Information Architecture and UX

A Focus Group:

"...is a pointed discussion with a group of participants that a moderator leads through a set of questions on a particular topic to obtain feedback about users, products, concepts, prototypes, tasks, strategies, and environments."

"Focus Group". From http://www.usability.gov/what-and-why/glossary/focus-group.html

Related Links

• Focus Group on usabilitybok.org

  Usability Methods entry from the Usability Body of Knowledge website; provides detailed descriptions, user scenarios, and a how-to about focus groups.

• When To Use A Focus Group

  Article by a Mozilla Foundation UX researcher about the proper times to utilize focus groups.

• "Do's and Don'ts for Focus Groups"

  Article from UXMatters.com containing tips and tricks about getting the most out of focus groups.

Task Analysis is:

"...the process of learning about ordinary users by observing them in action to understand in detail how they perfrom their tasks and acheive their intended goals. Task analysis helps identify the tasks your website and applications must support and can also help you refine or redefine your site's navigation or search by determing the appropriate content scope."

"Task Analysis". From http://www.usability.gov/how-to-and-tools/methods/task-analysis.html

Related Links

• "Hierarchical Task Analysis"

  Article from exmatters.com detailing the what and how of a specific kind of task analysis.

• "Task Analysis"

  Section from usabilitybok.org providing a detailed description, how-to, and additional links to sub-types of task analysis.