Sony Online Entertainment (SOE) sent word today that the company has opened up its own in-house usabiity lab to provide services to outside gaming companies. With usability testing, heuristic evaluations, focus groups, and product evaluations, the lab "provides a disciplined approach to product development that incorporates user centric feedback throughout the process."
The lab was first used for the free-to-play MMO Free Realms (5 million registered users since launching in April) and during the development process all aspects of the game were tested out, including the tutorial, user interface and gameplay mechanics. With the necessary user feedback, the development team then went on to make appropriate changes before finally launching the game.
“New product development lends itself to a host of potential obstacles, many of which could be overcome with preemptive testing,” said Paul Venuti, Director, Development Services, Sony Online Entertainment. “By opening the doors to the Usability Lab we are able to share our industry expertise with other development companies, while offering a cost effective way to test their products and services prior to launch.”
Companies interested in using the SOE lab are encouraged to check out the website for more information.
