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1. Usability techniques are often employed in the design and development of software and web sites. Please tell
us about your experiences regarding the following whether you design, develop, or manage the development of software
or web sites.
A. Do you perform usability inspections (that is, use checklists,
style guidelines, heuristic evaluation, etc.)?
Yes: 33 (63%)
No: 13 (31%)
B. Do you perform user testing?
Yes: 42 (81%)
No: 8 (15%)
C. Do you perform user task analysis?
Yes: 38 (73%)
No: 12 (23%)
D. Would you like to employ usability methods more often?
Yes: 43 (83%)
No: 6 (12%)
2. What web sites do you access to learn more about usability? (free
response)
- "None" or "generally don't use web sites":
15 (29%)
- Jakob Neilsen's sites: 14 (27%)
- Others (3 or more): UsabilityFirst.com (4), ACM Digital Library
(3), Usable Web (3)
3. What web sites do you access to learn more about web design?
(free response)
- "None" or "generally don't use web sites":
9 (17%)
- C|Net family of sites: 4 (8%)
- Others (3 or more): KillerSites.com (3)
4. Web sites with information for user interface design and development
offer a variety of content types and services. Which of the following are important to you. (Check all that apply)
- Research with empirical results: 29 (56%)
- Tips and tricks: 29 (56%)
- Tutorials and how-toís: 28 (54%)
- Design critiques: 26 (50%)
- Prototyping techniques: 26 (50%)
- Lists of web links: 23 (44%)
- Magazine-style articles: 20 (38%)
- Bibliographies: 18 (35%)
- Product guides and reviews: 18 (35%)
- Regular columns by leading figures: 13 (25%)
- Joinable email lists: 12 (23%)
- Interviews with leading figures: 12 (23%)
- 20% or less (in descending order): Free downloads, Glossaries,
Free email newsletters, Online conferencing system, Email updates of new content, Online games
5. Which of the following are the three most important characteristics
in a "usable web site"? Please rank them 1-3. (1 is the most important)
- User-appropriate navigation system: weighted score of 28
- Practical content: 25
- Speed of download: 14
- Authority of content source(s): 10
- Breadth of information in the site: 8
- Platform-independent layout: 6
- Professional graphic design: 5
6. Which of the following are the three most important qualities
which lend a web site credibility? Please rank them 1-3. (1 is the most important)
- Factually accurate content: weighted score of 30
- Comprehensiveness of content: 21
- Reputation of author: 15
- Professional design and layout: 12
- Contact information available: 8
- Content from leading figures: 7
- Comprehensive links to other web sites: 6
- No ad banners: 2
7. Have you ever visited the Usability First web site (www.usabilityfirst.com)?
Yes: 6 (12%)
No: 44 (84%)
[NOTE: Yes responses were so low to this question that we
are not including the data on the additional subquestions.]
