Today was more of the same. Lots of theory, lots of procedural guidelines, little or no actual principles to put into practice. This seminar is intended for “usability professionals,” i.e., people whose job it is to test systems for usability and report on their findings. It is not for the designers and developers who then refer to those reports and modify the system to solve the usability issues the testers discovered.
So I state again, just in case my bosses or the NNG people ever come across this site, I do think it’s very valuable information, and I’m sure I’ll come away from the experience with some things to noodle over. But really, just tell me how to build usable websites, that’s what I really need to know. Meanwhile, I sit at the back of the room trying to maintain focus and doodling in the margins of my hotel stationery while pretending to take notes.
