Matt Murphy

For teams with a product or site people struggle to use

A UI/UX usability review of your product or site

I use your product the way a new user would, then hand you annotated screenshots and a fix list in priority order.

Usability review One to two weeks

Book a 20-minute callWhere we start

What gets reviewed

  • First screenWhether a new visitor can tell what it is and what to do.
  • Main tasksThe things people come to do, tried start to finish.
  • FormsLabels, errors, and what happens when something goes wrong.
  • PhoneEvery main screen at phone size.
  • AccessibilityKeyboard, screen reader and contrast.
  • WordsButtons and labels that say what they do.
  • SpeedWhere waiting makes people give up.

You get annotated screenshots, a fix list in priority order, and a walkthrough.

What you get

  • The main tasks, tried the way a new user would
  • Forms, errors and empty screens checked
  • The phone layout checked
  • An accessibility check
  • Annotated screenshots of each problem
  • A fix list in priority order

The review is yours. Hand the fixes to your own developer, or have me make them.

How it works

  1. Access

    A test account, and the tasks that matter.

  2. Review

    Every main task, on a phone and a desktop.

  3. Findings

    Screenshots, marked up, worst first.

  4. Walkthrough

    We go through the list together.

Proof

  • Live product

    Pathway Builder

    Software I built so community-college teams can map programs, courses and competencies into routes they can see, from short-term training to a degree. Right now I’m adding a place to weigh new program ideas with evidence.

    Read the story

  • Publishing experiment

    GroomJobs

    I started it as a job board for the pet-grooming trade. Today it’s free career and hiring guides, plus calculators that run in your browser, for groomers and salon owners.

    Read the story

Where we start

Usability review

Timeline One to two weeks

Included

  • A review of your main tasks on a phone and a desktop
  • An accessibility check: keyboard, screen reader and contrast
  • Annotated screenshots of each problem
  • A fix list in priority order
  • A walkthrough of the findings

Not included

  • Making the fixes (each can be quoted)
  • Recruiting test users
  • A full redesign
Book a 20-minute callOr send a note and I’ll reply with a time.

Where

Anywhere, remotely; in person around Iowa City and Cedar Rapids when it helps.

Questions people ask

What is a usability review?

Someone outside your team uses the product the way a new user would and writes down everywhere they get stuck.

Do you test with real users?

The review is mine. If you have users willing to try it, I’ll watch them use it and add what I see.

Does it cover accessibility?

Yes: keyboard use, a screen reader and colour contrast on the main screens. It is a check, not a legal certification.

Can you review a website, not an app?

Yes. A site’s main tasks are finding the answer, getting in touch and buying. They are reviewed the same way.

Who makes the fixes?

Your developer can, from the list and the screenshots. Or I can; each fix can be quoted.

Other ways to work together