New Usability Lab To Help Companies Get Better Returns on Web Site, Software Investments
Chicago's first-of-its-kind facility created by DNA, Intel, Visual Insights
CHICAGO — To help Midwest companies and institutions get the most out of their
e-business initiatives, three companies are collaborating to build the
Chicago area's first full-service usability research and optimization lab.
Called The Optimization Lab, or O-Lab, the downtown Chicago facility will be
jointly developed by DNA, Intel and Visual Insights, with each company
providing complementary e-business expertise and offerings.
Corporations, agencies, institutions, Web integrators and software developers
can rent the lab to assess how people use their Web sites, software or
kiosks; and to test and optimize software applications and hardware
infrastructures. Specialists from DNA, Intel or Visual Insights can be
retained by O-Lab customers to assist with their research and optimization
efforts, or organizations can do their own testing in a confidential, secure
environment.
"There isn't a permanent facility like this today anywhere in the Midwest
offering the full array of usability research and optimization," said Dave
Wallinga, president of DNA, the digital marketing company that will own the
facility and which has been offering usability research and optimization
services to clients for several years.
"Companies today are focusing on trying to get higher returns on the
significant Internet and software investments they've already made. Once
armed with the knowledge gained by studying users and testing applications
and infrastructures in the lab, companies can make the necessary incremental
changes to deliver better ROI."
Achieving higher customer conversion and retention rates are practical
outputs from this analysis, Wallinga explained. "Just a ˝ percent increase
in converting your Web site visitors to customers can yield tens of thousands
of dollars in incremental profits to a mid-sized business and millions of
dollars in incremental profits to larger businesses," he said.
The 3,000-square-foot, upscale facility will be located at 833 W. Jackson,
just west of Chicago's Loop. It will include observation facilities for
remote and closed testing; state-of-the-art technical capabilities with
high-speed Internet connections and advanced Intel computers and servers;
videoconferencing and recording facilities; and meeting and conference rooms.
The lab is scheduled to open by early fall.
"We welcome this opportunity to work with DNA in the further development of
e-business solutions on Intel Architecture, and believe that this will lead
to faster adoption of e-commerce," said John Davies, vice president, Intel
Architecture Group. "This effort can help reduce cost and risk for companies
by developing and testing e-business solutions in a lab environment,
identifying problems and making recommendations for addressing issues."
According to Michael Tatelman, chief marketing officer, Visual Insights:
"Marketing organizations are being held more accountable to demonstrate a
hard economic return for their online investments. O-Lab customers will learn
how to better understand and measure customer behavior, site and promotional
effectiveness, marketing program profitability and Web Site activity. The lab
gives us a chance to collaborate with our partners and customers to develop
'best practices' to incorporate into our software and services offerings."
DNA recently became a member of Intel's e-Business Solution Provider (eBSP)
Program, a worldwide Web integrator-focused initiative that provides
businesses with a source for standardized e-business solutions and
best-of-breed applications. DNA also is an Intel Premier Provider, a
distinction reserved for Web integrators that deliver a level of expertise
and a range of networking and Intel processor-based solutions that are among
the best in the industry.
In the coming weeks, representatives from each of the companies will be
meeting with clients and prospects to brief them on the facility. DNA will
lead a marketing campaign to promote the lab to other Midwest businesses,
agencies and institutions.
ABOUT DNA: Based in Chicago, DNA (
www.visitdna.com) is a digital marketing
company that specializes in helping organizations build their brands and
strengthen relationships with customers and partners. It does this by
offering services that include: Web site and multimedia development; user
experience optimization: voice portal and visual business solutions;
e-business consulting; and software development. Since 1994 it has helped
FedEx, Frito-Lay, Northwestern University, Britney Spears, Oracle and others
develop brand-centric solutions that engage, motivate, entertain, persuade
and sell.
ABOUT VISUAL INSIGHTS: Visual Insights (
www.visualinsights.com) is the
eBusiness Performance Company™. Our mission is to help companies create and
sustain winning eBusiness strategies. Visual Insights was formed in 1997 to
leverage 10 years of Lucent Technologies Bell Laboratories' extensive R&D
efforts in data visualization technology. As the world's largest data
visualization software company, premier technology companies, including
Microsoft, IBM, Cognos and i2 Technologies, integrate our patented solutions
to enhance their product offerings.
For more information, contact:
Steve Ford, 630-588-8858 or
stevef@visitdna.com
Kristin R. Fayer, Visual Insights, 847-509-3099, ext. 205 or
Kristinf@outlookmarketingsrv.com
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