STC Usability SIG Newsletter
Usability Interface

Usability in Practice
Company Profile of Hylotek

By Diane Giangrossi

For those of us who are passionate enough about usability to belong to a Usability SIG, the necessity of making a product usable is obvious. We debate the definition of "usable" and delve into the theories and concepts of usability but never question that some kind of usability analysis is an essential piece of the development process. But some of us are disappointed in how slow our companies or industries have been in adopting formal usability processes, which leads to the question: Which companies are actually practicing usability, and what does usability mean to them? Who's investing time and money into usability, and what kind of return are they receiving on their investment in the real world?

One such company is Hylotek of New York City (www.hylotek.com), established in 1999, provides Web services in the form of Web design, back-end programming, and strategy. User-focused research is an established piece of the analysis phase in Hylotek's three-phase process (analysis, design, and build). "The entire design and technology team is expected to understand and participate [in the usability effort]," says Joshua Fruhlinger, co-founder of Hylotek.

The usability methods employed at Hylotek vary according to the project's scope and the client's needs. "We do anything from basic heuristic reviews to full in-person usability testing," says Fruhlinger. "We also do user scenarios, information architecture, and prototyping."

What led Hylotek to integrate usability into its processes was recognition of a gap between the typical client's stated business needs and the goals of the product's actual end users. Hylotek discovered that without upfront research into both of these areas, design revisions were being made in a vacuum. "By working with the client to uncover the gap between business and user goals," explains Fruhlinger, "we were able to create clear mandates and consensus for re-architecture and re-design. User-centered design methodologies were the clear winner for that process, as they provide us with a consistent document set and accessible deliverables."

This addition of a research and analysis phase before the design and build phases has created a more efficient process for the design team that saves clients money. In this analysis phase, a minimum of two weeks is dedicated to the usability task at the beginning of every project. "Results from this phase are used to both inform the client and get them to think about the end user as well as to inform the design team," notes Fruhlinger. "We find that this allows the design phase to be focused on aesthetics rather than functional or usability issues, making it a much more fruitful creative exchange."

Focusing on usability issues at the end user's level often uncovers problems with the overall corporate workflow. Improving the process for the end user in these cases is often a matter of resolving symptoms but not the underlying problem. Fruhlinger would like to see Hylotek take the next step of serving as a business process consultant to help a client address the corporate workflow issues that can lead to usability issues for end users.

The benefits Hylotek has enjoyed thus far from its investment in usability prove that incorporating usability simply makes good business sense. "We find that clients return to us because we can provide them with metrics for success," Fruhlinger asserts. "Every client is looking for metrics to show a project's success. At the same time, every service provider is looking for ways to optimize process and reduce resource drain. A user-centered approach does both," with documented test results that can be used to show improvement and other deliverables, such as prototypes, that streamline the design process.

Fruhlinger advises every company to try usability, as usability's return on investment is an easy sell. "Traffic numbers and conversion ratios are no longer sufficient to show that a design is effective. Having the usability barometer as a metric for design efficacy is a huge boon and comfort to both us and our clients."

Do you know a company that deserves recognition for practicing usability? Tell us how and why, and the kind of return are they receive on their investment. Send your proposal to david.dick@swift.com.