About (Ei)

Essential|Interactive (Ei) is an innovative interaction design and development studio based in Somerville, MA. We specialize in design and development of highly interactive and usable web and mobile applications using web standards and assessibility with the latest technologies. Deliver the final product on time and to budget. We recognise the importance and the value of our clients.

We invite you to view samples of our work and take an in-depth look at the services we offer. For more information, or to discuss your customized solution, please contact us.

We are committed to working closely with our clients from the initial conception of a project right through to implementation. This includes work on both small projects as well as large application roll-outs. We are able to work within a pre-determined budget and meet strict deadlines in the delivery of effective and useable communication tools.

We do what we love... creating engaging, usable and obvious applications for web-based and mobile applications.

Our Design Approach

Our approach is to develop an understanding of the user's needs, expectations and capabilities. We involve the client throughout of the product process cycle.

We use a variety of methods to gather information about users, their behaviour, tasks and expectations, creating design solutions, and measuring effectiveness and user satisfaction.

Requirements Workshops/Focus Groups

We use focus groups/workshops at the early stages of a design project to capture business and user goals and requirements, feedback on concepts or products, and user knowledge and expectations. They involve moderating a group of approximately 5-10 participants through a set of questions on a particular topic.

Card Sorting

Card Sorting enables a greater understanding of how users conceptualise and group information. It is directly related to planning and designing the information architecture of a site and ensures understood labelling and grouping provides access to key content and functionality. We have experience in open and closed card sorts.

Usability Evaluation

Conducting a usability evaluation involves measuring a site or interface against a set of common usability principles. This technique enables identification of where a site does or does not meet those principles in order to be effective and efficient to use and achieve a high sense of user satisfaction.

Accessibility Evaluation

An accessibility evaluation involves measuring a site against a number of accessibility compliance checks determined by WCAG to ensure the site content and functionality can be used by all members of society including those who are physically or psychologically disabled. Accessibility evaluations can be done to conform to A, AA or AAA compliance.

Usability Testing

We use Usability Testing at all stages of the design process to test whether users can accomplish key tasks and how they expect to do so to ensure a design supports these. It involves identifying key user goals, context and scenarios of use which are then used to create a test script (read out to participants) during testing. A user is stepped through the script asking to complete a number of tasks. Information is then captured and analysed to help improve existing designs and create new design solutions which are easy to use, satisfying and memorable.

Documentation

Documenting outcomes of user centered design techniques ensures stakeholders understand key findings and final design solutions. It enables strategies to be considered in the context of user research findings and become a source of future reference. We have experience in documenting business & user requirements, information architecture solutions, card sorting results, usability testing results, competitive analysis, functional specifications, usability and accessibility evaluations.

Contextual observation

Contextual observation involves watching users perform tasks in their context of use. It is an unguided technique which enables identification of obstacles and problems without the user telling you themselves. This is useful in circumstances where users have provided feedback that a product or site is good however it is still not performing. Environmental or other obstacles maybe influencing their behaviour which cannot be captured through a controlled testing environment.

User Journeys/Scenarios

User Scenarios are built based upon user profiles and personas and include descriptions of common user tasks. The purpose of user scenarios is to define and understand the circumstances in which the user would be likely to use a site/product. They are used in usability testing and also when developing a site architecture.

Competitive Analysis

Competitor analysis identifies the strengths and weaknesses of competing products or services and the market position of the product being developed at the early planning stages of a project. It involves analysis of approximately 5 competitor sites/products against a number of criteria. It identifies best practices used by a number of competitors and those that can be incorporated into future design considerations.

Our Development Approach

(Ei) has a simple and flexible process which assists in the smooth running of interactive projects and encourages creative and effective solutions.

1. Objectives—discussing and documenting the business objectives of the project, to retain clarity throughout the lifespan of the project and to measure its success by on completion of the project.
2. Research—into the proposed market, existing media and target audience.
3. Analysis—of existing media, both of your business and its competitors, and documenting the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats that exist.
4. Conception—brainstorming of ideas, from interface concepts through to value added tools and visual themes that assist in differentiating your business and achieving your objectives.
5. Architecture—developing wire-frame models of every template screen in your project. To illustrate interface ideas, document usability and to show the organisation and categorisation of content in the project.
6. Design—designing the interface through which the project will achieve its objectives. From the graphical elements through the visual languages used to any animation or audio.
7. Development—the coding of the interface, using worldwide coding standards and methodologies, to meet your present and future business needs.
8. QA & Testing—we test, re-test and re-test again using a quality assurance and testing partner throughout the development process to ensure the highest quality of product.

Contact Us

30 Dane St., Somerville MA 02143
Email: info@essentialinteractive.com
Phone: 1 (617) 401-8202

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