Consulting Services

Expert Reviews

Most of the work I do for clients involves expert usability reviews of Web sites and apps. It works something like this:

  • I have a brief conversation with the potential client about what they're trying to accomplish and where they are in the process. If we both feel that an expert review is what they need, they send me something to look at, like the URL of their existing site, page comps for a new design, or a link to a prototype.
  • I look at what they send me, mull it over for a while, and then tell them how much an expert review will cost—typically $3,000 to $9,000.
  • If they decide to go ahead, I walk through the site, comps, or prototype from the point of view of a user, noting the places where people are likely to be confused.
  • Finally, I report what I've seen, in a lengthy conference call with the design team, managers, and any interested stakeholders. In these calls, I answer questions about the problems I've seen, and help them decide which ones are most important to fix and how best to fix them.

Note that I didn't mention a written report. I've come to the conclusion that they're rarely worth the time and effort they require. If a client absolutely needs a “big honking report” I can do one, but it's likely to double the price.

Questions?

If you're interested in my services, feel free to write me.

In-house Workshops

In addition to teaching my public usability testing workshops several times a year, I also do in-house workshops.

The basic workshop content is the same. But hosting it in-house can be a great way to stretch your training budget and get some expert consulting at the same time. Consider the advantages:

  • You can send as many people as you want. All you provide is a meeting room.
  • Since it's on-site, there are no travel costs and time away from work for your team.
  • You can open it to other departments in your organization and share the cost.
  • The entire day is focused on your team's questions and the issues they're wrestling with.
  • Get an expert review at no extra cost. To prepare for the workshop, I'll look at your existing site and any work-in-progress you want to send me.
  • Your team is free to discuss confidential or proprietary issues that you wouldn't want to air in a public workshop.

If you want me to, I can also do a lunchtime presentation about usability for your entire organization, which can help you promote your efforts and justify the cost.

The day-long workshop and my preparation costs $10,000 to $15,000, plus my travel expenses.