Usability Labs

Nichols Research offers 14 rooms for usability testing in the San Francisco Bay Area and Silicon Valley. All rooms are equipped with one-way mirrors and range in size from 9'x9' to 24'x36', with the average room being 20'x16'. Amenities include large comfortable viewing rooms, independent temperature controls, food service areas, T1/DSL Internet access as well as 802.11 wireless Internet access. Larger rooms have adjoining client lounges with private work area, comfortable sofas and large TVs for monitoring your project. Each facility provides separate client and respondent entrances. Also, a Qualitative Assistant is provided for each project to accommodate your needs.

In addition to professional facilities and equipment, Nichols Research also recruits respondents from our extensive and diverse database of consumers and professionals, or recruits from client lists.

General Specifications

• Large usability suites and one-on-one rooms w/one-way mirrors
• Pentium 4 PCs w/ 1GB of RAM and 17" LCD Flat Panel Displays
• Separate 21" monitors in observation room
• Picture-in-picture video
• PZM microphones for high quality audio
• Digital or analog videotaping
• SMPTE timecode
• Talk back system
• T1 or DSL Internet access
• 802.11b/g wireless Internet access
• Usability labs for PDAs and cell phones
• Videoconferencing and videostreaming available
• Editing available for highlight videotape or DVD

The PC and monitor are in the conference side of the room while the interface equipment along with VCR, camera and monitors are in the viewing room. All equipment can be locked down stationary or be operator assisted. Sessions can be recorded on a variety of formats including analog videotape, digital videotape, DVD or CD using ViC CD. Sessions can also be videostreamed or videoconferenced. Videotapes can be edited after the project into a highlight presentation videotape or DVD.

For more information regarding our Usability Labs, please contact Aaron Nichols or call 510-794-2990 ext 102.