Topics in Usability
Frequently Asked Questions

Some questions seem to come up over and over again. Many of them are represented in these topics pages, but some are simpler questions that don't need a whole page. This page attempts to collect some of these questions and typical answers from popular usability lists. When in doubt, fall back on the time-honored usability mantra, "It depends!" (but use this as a place to consider what "it" depends on).

What is a good ratio of user interface designers to developers?
When this question was asked on a popular usability list answers included:

• 1 in 4-5
• 1 to 14
• 1 for every 5-20 developers
• 1 for every 90 developers
• 2 for a group of 75 developers
• Some things to consider:
  • How many different projects do you work on at a time?
  • What are the tasks which the UI designers must perform?
  • What kinds of applications, that is, how much front v. back-end programming is required.

How many users do you need to find most usability problems?

• This topic is now in its own page: How Many Users?

How much should a facilitator interact with the test participant?

• This topic is now in: Facilitation Techniques