Usability Testing & Research Projects

Every year, I partner with organizations that are looking to improve the usability of their website, product, or process.  I look for real-world projects to include in my TWRT 355: Usability Testing and Research class at UW Tacoma.

What to expect

  • A team of 3-4 undergraduate students will spend 10 weeks designing and conducting a usability study on your project,
  • Student teams will:
    • Understand your audience
    • Design a usability study plan and test kit
    • Recruit and screen representative users
    • Conduct a usability study
    • Write a report and present the results

What makes a good project?

Many projects can work well for this class. Here are some criteria:

  • You plan to redesign your site or product in the near future and need data or input
  • The project has never been evaluated with your users
  • Are fully functional and stable
  • Are not subject to non-disclosure agreements
  • Have target/representative users that are relatively easy to recruit

Expected commitment

  • A project liaison – A contact for your organization who can
    • Visit the class twice (in person or via zoom) in April and May.
    • Answer questions via email
    • Help find/recruit study participants
  • There is no cost for this service. However, if you have the budget to provide a small honorarium for study participants that can help make the recruiting process easier for us.

How to apply 

  • Your idea: Submit a proposal by March  25, 2024
  • Project timeline: April – June 2024
  • Complete this form
  • Questions: Reach out to me at ejrose <at> uw.edu

How projects are selected

All projects will be considered. I select projects based on feasibility and how well they meet the criteria defined above.  I prioritize non-profit, government, and/or small local businesses connected to Tacoma or South Puget Sound.

Previous clients

In the past, we have worked with the following clients

  • Pierce County Auditor’s Office
  • All Recipes.com, Seattle, WA
  • CARE project, Catherine Place
  • COCO: Caring for Caregivers Online Chat Bot
  • Center for Data Science, UW Tacoma
  • City of Tacoma
  • Electronic Arts, Seattle, WA
  • Encyclopedia of Puget Sound, Tacoma, WA
  • Office of Financial Aid, UW Tacoma
  • Livable City Year, UW Seattle
  • Pure One, Bellevue, WA
  • Social Development Research Group, UW Seattle
  • Tacoma Historical Society
  • The Ducere Group, Olympia, WA
  • Travel Tacoma
  • UW Tacoma Library
  • VFW Pedals, Tacoma, WA
  • Women Against Violence Everywhere (WAVE), Seattle, WA