Usability Specialist - Interactive Media
The role of the Usability Specialist1 is to ensure an interactive media product meets the needs of its intended audiences through analysis, evaluation and testing of the user experience.
This is very much a research-led role, but it may sometimes also require technical skills. The Usability Specialist may work independently or as part of a team and will typically need to liaise with the Producer2, Information Architect3, Designer4 or Developer5.
Usability Specialists are usually employed in permanent positions within interactive media agencies or specialist usability consultancies, but some work as freelance consultants.
What is the job?
Usability Specialists conduct research to assess the effectiveness of the product’s user interface. This may involve conducting new primary research or analysing secondary research, such as previous usability reports and case studies.
They typically plan and conduct user tests by designing scripts and scenarios, identifying and recruiting people to take part in the test, preparing the testing lab or other venue, and overseeing the actual test itself.
After the test, they will need to collate the test results and communicate these – typically in the form of a written report, but sometimes by giving presentations – back to the relevant project team members, or sometimes to the client.
They may also conduct their own evaluations of the product to ensure it complies with accessibility guidelines or other usability standards.
Usability Specialists may be involved in the actual design and development of a product by using their knowledge of usability research and best practice to help develop interface conventions and standards.
They may also need to develop prototypes for user testing – sometimes using diagrams on paper, but often undertaking simple technical development. They often also have to act as ‘user champions’, ensuring that the needs of the user are not forgotten during the design and development of the product.
Typical career routes
There are no typical career routes, but most Usability Specialists either come from a background in primary research or have previously worked in hands-on roles within the interactive media industry, for example as a Designer, Developer or Information Architect.
Many have at least two or three years’ experience of conducting behavioural research, often in areas outside the interactive media industry.
The Usability Specialist role usually starts at junior-to-mid-weight levels and can extend to senior positions, on a par with the Producer or Project Manager. It usually remains a hands-on, rather than management, role though.
Essential knowledge and skills
Usability Specialists need strong research and analytical skills, and familiarity with different techniques for conducting user tests and evaluating usability.
They must be able to identify and understand the business and design objectives, and the features and functionality, of the product they are testing, and devise appropriate ways of obtaining quantitative and qualitative test data.
Awareness of the principles of interaction design, and especially issues of usability and accessibility, is essential. They need to be able to select, brief and oversee test participants, and report test results.
This often requires diplomacy and an ability to clearly explain complex issues. As usability in interactive media is an evolving field, Usability Specialists must be able to keep abreast of developments, current thinking and best practice, so self-study and on-line research skills are desirable. Key Skills include:
- strong research and analytical skills;
- planning ability;
- good written, verbal and interpersonal communication skills;
- good presentations skills;
- ability to show leadership and people management;
- ability to work independently or as part of a team;
- ability to manage time, prioritise tasks and work under pressure;
- knowledge of the requirements of the relevant Health and Safety legislation and procedures.
Most Usability Specialists will have at least a Bachelor’s Degree, either in a directly related design field or in the social sciences or humanities – subjects such as Anthropology, Sociology, Psychology, Linguistics, Human Factors or Human-Computer Interaction are typical.
Some may have a postgraduate Degree or Doctorate. Training courses in web usability are beginning to emerge, but most Usability Specialists learn through experience and by researching the wealth of usability information available on the Internet.
Glossary
Script: a sequence of tasks that a test participant is asked to carry out.
Scenario: a role or set of circumstances that the test participant is asked to imagine themselves in.
Interface: often used synonymously with ‘page’ or ‘screen’ to refer to what the user sees on-screen; it can also be used more specifically to refer to the controls via which the user interacts with the product, such as buttons, links, form fields etc.
Where to go for more information
Skillset is the Sector Skills Council for the audio visual industries. The first sources of information for all jobs in the industry are the National Occupational Standards. Browse Skillset’s website for links to our network of training partners, information about training and access to the comprehensive Skillset/BFI course database. Finally, Skillset Careers is the UK’s only specialist media careers advice service; for detailed media careers information and advice, visit www.skillset.org/careers.
Websites
Usability Professionals’ Association: www.ukupa.org.uk
Alertbox: www.useit.com/alertbox
Publications
Designing Web Usability, Nielsen, New Riders, ISBN 1-56205-810-X
Observing The User Experience, Kuniavsky, Morgan Kaufmann, ISBN 1-55860-923-7
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Usability Specialist - Interactive Media
1 As with most roles in interactive media, actual job titles tend to vary considerably. Examples of titles that are sometimes used with this role include Usability Tester, Usability Analyst, and Head of Usability.
2 The Producer role is about ensuring the overall business vision and creative direction for the product are identified and maintained. This role may also be called Project Director, Project Leader, Creative Director etc. and is often merged with Project Manager.
3 The Information Architect role is about deciding the product’s features, functionality, organisation of content, and navigational structure. These may be documented through wire-frame diagrams, site maps, and/or detailed functional specifications that together serve as a design brief and technical blueprint.
4 The Designer role is about designing the overall look and feel of the product – at it’s simplest this is a case of visually ‘skinning’ a wire-frame design produced by the Information Architect; in more senior roles, or in smaller teams, the Designer is more likely to be involved with devising interactivity and information flow, hence the roles often overlap or are merged.
5 The Developer role is about building the product, typically using authoring tools (e.g. Director, Flash etc.) and/or scripting or mark-up languages (e.g. JavaScript, ActionScript, Lingo, HTML, CSS etc.); by contrast, the Programmer role tends to be more concerned with higher-level coding.
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