Silverback turns your computer into a usability testing suite

…Clearleft launches first affordable specialist application for Web designers and developers…

Thursday 24th July 2008, Clearleft Ltd, a specialist design consultancy that helps organisations improve their online experiences, has announced the launch of Silverback – its lightweight application that opens up quick and cost-effective usability testing to companies of all sizes. The new application, aimed at Web designers and developers, allows businesses to ensure their sites are as easy to use as possible, based on user feedback, without the cost and timeframes associated with traditional usability testing. Rather than having to employ a dedicated facility or mobile kit for guerrilla testing, Silverback uses a standard laptop* to run test sessions that capture all onscreen activity, audio and video feeds from the computer’s built-in camera, and then composites the data into one movie for export. As a result, designers and developers can conduct the testing anywhere – whether in a café, spare meeting room or at a conference – and then quickly see and analyse what users are doing on screen, hear what they are saying as part of a 'think aloud' test and view their reactions. Andy Budd, managing director at Clearleft Ltd, said: “We've all been to websites that are difficult to navigate and use – this is often because many companies still think usability testing is only the preserve of big brands. That’s simply not the case anymore, as Web users are much savvier and usability is critical in attracting, converting and retaining customers. “Commissioning an external usability consultancy can be a costly process, and much of the information gets lost in the exchange. With Silverback, we’re giving companies the ability to run their own usability tests quickly and easily – no matter what their size – which means they get feedback from real users on the products or services they are developing, quickly and cost-effectively.” Silverback is priced at $49.00 direct from www.silverbackapp.com. A demonstration is available on the site too. For further information on Clearleft please visit http://www.clearleft.com/ Notes to editor: * Silverback is only currently Mac-compatible