Hi all,
I’ve just created a short draft presentation to pitch UX testing on our website to the MD.
I’d appreciate any and all feedback on this, don’t hold back, I can take it. 
Thanks, Paddy
I like it. Short, to the point, and backed up with links to examples.
One suggestion I’d make is to be more consistent in what it is you pitch. You’ve used the terms “User Experience Testing”, “UX testing”, “Usability testing”, “User testing” and “UX” at various stages to discuss what it is you’re proposing. This might confuse matters and hurt your chances of it getting approval. Pick one term (I’d suggest “usability testing”) and use it throughout. There’s probably not really any need to introduce the term UX at all. You may even consider using the term that Jakob Nielsen uses for this, and that’s “budget usability testing”. This sounds cheap (good if you’re struggling to get funding for this activity) because it is. Plus it may allay any concerns that someone whose only experience with usability testing is in an expensive lab with eye-tracking software may have.
Also I wonder if an image might help—a photo showing someone using a computer while a helpful facilitator watches over. There may be something on a stock image site. It’s not that important, but it just struck me that the slides are a bit text heavy, and if the audience is someone skeptical of the idea of usability testing then bringing it to life with a visual that shows it’s not all that hard may help.
I hope that’s helpful, Paddy. Best of luck—let us know how you go with it!
Thanks, Matt. Really appreciate the help, I get it about the mixed terminology. Can easily get some stock images or might sketch in some. Cheers Paddy.
[SIZE=14px]Not so much about the presentation per se, but I would try to word the user task instructions in a way that doesnt lead the user in the steps they need to take or the terminology they should look for; e.g. rather than “search for a particular item”, you could say ’ find the cheapest price for…’ or rather than ‘place a classified ad’ you could try ‘advertise a second hand sofa for sale - good condition - £50 o.n.o - collection only’ etc
Ben[/SIZE]
Thanks Ben. P
I would maybe show a couple of examples of usability testing with some results if you can find them. I would maybe show some images of user testing being carried out, some eye tracking software and screen capturing software. Ultimately it will cost your MD if he accepts your proposal and he will have to take into account your time, new software, new hardware etc. If he can see that by - for example - investing £1000 in hard/software, the site will be modified and can bring back £1000’s in revenue as this is probably his main goal.
Good luck though. I hope you get it signed off and can get started with user testing.
UPDATE Hi, Thanks for all this. Spoke to the MD and was put on the spot with my managerial colleagues to explain what usability testing is, and why we should be doing it. Went fine, everyone was positive if not totally convinced. It was more of a pat on the head, now run along and do you testing. Than a eureka moment. But nevertheless we off… Paddy