An Information Technology Company

Comtech performed two separate comparative studies, over three years, to evaluate two of the company's PC models against each other, against two competitors’ models, and against a previous PC model. Areas of investigation included how well each PC supported users in making a purchase decision, setting up the hardware, configuring the software, using the computer, and troubleshooting and maintaining the computer. As part of these investigations, we visited computer stores, reviewed product literature, performed out-of-box user tests, and independently evaluated each computer’s documentation. Comtech reported on our findings of these comparisons and made recommendations for enhancements in each area.

A Networking Solutions Company

In a series of related projects, Comtech has assisted the networking solutions company in starting up their in-house usability lab. In the first project, Comtech helped the company define the types of usability tests they would offer to their internal departments and the costs of each test. In the second project, we facilitated focus groups and conducted on-site visits with the company's customers to determine the qualities and features that are most important to them. We used this information to create a set of usability metrics that the company will use in future usability tests to ensure that their products meet customer expectations. In a third project, Comtech assisted in planning, observing, and analyzing the results of a usability test assessing the effectiveness of a new employee orientation packet.

A Healthcare Company

Comtech evaluated the usability of both the documentation and the interface for a new diagnostic system. The study specifically addressed how well the documentation library contributed to the product’s overall ease of use, whether or not users could recognize the separation of task-oriented and reference material, and whether or not modular binding contributed to usability and accessibility of the documentation. In addition, we evaluated the overall ease of use and intuitiveness of the healthcare company’s interface, noting major design issues that could not be addressed by modifying the documentation or enhancing training.