Phase 3: Concept

Based on the user requirements specification product developers and designers work out initial prototypes and drafts. Each initial conception is tested by respondents to avoid any wrong and hence expensive decisions concerning the final design and structure.

In the conceptual phase the participant is consistently involved in the development of the product. Even relatively small samples, comprising merely five to ten respondents, suffice to provide important information about functional structures or to give names concerning the usability. During the development of the concept the Usability Tests are aimed at effecting clearly defined processes of interaction, functional structures, and the consistent optimisation of the interface.

Depending on the test methods, among others, the following problems may be addressed during the requirements analysis:

Does the system feature all necessary and required modes of operation?
Are the fundamental processes consistent?
Are the conceptual layout and the information architecture convincing?

The results enable us to reach important structural decisions early on; modifications in this respect would prove far more costly if implemented at any later point of the developmental process.

In Phase 3, the following methods are predominantly used:

Competition Analysis Compares the products of major competitors with the own ones with regard to common usability dimensions.	Design-Testing Comparative testing of draft interfaces to record users' subjective preferences.	Expert Review Neutral experts assess an interface.
Eye Tracking Eye Tracking enables to map the users' scanpaths and create "hotspot images" which show how much attention is paid to which areas of the interface.	Remote Testing Website users test internet pages at home or at the workplace.	Market Analysis Regular observation of web sites provides decision aids for adaptation to your strategy.
Online Research Data acquisition via the internet - highly suitable for international user groups or those that are difficult to reach.	Online Survey Accompanies user experience testing to clarify requirements and measure user experience.	Paper Prototyping Examines functional structures of an interface using printouts or screens.
Participatory Design All those involved in product development discuss user's ideas and requirements.	Rapid Prototyping Allows the efficient testing and optimisation of a prototype within a very short time.	User Experience Testing Through observation and enquiry we explore the positive and negative experiences had whilst using the interface. In focus: Usability Problems.

Depending on the project, further usability methods may be useful.