Why You Don't Need a Usability Lab

[ArticleBot]

This is an article discussion thread for discussing the SitePoint article, "Why You Don't Need a Usability Lab"

[Sergeant]

Nothing about user goals? Mmm, too bad. It's the most important thing in the usability-world!

But thanks for the article, I like the following part the best!

To simulate a normal office environment, and find out how real users are experiencing your site. If that's the goal, then here's a modest suggestion: why not use your participants' actual office environments?

[Icheb]

If you already quote Jakob Nielsen, you should also mention that he said that you should NEVER rely on the user's input when it comes to usability, because their perception of things may be extremely flawed. Sentences like "Yeah, I should have caught that button" spring to mind, when in reality it wasn't their fault at all.

gee, did i have a laugh, when i opened this page in Safari, with the 'Nav' displayed, no readable line in sight, no additional 'Nav' anywhere, but a heading still screaming 'Why you don't need a usability lab'

folks, you're kiddin'

and in the end you're censoring your visitors - bah

folks, you're really kiddin'

safari?
Mate you're the one kidding aren't you?
Reminds me of someone who complained about a site I was working when it would't work on a Mac running blah blah system with opera 1.1.2.3.4. Like anyone who values time and ROI gives a ****.

[adesignrsa]

Interesting point by "just watchin", but dont blame Elizabeth for that. Constructive criticism is good, and should be well received. There should be a cutoff though when browsers fall behind the "target audience". If you would mentione the version of safari, I'm sure it would only serve to help sitepoint improve on their "accessibility".
</comment>

Safari...Yes! Over 90% of Mac users use Safari as their main browser. Granted, the Mac users are not as numerous as the "almighty" microsoft lemmings, but do you really want to alienate an entire segment of potential traffic?