When we evaluate products for clients we often are in need of participants who have different jobs, different computing skills (including none) and who would like to have a say BEFORE products are released!

Need to come in for a study?
Here are directions to our office.

 Why should I participate?

First of all, it helps organizations develop more usable products of the sort that you will likely be using at work or at home. For years, we've been asking developers to consider the users. Now they are and they need users to consider. Secondly, you get to make a difference. Product developers will use your information (don't worry - it will be anonymous!) to help in redesigning the user interface. Last, you will be paid for your time. We'll tell you how much when we contact you about a particular study.

What is involved in being a participant?

Often, we conduct studies at our usability lab in Silver Spring, Maryland, although sometimes we conduct remote national studies with participants who are at their home or office. Normally, we need participants for one session lasting from 1 to 3 hours. We'll tell you the hours that will be required when we call about the possibility of you being a participant. Every evaluation is different but the usual evaluation would ask you to do some tasks with a particular software product. We'd video tape the computer screen and if you are in our office, we capture your face on video also (you'll be asked to sign a video consent form). We treat video data as confidential information. We use this as data along with noting the times users take to do tasks and the difficulties they have. Frequently we'll either interview you or have you fill out a questionnaire after the session for your opinions on how easy the product was to use.

When do you do these evaluations?

We'll ask you when you fill out a form to indicate the best times for you to do this. We work evenings, early mornings and weekends to try to accommodate our participants (and to get the job done).

How soon will I be asked to participate?

Sorry, we really don't know that. It just depends on the work that clients bring to us. When we find a particular evaluation that fits your demographic information, we'll most likely give you a call and see if we can arrange a session.

How do I sign up?

Simply fill out our electronic demographic form and submit it to us and we'll enter the information into our participant data base. Or if you'd rather, you can call us (301-431-0500) to request a form mailed or faxed or e-mailed to you.

Any thing else I can do?

If you have family or friends that you think might be interested in participating, feel free to point them to this web page (or give them our phone number) so they can sign up to participate too.