Auto-ITUS: Scalable, Automated Usability Feedback Tool

The Auto-ITUS (IT Usability Survey) tool is a scalable, automated platform designed to streamline the process of gathering real-time usability feedback for enterprise applications. Its customizable survey creation, distribution, analytics, and reporting capabilities empower product teams to efficiently measure and enhance application usability.

IT Usability Tool today

Background

The original IT Usability Survey (ITUS) was developed to assess product usability in just four questions—compared to the traditional ten-question System Usability Scale (SUS)—allowing for faster user feedback collection. As its use expanded across the enterprise, the need for a dedicated tool to handle survey creation, distribution, and reporting became clear.

Finstad, K. (2010). The Usability Metric For User Experience. Interacting with Computers, 22, 323-327.

My Role

I led the development of Auto-ITUS as Product Owner, UX Service Owner, and UX Research and Design Coach. Responsibilities included:

  • Conducting user research through surveys, interviews, and cognitive walkthroughs.

  • Designing the tool's interface through iterative prototyping and usability testing.

  • Managing an agile team through incremental releases.

  • Developing training materials and leading marketing efforts to drive tool adoption.

Kanban board used to prioritize upcoming tasks.

Targeted communications

Training material storyboard

Mock-up created in Balsamiq

Key Features

  • Customization: Personalized surveys with incentives for completion and enhanced application recognition.

Personalized Survey Creation

Customized communications

  • Self-service & Automation: Automated authentication and streamlined, wizard-based design for quick survey deployment.

Automation Throughout Survey Creation Process

  • Reporting & Analytics: Enhanced reporting capabilities offering single-click metrics and aggregated insights.

Excel-based Reporting for Earlier Version

Intuitive and Single-click Reporting for Later Version Releases

Aggregated Survey Reporting Capabilities

Results

  • 87% Increase in Survey Completion: Surpassing the phase 1 enterprise goal of 40% of applications achieving a satisfactory ITUS score of 70.

  • Significant Time Savings: Automation reduced the need for manual processes, enabling teams to focus on improvement rather than administration.

  • Enhanced UX Maturity: Decreased need for UX training and support resources due to the tool’s intuitive design.

  • Enterprise-Wide Insights: Standardized usability metrics enabled management to make data-driven investment decisions.

Testimonial

“Brooke is the most dedicated Service Owner I’ve met. She participates actively in all Sprint Reviews, Sprint Planning, Daily Stand Ups (DSUs), user testing, and ad-hoc decision meetings. She guides the path, but enables us to interject, and I feel everyone on the team has a voice. She’s objective, fair and makes well thought out and informed decisions.”

— Auto-ITUS team member