NEPAccess.org is a web search portal for 50 years of lost scientific data created under NEPA, the National Environmental Policy Act. These documents are very useful for making decisions on public projects, yet can be difficult or impossible to find. To succeed the site has to be usable for five user groups or personas.
Usability
Reading behavior for long-form text online
How do people read on screens vs on printed paper? A analysis of on online literary magazine with a goal of increasing engaged long-form reading through design improvements.
Create your pizza online: Can it be made as simple as the old-fashioned phone order?
Users expect a pizza ordering site to be convenient, fast, and easy to use. This makes improving usability a major competitive strategy for the business.
Usability slide deck: How well do people understand the weather?
Everyone talks about the weather–Weather Underground does something about it. Wunderground.com a beautiful weather site packed with climate information. The site can be a bit intimidating for someone who is not a science geek. This usability study looks at the experience of new users.