note, it does show how people view usability testing not as a normal part of the procedure, but as a bonus “just in case” type of thing. Go figure.

Needless to say, it was a red-faced moment for me. D’oh!