Information, tips and resources for improving usability and accessibility in learning. Presented at DevLearn 2011 and ASTD Houston Tech Conference 2012.
Usability is Anything - BJ “Usability applies to job aids, performance support tools, learning 2.0 tools, and pretty much anything else we introduce to our learners.”! - BJ Schone!
Usability Testing - Nielsen! “The best results come from testing no more than 5 users and running as many small tests as you can afford.”! - Jakob Nielsen!
How To Test “Setting up a usability test involves carefully creating a scenario, or realistic situation, wherein the person performs a list of tasks using the product being tested while observers watch and take notes.”! - Wikipedia!
Accessibility “Accessibility is the degree to which a product, device, service, or environment is available to as many people as possible.” - Wikipedia
Color Blindness! “99% of all colorblind people are not really color blind but color deficient; the term color blindness is misleading.”! - 50 Facts About Color Blindness
Tips: Blindness! • Use descriptive text for images and media! • Logical and consistent naming for controls, visible or not! • Consistent and predictable screen layouts and order! • Allow for keyboard navigation for all course elements! • Avoid tooltips or mouse over effects!
Tips: Low Vision/Color Blindness! • Increase contrast between background and text! • Make color a secondary means of conveying information! • Ensure the content works on monochrome screen!
What About the Interface? “The ways you employ graphics, sequence tasks, display information, use animation, provide controls for that animation, or combine narration with that animation can determine how well users will learn.”! - UX Mag!