Entries by Amelie Beriault Poirier

Remote Usability Testing: Pros and Cons

I love usability testing but I have to admit, in-lab tests can be challenging to set up. Research facilities, a qualified moderator, participants willing to commute at a specific date and time and, let’s face it, a substantial budget are required (even though there are tricks to do user research on a budget). Today, several […]

User Research on a Budget

In May, we published 5 facts about usability testing (supported by numbers) to show you how relevant it is. In a perfect world, all companies would do user research regularly. In the real world, budget is often an issue. Believe it or not, user research can be cheap even if you work with user experience […]

Apologies and Emotions: What Makes a Good Apology Speech?

People are more connected than ever. As social media gains popularity, managing public relations becomes trickier. What used to be an insignificant faux pas can now turn into an international scandal instantly. In case of faux pas, brands now make sure to provide their clients with explanations or apologize if needed. Consumers seek authenticity so […]

5 Facts About Usability Testing

A lot of marketers still have questions about usability testing. Is it necessary? Is it useful? What is the purpose? Is it difficult to implement? If it’s your case, here are five facts about usability testing that might interest you… and convince you that usability testing is relevant! Each is based on recent data from eMarketer (detailed sources below).

Improving Educational Applications for Children Through Usability Testing

In 2016, we worked with Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH), a global learning company, to conduct usability tests in Texas, USA. HMH specializes in educational content, services and cutting edge technology solutions for children. The company serves more than 50 million students in over 150 countries. For this project, we adapted our usual approach of usability testing. […]

Facial Expressions and Survey to Measure the Effectiveness of 10 Ads

What happens when we combine traditional research and new technology to measure advertising effectiveness? To put this to the test, we worked with Leger to evaluate video ads with actual consumers. Specifically, our study monitored respondents’ facial expressions while they viewed video ads. This was a logical next step to our previous study measuring emotional reaction to four Christmas ads in 2015. Video ads from […]