FOCUS Project
[Draft updated 25 May 2009]
The FOCUS Project is collecting and disseminating information on usability test participant characteristics that provide optimum results. Specifically, the project is providing data on how participants with disabilities can be more effective in identifying general usability issues (that is, issues that affect people without disabilities as well).
This page provides:
- Introduction to the FOCUS Project
- Current Work
- People involved in the FOCUS Project
- Resources on including people with disabilities in usability studies
Introduction
Usability testers whose participants have disabilities have strong anecdotal evidence that these participants find general usability issues. Additionally, general usability issues are often highlighted and easier to identify because the participants with disabilities are more sensitive to usability issues.
The FOCUS project was born out of a desire to share examples and provide quantified evidence for the premise that using carefully selected participants with disabilities can more effectively find usability problems than using participants without disabilities.
The FOCUS project was launched on an airplane between the SXSW Interactive Conference and CSUN International Technology and Persons with Disabilities Conference in March 2009.
Usability Testing Goals
While using participants with disabilities can be more effective in finding general usability issues, such participants may not help meet the other goals of a particular study. For example, often usability studies are used to show developers or project managers that their design has usability problems. When participants have disabilities, uninformed observers could conclude that the usability problems are because of the disability and do not apply broadly to other users. Likewise, some people could discount the results because they think that most of their target audience does not have disabilities.
Thus, using participants with disabilities...@@
Current Work
The FOCUS Project is currently conducting initial studies and gathering examples. (currently = May 2009)
FOCUS Study 1
The first FOCUS study is comparing usability testing results from participants with low vision who use screen magnification, with participants without disabilities. It will provide quantitative and qualitative data comparing the usability problems found by each group.
FOCUS Study 2
This study is reviewing videos from a previous usability test of a website, which included participants with and without disabilities. It is analyzing the usability problems revealed by the participants.
Reviewing Existing data
Usability studies have already been done using participants with and without disabilities. The FOCUS project is seeking data from such studies to analyze. If you have such data that you might be able to share, please contact Shawn Henry, focus@uiaccess.com, +1-617-395-7664.
Gathering Real-World Examples
The FOCUS Project will also disseminate examples of how people with disabilities were more effective in illuminating usability problems in real-world situations. If you have examples to share, please contact Shawn Henry, focus@uiaccess.com, +1-617-395-7664.
FOCUS Project People
The following are currently involved in the project:
- Shawn Henry conceived of the idea and is currently leading the project (outside of her regular job).
- Jayne Schurick is leading FOCUS Study 1.
- Liam McGee, managing director of Communis Ltd, web accessibility consultancy, is being tempted into participating...
- Lisa Herrod, Andrew Arch, Marguerite Bergel, and Ann Chadwick-Dias have all contributed ideas.
- and we welcome additional contributions.
Resources
Just Ask: Integrating Accessibility Throughout Design helps designers and developers create websites, software, hardware, and consumer products that are accessible to people with disabilities, provide a better user experience for all, and realize the additional benefits of accessibility. It covers including people with disabilities throughout the design process, and provides details on including people with disabilities in usability studies.