Media: Management Consulting News talks to Steve Krug

"Meet the MasterMinds: Common Sense Web Design with Steve Krug" sees Management Consulting News talking to Krug about website usability at a fairly basis level, but includes such gems as:

'MCNews: How can non-technical people select web designers who make sensible usability a key part of design?

Krug: If I were hiring, I guess I'd look at the sites they've done (hopefully comparable in some way to yours) and see if I can understand what the sites are for and find my way around them easily. You can't hold them responsible for all the sites' sins, though, since designers don't always have the final word.

Then I'd ask them to look at your current site (if you have one) and one of your competitors' sites, and give you a few thoughts about what works and doesn't work in the designs. The key point here is not so much what they're saying as whether or not what they say makes sense to you. It'll give you good clues about whether you're going to be able to communicate well with them.

Also, if they sound like they're more interested in creating a portfolio piece for themselves than something that serves your objectives - and your users' objectives - I'd keep looking. (Of course, personally, I'd also ask them if they'd read my book...)'

Associated Link: Management Consulting News: Meet the MasterMinds: Common Sense Web Design with Steve Krug

All change at the top for System Concepts
Source: System Concepts Ltd, 3 July 2009
 
Leslie Fountain has been promoted to joint Managing Director of leading usability consultancy System Concepts.

Life in UCD immortalised in fiction: you couldn't make it up
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Sarah Herman's fictitious book on life in a user-centred design company has hit the shelves and The Guardian's book pages...

Interfaces Magazine - Issue 79: The Education Issue
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Two new Behavioural research Tools from Noldus
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Cell Phones that Listen and Learn
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New software tracks a user's behavior by monitoring everyday sounds.

Top Six Don’ts for Usability Testing
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Six tips for creating quality usability tests to ensure useful feedback from testers.

Usability: ‘Lovely software. But I can’t work it’
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Most Doctors cite Usability as critical to Electronic Health Record Adoption
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Glossy monitors look good but can hurt
Source: QUT, 23 June 2009
 
A new advisory cites research which suggests high gloss monitors make users sit awkwardly.