Social media challenges for higher ed

An interesting article in UK newspaper the Guardian, on how college students are using social media more and more - ahead of relying on official communications channels. It also gives a few examples of what universities are doing to begin to engage with these key audiences in new ways.

Diary study research tips

A great introduction to diary studies; what they are, why you might want to use the approach and how to get the most out of them.

Listening skills for usability test moderators

David Travis provides 15 useful hints for anyone conducting a usability test.

Prioritising usability problems

A really useful resource for anyone conducting usability tests and getting overwhelmed by the list of findings. How do you decide what to fix and what to live with?

Tips for persona success

Jared Spool again shares insights from his research with design teams to highlight factors which support successful persona projects.

Data-driven decision making

A great article on website analytics - how to use them to best effect. For yourself and for your organisation.

Local government usability testing

I came across a blog the other day by the Camden Borough Council web team. Great to read about a group so committed to putting the user at the centre of a website overhaul. I suppose one positive from the ongoing rounds of cuts in the public sector - and we have to grasp these positives when they arise! - is an increased user focus in the field of web communication and service delivery.

Writing accessible link text

A quick reminder of why considered link text is important for accessibility, including some examples and a few tips to help you do a better job.

Link purpose: accessibility for web writers - article by 4syllables.com

More accessibility tips for web writers

Persuasive design - enhanced usability?

Persuasive design has been around for a long time, but usually associated with 'bad' things like fast food, gambling and so on. An interesting article targeted at usability professionals which argues that "...persuasive design should be your next skill set".

The cost of customer service

I've been supporting a review of email enquiry management, which made me think back to an article by Gerry McGovern about the relative cost of customer service. Digging deeper reveals some very interesting UK local government figures on the cost of managing transactions via a website, versus on the phone, versus in person.