SortFix Interface – Past, Present & Future
August 2nd, 2009 | Author: Amir Lavi CEO
About three years ago, in the early stages of SortFix, we started usability testing the SortFix Search User Interface (SUI) with our parents, sisters, brothers, and friends. We implemented the system as a program and our algorithms were calculated on the users’ computers.
Due to the fact that we didn’t have any funding back then, we had to be present at every search session with any family member or friend.
Our usability testing method back then went something like this: We gave our “subjects” several search tasks. We sat by them quietly as they undertook the search. Without helping them in any way, we studied the way they searched, observed where they ran into difficulties, and saw what part of our SUI wasn’t clear enough. We asked them questions and worked to improve the system’s interface bit by bit. Our method wasn’t particularly efficient, but at the time, it was cost-effective!
SortFix SUI Concept Sketches
Then we decided to upload the SortFix SUI to an online environment and test our system on even more users. We asked our family and friends to tell their friends and families to start using our new tool. At this point we got a lot more feedback. We had a lot of debugging to do, but it was worth it. Instead of doing a focus group on just 30 users or so, we actually reached 10 times more — without paying a dime.
SortFix SUI Concept Sketches
Soon friends of our friends joined, and then their friends joined as well. We perfected and fine-tuned the system using a large community, which has given us a good and stable foundation. Today, we are glad to say that our usability tests are proving the great functionality of our SUI, but we are still testing, debugging, and designing new ideas to get even better usability functionality.
Future Plans
We are constantly working to improve our services by adding features and implementing new ideas. In the next few months we plan to show off a great new look. After “living” in its current clothes, we think it’s time for the SortFix SUI to have a new “dress.” Other usability features will be added in the near future.
- Users will be able to choose from a set of skins, or even upload their own.
- Users will be able to change the order of the boxes, hiding/showing them and choosing from different ways to search.
SortFix SUI Concept Sketches
These exciting features will be available upon registration, so we will be able to deliver the user’s personal setup from any computer in the world.
10 Responses to “SortFix Interface – Past, Present & Future”
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That clears up a lot of my questions. Thank you.
This was a great post, thank you for sharing.
Great article 9/10! Bookmarked
It sounds like you’re creating problems yourself by trying to solve this issue instead of looking at why their is a problem in the first place
It is nice to definitely dig up a site where the blogger is sensible. Thanks for creating your site.
Cool Article. Im looking forward to your next installment! How do you come up with all these ideas..
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