Usability testing is about making sure that products or services are effective (ie they work), efficient (ie the effort of using them is worth while) and satisfying for users (ie people enjoy using them).  The i-pod and its click wheel are a testament to the commercial value of great usability (how many i-pods have you bought? I’m on my second and I still love it).  However, it is all relative.  You can design and test an office hot drinks machine till it’s an automated perfection but many people will still prefer to make their own (if given a chance!).

We recently did some testing of one of these voice response systems.  You know what I mean 'Thank you for calling xyz ltd.  You're call is not quite important enough for us to arrange for a person to answer this call.  Please press 1 for a surly adviser on the other side of the world; please press 2 for a never-ending rendition of Greensleeves on the pan pipes and so on.  Of course usability testing can make such products better but that still will not stop many customers wanting to speak to a real person.

Ideally, we would always be able to design an i-pod solution but sometimes real world constraints stop you from developing the ideal product.  In some ways this makes usability testing even more important.  It is bad enough that your employers have decided that a vending machine is the right answer without you getting extra sugar in your soup, when you really wanted a cappuccino.  So if your product or service is intended to engage people, then usability testing is a ‘must have’ (and we can either do it for you in our newly upgraded usability lab, or train you to do it yourself).

By the way, just when I thought I had seen it all, I got an email advertising an i-pod dock which doubles as a toilet roll holder (no, seriously – see www.iworld.co.uk) – talk about a product which engages with every part of our lives!  It must be Christmas.

As in previous years, we have decided to give the money we could spend on greetings cards to charity so we’d like to take this opportunity to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from everyone at System Concepts.

Tom Stewart