User Research and Usability Tests – analysis and execution

Context

User research worries about understanding the user behavior and his/her needs and motivations through observation techniques, tasks analysis and other feedback methodologies. This research field allows improving the usability of products and services, considering experimental and observation methodologies that allow guiding the design, development and tuning of the system itself. It is a cyclic and iterative approach used to work solutions for well identified spaces of opportunity.
User research results complement the usability tests, considered when evaluating usability and ease of use of a system or object, or of a group of systems or objects, by testing them with users. It is considered a mandatory practice sense it provides direct and concrete information of how real users use and interact with the system. Usability tests contrast with usability inspection methodology, which allows analyzing interfaces without getting the user directly involved.
Altice Labs develops telecommunication systems. Such systems, used by technicians with different profiles, are accessed through interfaces which are specified, designed and tested by the Usability and User Experience team, which works crosswise with different systems.
With the proposed project it is our intention to systematize knowledge for user research and usability tests fields, ensuring best practices analysis and the study of different methodologies. It is also required the concrete execution of the usability tests, their documentation, analysis and results exploration.
One of the Altice Labs systems to consider for this project is AGORA. AGORA is a network management system (NMS) focused on NetB@nd networks. Implements FCAPS (fault-management, configuration, accounting, performance and security) for multi-technology equipments. It manages GPON, MPLS and Ethernet, still maintaining legacy technologies, such as PDH, nx64Kbps, ATM, SDH e xDSL, reducing further investments on Network Operation Centers (NOC).
Within the scope of the project it is still to consider usability testing for mobile applications. In the past years mobile development has reached considerable proportions. How can we make sure that such systems and applications are easy to use and satisfy the user needs? Testing with real users is a great deal, no matter the operating system or the device.

Project objectives

• Identify, study and document user research and usability tests best practices and methodologies for Web and Mobile Systems.
• Execute user research and usability tests for AGORA and other Altice Labs systems.
• Evaluate with the Usability and User Experience team the results gained on applying the studied methodologies.
• Present and evaluate the same results with the product teams, specifying opportunities for improving design, interaction and the system itself.

Key skills required

• Knowledge of Usability and User Experience.
• Basic knowledge of research, user analysis and usability testing methodologies.
• Ability to work with different teams and challenges – ability to adapt fast and efficiently.

Altice Labs product lines

TV, Content and Internet Platforms and Applications

Want to participate in this project?

If you think you have the appropriate competences to work with us at this project, please contact us to genius@inova-ria.pt.