Comment added in 2022: These days we use the term ‘modal’ instead of ‘pop-up’ and I don’t see as much discussion of pop-up blockers. Otherwise, I think this is still accurate. CJ. Do you remember the olden days onContinue reading… A farewell to pop-ups
Author: Caroline Jarrett
The joys of labelling – an orderly portable lab for £24.99
If you read my headline as “a portable lab for £24.99”, don’t get too excited. I still don’t know a way of getting a portable usability lab for under 25 quid other than reverting to good old paper and pencilContinue reading… The joys of labelling – an orderly portable lab for £24.99
Negative plans for positive results
Wading through yet another complicated methodology the other day, my mind started to wander. Why are some of these documents so hard to understand? Why so repetitive? Process complexity happens by accident And I knew the answer really: the thingContinue reading… Negative plans for positive results
How to obtain maximum insight by cross-referring site statistics, San Francisco, 2002
Slides from a presentation to the IIR/IMRO Symposium “Web-based surveys and usability testing”, San Francisco, California, US. The presentation describes a project at the UK’s Open University, which wanted to explore how students make course choice decisions. The students’ motivation,Continue reading… How to obtain maximum insight by cross-referring site statistics, San Francisco, 2002
Should I use a drop-down? Four steps for choosing form elements on the web
No. Don’t use a drop-down. Updated in 2023. Back in 2001, Sarah Allen and I wrote this paper, and I delivered it at the 48th Society for Technical Communication Conference in Chicago, Illinois. We had done plenty of testing ofContinue reading… Should I use a drop-down? Four steps for choosing form elements on the web
How to set usability requirements for a website containing a form
This paper, co-authored with Sarah Allen Miller, was originally presented at the Society for Technical Communication Conference, Chicago, Illinois, 2001. Slightly updated in 2024. If anyone can use our website, how can we define requirements? In traditional systems development, users wereContinue reading… How to set usability requirements for a website containing a form
Why users don’t complain about bad forms
Originally written in response to the Florida vote controversy in the US 2000 presidential election, here are plenty of reasons why you may never know that users are struggling with your form. This article first appeared in January 2001 in UserContinue reading… Why users don’t complain about bad forms
Designing usable forms: the three-layer model of the form
A version of this paper was first delivered at the 47th Society for Technical Communication Conference in Florida. Most people do not enjoy filling in a form If you want to create a usable form, the first step is to understandContinue reading… Designing usable forms: the three-layer model of the form
Understanding the costs of data capture: paper, automatic and with the internet
Organisations have sometimes been surprised and disappointed when they re-engineer a forms-based data capture process but fail to achieve their anticipated savings. This paper, presented to CIMTECH 1999 and 2000, explains: how capture costs are built up from data entryContinue reading… Understanding the costs of data capture: paper, automatic and with the internet
Market research or usability evaluation?
I am a usability consultant and I believe, and find in practice, that usability evaluation is the best way to find out whether a document works for its users. However, I have frequently been in a position where my clientsContinue reading… Market research or usability evaluation?