UX Team News
SAS Global Forum
6 members of the UX Teams will be attending the 2008 SAS Global Forum - Look for us there!
- Mary Clarke
- Peter Eastwood
- Paul Hankey
- Kevin Hodge
- Julie Radford-Davenport
- Yogesh Bhide
Conference Attendance
OpRisk USA (February 11-13 in New York City, NY)
Attended by Susan Kahler
Warranty Chain Management Conference (March 4-6 in San Diego, California)
Attended by David Clarke and Cindy Huffman
CHI (April 6-10 in Florence Italy)
Attended by Mike Silva
Demand Planning & Forecasting: Best Practices Conference (April 30-May 1 in Las Vegas, NV)
Attended by Ryan Chipley
Usability Professionals Association (June 16-20 in Baltimore, Maryland)
Attended by Cristina Lewis
Human Factors & Ergonomics Society Annual Conference (September 22-26 in New York City, NY)
User Experience (UX)
The User Experience teams at SAS are multidisciplinary teams that are made up of user interface designers, human factors engineers, graphics designers and user researchers. These teams are focused on the overall experience our customers have with our products. We are dedicated to making that experience as productive and satisfying as possible. We accomplish this goal by applying user centered design methods which engage the users in the design process.
Activities
SAS UX teams engage in a variety of user-centered activities to ensure our user interfaces (UI's) meet the needs of our customers. If you would be interested in participating in any of the following activities, please send an email to usability@sas.com.
Usability Testing
Usability testing is a formal methodology for obtaining objective and subjective information from end users of a product. Users are asked to perform pre-scripted tasks designed to evaluate various aspects of a product. Testing occurs at all phases of the design process, from early on in the process, using low-fidelity prototypes, to later stages in which the actual product interface is used. Usability testing can take place remotely, at the customer's site, or in our usability lab.The goal of a usability test is not to test the user's knowledge and performance, but rather to evaluate the quality of the user experience associated with the product. By seeing where errors occur or where there is ambiguity in the user interface, the usability analyst can recommend design changes that will benefit the users of the product.
- Remote Testing
Remote testing is usability testing that is conducted through web and voice conferencing technology. When the users are unable to travel to our laboratory setting, we are able to conduct the same usability test over the web. Although a good alternative to reduce costs and travel time, it is still best to do live, face-to-face testing whenever possible. - Usability Lab Testing
Lab testing is conducted in the Usability Lab at SAS Headquarters in Cary, N.C. The face-to-face aspect of this setting provides the highest quality data concerning our products. - Customer Site Testing
Customer site and lab testing are similar although customer site testing takes place at the customer's work location. This kind of testing can take two forms. The first is structured and formal, and the second uses the customer system and installation. A structured and formal customer site test would involve pre-scripted tasks using an environment provided by SAS. A test using the customer's installation would involve tasks defined by the customer along with their data and information.
Customer Site Visits
Customer site visits often include interviews, and reviewing designs of the user interfaces. During this time, the usability analyst and users may also brainstorm various design ideas. The usability analyst's goal is to develop an understanding of user goals, tasks, workarounds, constraints, and the challenges of the work environment. This is accomplished through observing users while they use the products, and interviewing them about what they are doing and why. The information collected is then used to ensure that the workflow and tasks for each product are optimized for their user group.
Surveys
Surveys are used by usability analysts to collect information from users. This information can inform the usability analyst of expectations and desires that can help in the design of the user interface. Surveys can be completed online through this Web site, in person, or over the telephone.
Interviews
Interviews can either be completed in person as part of a customer site visit or through web conferencing. Interview goals may differ depending on the point in the design process in which they take place. Early on in the process, before design work has begun, the goal may be an exploration of potential features and workflows. In contrast, once designs have been created, the evaluation of a current feature, visual layout, or workflow may be desirable.
Sign-up to Participate
If you are interested in participating in any of the activities described above, please send an email with contact information to: usability@sas.com. You will be contacted by a UX team member who will provide you with more information.