• Does is do something people need done? – No
• Can people figure out how to use it? – Not intuitively
• Do they have to relearn it each time they use it? – Probably
• Does it get the job done? – No job for them!
• Does it do it with a reasonable amount of time and effort? – No no no no
• Do people want it? – HA!
• Is using it enjoyable, or even fun? – Playa, please

Wha Happen, Lucy???

I violated Krug’s defitioon for usability in just about every single way, which would explain why I never got a single email back from anyone this whole time with pictures of people with soap in their mouths.

Let’s do a quick recap of what my earlier project was:

“Say an ”unacceptable word.” Put soap in your mouth. Take a picture and send it to me.

Now, my idea was to examine the intersection between art-by-intructions, having it’s roots in the Dada movement, and web usability testing.

The problem with my experiment is that NO ONE CARED ENOUGH TO PARTICIPATE. Sheesh.

But it isn’t their fault at all. This was a web-based experiment, so I shouldn’t have expected people to participate in something so unpleasant unless they were truly as strange as me.

So, what have we learned?

Besides not doing that again unless I get people to commit before hand? Well, I got a great, real world look into web usability. This was seriously an enlightening experience, and I'm glad I did it.