mauro pinheiro

The article discusses the need of user centered design methods in interactive media development process. It presents the development process of Globo.com webmail, GloboMail, during the years from 2000 to 2003, highlighting the context and marketing strategies that guided each version. The following research methods and design techniques, used to guarantee GloboMail´s usability, are described: usability test, focus group and heuristic evaluation. Each technique is discussed, as the reasons for their application among the years, in different versions of GloboMail. As a conclusion, highlights the need of usability research techniques on the interactive media design process, suggesting a closer relationship between software industry and academic research, in order to improve quality of interactive media products.