The votes are in and my talk: "Using usability testing to make sure your audience gets it" was voted in (thanks Mom).

PSEWEB is a conference for college and university marketers, programmers, designers, digital architects and community managers – the people behind the online faces of our institutions.

So what do I intend to talk about?

A usable thing, let's say it's a Web site, brings the user closer to their goal. The closer the user is the more usable it is.

Usability testing should help bridge the gap between what the Web site owner wants and what their visitors/potential clients want. We can use this kind of testing and evaluation to begin to peer into the minds of both parties to see what they intend and then make a Web site do just that.

My talk will also be a sales pitch on using user testing and user feedback as being the primary reason for redesigns. Rather than boredom, we want something new, or power, I'm the CEO so I say what happens, we find out from the users themselves what should be done. There are mechanisms and techniques that are cheap and easy to do that can help make our Web sites more usable.

Sounds easy - well it is!