8. Which of the subject areas listed below would you like to see
included in a usability web site? (Choose all that apply)
Combined totals from print and email survey responses (N=52):
- User interface principles and guidelines: 44 (84%)
- Design methods: 43 (83%)
- User testing techniques: 38 (73%)
- Information visualization: 35 (67%)
- Prototyping techniques and tools: 34 (65%)
- Web site design: 33 (63%)
- Case studies in design: 30 (58%)
- Groupware: 28 (54%)
- Tips for software developers: 25 (48%)
- Bibliographic database: 23 (44%)
- Monthly column on design techniques: 21 (40%)
- International audience: 20 (38%)
- Ethics in design: 18 (35%)
- Disability access: 17 (33%)
- Web-based discussion conference: 15 (29%)
- Jobs information: 13 (25%)
- 20% or less (in descending order): Mailing lists, Educational software
design, Healthcare user interface design
Print survey responses only (N=30):
- User interface principles and guidelines: 23 (77%)
- Groupware: 22 (73%)
- Design methods: 22 (73%)
- Information visualization: 21 (70%)
- User testing techniques: 19 (63%)
- Web site design: 19 (63%)
- Prototyping techniques and tools: 16 (53%)
- Case studies in design: 14 (47%)
- Tips for software developers: 13 (43%)
- Bibliographic database: 13 (43%)
- Ethics in design: 11 (37%)
- International audience: 10 (33%)
- Web-based discussion conference: 7 (23%)
- Disability access: 7 (23%)
- Monthly column on design techniques: 7 (23%)
- 20% or less (in descending order): Educational software design,
Healthcare user interface design, Jobs information, Mailing lists
Email survey responses only (N=22):
- User interface principles and guidelines: 21 (96%)
- Design methods: 21 (96%)
- User testing techniques: 19 (86%)
- Prototyping techniques and tools: 18 (82%)
- Case studies in design: 16 (73%)
- Information visualization: 14 (64%)
- Monthly column on design techniques: 14 (64%)
- Web site design: 14 (64%)
- Tips for software developers: 12 (55%)
- Disability access: 10 (46%)
- International audience: 10 (46%)
- Bibliographic database: 10 (46%)
- Jobs information: 9 (41%)
- Web-based discussion conference: 8 (36%)
- Ethics in design: 7 (32%)
- Groupware: 6 (27%)
- Mailing lists: 5 (23%)
- 20% or less (in descending order): Educational software design,
Healthcare user interface design
9. What books, magazines or journals do you refer to when you need
information on usability? Please list as many as you would like. (free response)
- Jakob Nielsen (all sources): 4 (8%)
- ACM Magazines/Journals: 4 (8%)
- CHI proceedings: 3 (6%)
1. How would you identify your current job?
- Researcher: 16 (31%)
- User interface developer: 9 (17%)
- Software developer: 7 (13%)
- University faculty: 6 (12%)
- 10% or fewer (in descending order): Web site designer, Manager,
Student
2. What is your job title? (free response)
- Researcher/research scientist: 13 (25%)
- Project/Team manager: 8 (15%)
- Professor: 7 (13%)
- Usability Specialist: 5 (10%)
3. What is your background in? (Check all that apply)
- Computer science/Software engineering: 22 (42%)
- Human-computer interaction: 19 (36%)
- Psychology: 10 (19%)
- Human factors: 9 (17%)
- Interaction design: 8 (15%)
- Graphic design: 6 (12%)
- Industrial design: 4 (8%)
- Library science: 4 (8%)
4. Education
A. How many years of university-level education have you completed?
- less than 1 year: 0
- 1-3 years: 2 (4%)
- 4-6 years: 24 (46%)
- 7 or more years: 24 (46%)
B. What type of degree do you have?
- PhD: 19 (29%)
- Masters: 16 (31%)
- Bachelors: 20 (38%)
5. How long have you been in the information technology field?
- less than 1 year: 2 (4%)
- 1-3 years: 10 (19%)
- 4-6 years: 10 (19%)
- 7 or more years: 30 (58%)
6. How many years of web design experience do you have?
- less than 1 year: 13 (25%)
- 1-3 years: 25 (48%)
- 4-6 years: 13 (25%)
7. The following questions ask about your computing environment
at your primary place of work.
A. What operating system do you use?
- Windows 95/98/NT: 47 (90%)
- Mac OS: 17 (33%)
- Unix: 17 (33%)
B. What is your connection speed to the Internet?
- T1: 19 (36%)
- Donít know: 9 (17%)
- ISDN/ADSL: 8 (15%)
- T3: 6 (12%)
- 33,600 bps or less: 3 (6%)
- 56,000 bps: 3 (6%)
C. Which web browser do you use?
- Netscape Navigator/Communicator: 41 (79%)
- Microsoft Internet Explorer: 27 (52%)
- Other: 4 (8%)
D. What is the version number?
- 4.x: 32 (61%)
- 3.x: 4 (8%)
- Other: 4 (8%)
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