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This blog post is going to focus on is how unions can use usability testing for printed campaign materials as well as websites.

We at Creative Unions recently used the website Usabilla to run our usability test on this site. This online service allows you to upload an image file and then invite up to 25 testers to check the image – for free. (You pay for more than 25 test subjects.)

This service can be used for more than just websites.

Here is a copy of one of the posters that Atosha designed for the NTEU strikes last year. The poster has been put through Usabilla and people have been asked to click on the most important features for them. As you can see, a heat-map has been generated over the areas that received the most clicks (that is, is perceived as the most important).

Users can be asked numerous questions, and can leave notes and other comments – multiple pages (or posters) could be tested at once – meaning that you could test variations on the same poster. (The poster here is an example only; testing wasn’t carried out before it was printed.)

What this means is that unions can test their main communications materials (leaflets, posters, advertisements) on small groups of members (between 5-10) before hundreds or even thousands of dollars is spent on printing or publishing them.

Jackob Nielsen, a respected expert on website usability, suggests that only 5 usability testers are needed to find approximately 90% of problems. By using Usabilla on communications materials, unions would be able to learn whether their communications would be effective, and how it could be improved or clarified.

The best bit is that this excellent service is all for free.

Posibly related posts:

1. Effective print communications
2. More Twitter tips for trade unions
3. Organise – Build Unions
4. Words rather than pictures

1 Comment

1. Paul Veugen (February 1st, 2010 at 4:28 pm)

   RT @creativeunions: Usability testing for unions http://bit.ly/dwONVC

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