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You want your software or website to be easy to learn and easy
to use. You want to minimize re-design fixes, reduce errors, increase
user satisfaction, and create positive word of mouth advertising.
You want a competitive edge in the marketplace, name recognition,
and more sales. For all those reasons, you need an exceptional
software user interface. And for that, you need an experienced
Software Usability Specialist. That's why you want to call Fischer
Consulting Services. Here are 7 ways we help you improve your
software design.
Computer-Human Interaction (CHI) is the study of the relationship between (1) the abilities and limitations of humans and (2) machines, tasks, and systems. There are two decades of published research, books, and case studies in the field of CHI. Out of this knowledge comes proven principles of interface design. Much of this data, however, is outside the normal studies of most software developers. Research also shows that Usability Specialists -- like Fischer Consulting Services -- because of our special knowledge and training, are 3 times more likely to find software usability problems than are other software professionals. By applying the above principles and our specialized expertise to your software early in the design, you avoid costly design mistakes, you avoid re-design fixes, and you avoid reinventing the wheel. You save time, money, and frustration.
"You bridged the gap between design requirements and programming realities and helped us meet our client's requirements when we struggled to accomplish it ourselves. It saved us time and we were very satisfied. " - Roger Rouse, The Rouse Companies
The more you know about your user, the better your interface and the more successful your application. That's why, before you even start to design your software, we develop a detailed profile of your users by defining such factors as their knowledge, experience, and personal characteristics. This profile is instrumental in making design decisions that benefit the user. Sophisticated operators and touch typists, for example, have different interface requirements than "hunt-and-peck" beginners. This step is essential to a usable and successful product.
"I'm now aware of how little we've tried to profile and understand our user base. All design issues flow from this. Thanks!" - Dan Giancaterino, Telebase Systems
A well-designed interface increases productivity, while a poorly-designed interface produces frustration. The difference depends in large part on how well you understand your user's job. Our detailed Task Analysis [italic] documents how your users perform their tasks. This investigation, especially helpful when automating a manual task, is as important as the User Profile. The results, for example, determine the navigation, flow, and key requirements for your user interface. Upon request, you also get an evaluation of how well your interface supports the user's tasks through such specialized techniques as a Design Walkthrough. With this analysis, you increase user efficiency and product satisfaction.
A well known usability axiom is "To err is human, forgive by design." Our specialty is the development and delivery of superior interface design specifications. If your budget is limited, however, we offer less-comprehensive services such as reviewing your current interface to identify usability problems and recommend improvements (called a "usability assessment") or coaching your staff on the principles of good design. Call us with your problem and your budget, and we'll outline your options ... and point toward your solution.
"You helped make our product easier for customers
to use and gave us a valuable outside perspective. We called Fischer
Consulting Services because you were highly recommended and we
wanted to 'do it right.' The time and money spent were extremely
worthwhile." - Corbin Glowacki, Netpro Computing
Tell me more about Usability Assessments
Tell me more about Interface Design Consulting
Most software professionals are trained in development tools but not in the unique skills required to be a designer. Good designers recognize the difference between an interface that's well-made and one that is not. More important, they know the reasons why. Our courses on interface design have been specially developed to share such wisdom with your developers, designers, analysts, and managers. These courses are taught at your company at a time convenient for you. Our most popular course is Fundamentals of GUI Design, developed by international expert and author, Deborah J. Mayhew, PhD. This is what one participant said:
"This class ranks a 10 on a scale of 10! It's a very important course for companies and individuals designing and developing GUIs. Good job!" - Mauro Perwin, AG Communications
Standards make life easier for your developers and your users. Without standards, developers tend to make different decisions throughout an application, and users get confused. We review your current standards to assure they conform to known interface design principles. If they don't, we help you develop standards for your project to ensure consistency from screen to screen within an application or across several applications. You get a standards document that meets your project or company needs. As an additional option, you get usability and human factors methods integrated into your system development cycle. And you get a better interface.
"Your CHI information and design principles
are vitally important to the success of any project involved in
Graphical User Interfaces (GUI). Your commitment to quality is
clear." - Systems Analyst, Cincinnati Bell Information Systems
Usability is the effectiveness and efficiency of an interface relative to a representative set of users and tasks. Usability testing is the only way to know if your design really works. Many of our clients have understood the importance of usability only when they watched users struggle with their software during such an evaluation. We test your application at your current stage of development using paper mockups, software prototypes, or in-production systems. From this test -- often videotaped -- you get an objective evaluation of your interface, a report documenting any problems found, and specific recommendations for improvement.
For more information -- including our list of training classes and fee schedule -- please call us at the number below or contact us through email. Or you'll always wonder how much better your software could have been.