The Usability Evaluation Experience
Pre-conference Tutorial B
Dave Mitropoulos-Rundus and Sumanth Muthyala, Compuware Corporation

This tutorial provides attendees with an understanding of usability evaluation methods. It surveys several popular methods used today, including usability testing; demonstrates the techniques; identifies appropriate usages; and drives home an understanding of the pros and cons of each approach. Attendees will be able to try out and compare techniques with mentoring. The session goal is to survey a range of usability methods, in a condensed one-day session, reinforcing the strengths, weaknesses, and appropriate applications of each. Participants will learn more about the methods through the class participation exercises, where each participant will have an opportunity to sample one or more of the methods, compare the data, and determine the product direction that is derived from each. Participants will take away a strong understanding of how, as well as when, to apply these methods, and how to effectively apply the results to their work. This tutorial is geared for people who are new to the area of usability engineering and for usability engineers who have not yet explored the wide range of usability evaluation methods other than usability testing.

Speakers:

Dave Mitropoulos-Rundus is responsible for driving usability improvement, user interface standardization, and 508 accessibility compliance across Compuware’s products. He has held usability management, consulting, and sales positions in product development and in the external consulting organization at Compuware. Prior to joining Compuware, Dave was a Human Factors Engineer for Eastman Kodak. Dave has designed user interfaces for hand-helds, kiosks, Web sites, and production machines, and has conducted evaluations in the lab, on the Web, in the field, and in the homes of consumers. Dave is a frequent conference presenter and user interface design instructor. He is a chapter author of the book, Design by People for People. Dave has a Master’s degree in Human Factors Psychology from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He is an active member of ACM SIG-CHI HFES and the Usability Professionals’ Association (UPA), and is currently on the UPA Board of Directors and a Michigan UPA Chapter officer.

Comments about the Conference:"I think I was pretty vocal on the conference.I thought it was wonderful. It was one of the best organized, most responsive, and accessible conferences I have been at. I was so happy that you did this, and the 4 other Compuware employees who attended were pleased as well. I missed most things the first day because I was wrapped up with my tutorial, but the keynotes were excellent at lunch and dinner. On Wednesday, I felt the programs were appropriate and informative. If I were to do the keynotes again, I would have put Susan W's talk on Tuesday evening because I felt that her message was lighter and more entertaining.which is what people seem to need after a long day and dinner. You were heavy on MSU folks (which I know you wanted to be), yet drew from as far away as Minneapolis (for people who came.not speakers). I did not see anyone from State Gov, which surprised me. I think with a 2-3 month full program lead time you will get that larger and more diverse audience for next year."

 

Sumanth Muthyala has been involved with design of Web based applications and Windows applications since he began with Compuware in early 2001. He has been extensively involved in creation, navigation design, look and feel, and negotiating the trade-offs and compromises that must be made to achieve reasonable and feasible designs. Sumanth has conducted user analyses, detailed design specifications for user interfaces, and extensive usability testing in the controlled environment of a usability lab, and remotely as well. Sumanth holds a Master’s degree in Industrial Engineering and a Bachelor’s degree in Instrumentation Engineering. He is a member of the Human Factors and the Ergonomics Society, UPA, and a Michigan UPA Chapter officer. In completing his Master’s, Sumanth studied human factors, usability testing, design of human computer systems, design and analysis of human-machine systems, and qualitative and quantitative experimental design and analysis methods. He also gained a theoretical grounding in human factors and usability testing methods.

 

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