Title: WebWord--Instone
URL: http://www.webword.com/interviews/instone.html
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WebWord.com : Interviews : Snapshot of a Usability Warrior (7-Feb-99)

Snapshot of a Usability Warrior
An interview with Keith Instone, Usability Consultant and Webmaster of Usable Web.

Inside Usable Web

What is Usable Web and what is your role?

It is my own personal site about this small portion of the world I inhabit, the intersection of the web and usability. Usable Web is a collection of links to things that I am interested in because they cover both of these areas.

My role is "omnipotent": I do it all for Usable Web.

Why did you create Usable Web? What is its purpose?

I created Usable Web for myself, to help me make sense of web usability. If others find it useful, if it helps them make sense of web usability, then all the better.

Its purpose is to be a 1-stop shopping site (portal, even) for everything about web usability. From feedback I have gotten, it appears to be most useful for people doing research, exhaustive searches on a particular aspect of web usability. People also use it to find that one thing they were looking for (like the Ameritech Style Guide).

People can also use it to see what is NOT out there. I often get asked for more information about some topic that is not covered at Usable Web (latest one was usability of user registration on the web). My answer is always: "If you do not see it here, then *I* do not know anything about it. If there is something on your topic, I have not found it yet. So, you are probably on your own. BUT if you do find something, please tell me about it so I can add it."

What are your favorite articles or references on Usable Web?

Hard to say, since if I include it, I like it to some degree. My next big
project is to rank all of the items from 1-3; after I do that, then I you
can tell my favorites more easily.

Understanding Web Usability

Why should developers focus on users?

Because users are in charge. They hold the power in their keyboards and mice. Do what they want or else they will take their business elsewhere.

In cases of more captive audiences (like an intranet), then a focus on users will let you meet their needs better. If you give them what they need, they can do their jobs better and even be happier. Even if the CEO of a company does not care if her employees are happy, I bet she would be thrilled to hear that the company intranet is saving a million dollars a year because people are spending less time looking for information and more time acting on it.

Why is it important to build usability into the Web site development process?

History has shown that usable software does not happen by accident. Bad user interfaces happen by accident. History has repeated itself for the web. Fortunately,

because of the multi-disciplinary nature of web site creation,

the increased power in users' hands,

the extreme level of competition,

and the rapid pace of the technology,

usability engineering is quickly "catching up" on the web. That is, I expect usable software to be the norm on the web before it is in more traditional software.

What kinds of Web sites have the most usability problems? The least?

I have never been able to come up with an easy answer to this. I see usable and unusable sites across all kinds of things I come across. The big-budget sites are just as likely to be easy/hard to use as the small, one-person sites.

I don't think it matters on the kind of site, but on the processes that go on behind the scenes.

Personal Experience

What tools do you use to determine Web site usability? Why are they effective?

Sometimes I can just tell. People keep making the same mistakes over and over again. (Usually because they are using some piece of software that makes the mistake.)

Other times I have to defer to users. Watching them hack away is ALWAYS insightful.

Then there are some software tools, like link checkers and HTML validators. You gotta have your Ts crossed and your Is dotted. The technical details are crucial on the web because of the demand to be interoperable.

What kinds of services do you offer? Why are these valuable?

I have tried to position myself as a "Web geek with a good grasp of users".

I know all about HTML, can write CGIs, JavaScript and other programs, even debug HTTP servers. On occasion I do that stuff for clients, but usually I only apply this technical knowledge when it comes time for solutions to usability problems that I have found.

For example, yesterday I learned Tcl so that I could implement one of my own user interface designs. I can iterate a whole lot faster when I am the designer and the programmer.

I also do usability tests for people. And sometimes I just design, and have even done some "corporate level" strategy planning. I like to think I can help a company get going in the right direction, away from a ton of usability problems early on. They might not need me as much later, but that is OK, since there is plenty of work to go around.

[Editor's note: Feel free to visit Keith's "Services for Hire"]

Are there unique challenges that you face as a usability professional?

It is hard to get recognition from important people that usability really matters. Sometimes, because of my technical knowledge, clients only see usability as "that other thing Keith does that I guess is important too but all I really care about is getting this web site up and running as soon as possible".

It does take a certain level of maturity within an organization to be able say that the quality of the user experience is crucial to its business. And another level of maturity to have the infrastructure in place to incorporate usability engineering into the way you do business.

So, sometimes, I tell potential clients they are not ready for me yet. I have no desire to beat my head against the wall, so I tell them to call me again when they have their own act together and I could actually help their business.

What books do you read or regularly use?

Information Architecture for the World Wide Web: I have learned a lot from librarians and this book is the one source I have learned the most from.

Usability Engineering: Had to buy a new copy recently because my old one was literally falling apart from use.

Handbook of Usability Testing: I refer to it often to make sure I do not forget anything important during my tests.

HTML, The definitive guide: For when I turn into the web geek and want to make sure the HTML solution is properly done.

What advice would you give to someone who was interested in pursuing a career in Web usability? For example, what kind of education and skills are helpful?

I personally have found that technical skills provide a good foundation. Psychology, library science and technical writing classes help offset that techie stuff so that you can indeed put yourself in your users shoes.

Having a "real life" away from the computer is also really helpful, I would say. If you eat/sleep/breathe/drink your own web site too much every day, it will be hard for you to clear your head and get your users perspectives.

Being a teacher or a tech support person is also enlightening. Get down in the trenches and try to help people deal with the technology in their own worlds and you will be on your way to understanding their needs.

Wrap Up

What four things should every Web site developer do to improve their understanding of usability?

Watch their grandma try to use the site, without helping her too much.

Read Jakob Nielsen at useit.com, but do not get hung up on his style.

Along with their boss, set realistic usability goals, then iterate on the site until those goals are met. For example, you can only add new features that help users accomplish those goals.

Review your site and pick something to REMOVE. There probably is something there that is not really doing users any good and is just getting in the way.

What are your predictions for the future of Web usability? Where are things headed?

Headed in the right direction.

The browser vendors appear to have learned some lessons about following standards. Some of the standards are actually AHEAD of the vendors. We would all be really really happy if the major browsers just supported the current, accepted, Cascading Style Sheets (1) standard.

More diverse applications accessing the web, meaning more people giving up non-standard solutions.

More "weird" corporate relationships, mergers, buyouts, etc. Companies working together who have never worked together before. It is exactly these seams between past services that will be the driving force for the future, so companies are going to have to adapt to cover the new areas of business.

Final words of wisdom? Last words of advice? What should every reader remember about this interview?

No matter what anyone tells you about designing for the web, do some of
your own testing to verify if it really applies to your situation.

Care about the details. The sum of all of the tiny details = usability.

Assume you WILL get it wrong the first time. Add in some time/budget/etc. for iterating to improve upon it.

Keith, Wow! Thank you very much for giving us a picture of "life in the Web usability trenches". You have given us a lot to think about.

Feel free to contact Keith for further information:

Keith Instone instone@usableweb.com
Usable Web http://usableweb.com/
PO Box 7411 Bowling Green OH 43402
+1 419 823-3319 -1036

I also recommend that you visit Usable Web. It is the best collection of Web usability material available; I use it at least once per week.

(This interview was conducted via email by John S. Rhodes)

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URL: http://www.WebWord.com/interviews/instone.html

© 1999 by John S. Rhodes. All rights reserved.
Do not reproduce or redistribute any material from this document,
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