Usability Testing of Community Data & Mapping Systems Denice Warren, Information Systems Designer Joy Bonaguro, Data and Web Production Specialist

In this presentation… 1.Why usability is important 2.Developing usability tests 3.Conducting usability testing in the field 4.Analyzing the results to improve site design

Usability is the effective, efficient, and satisfying completion of tasks by users.

What makes for poor usability? Slow downloads Hard-to-navigate site structure Jargon (aggregate, GIS, etc) Overwhelming amt of content Unpredictable links and behaviors Unconventional design Nonstandard functionality

Why is usability especially important in online PPGIS? 1. The specialized functionality that supports online GIS increases the complexity of a conventional browser experience. 2. GIS and data have inherent complexity in the amount of content available and the skills required to interpret that content.

#1 reason to care about usability If your site is hard to use, it will decrease the credibility of your data.

Usability testing is a formal method of watching users interact with a system to complete a task. Data about the interaction is gathered and analyzed to inform design improvements.

Formulating a task for usability testing

We think indicator definitions are an important step in using the data in our web site.

Clue to usability problem: At best, less than 1 in 10 visitors views the technical definitions.

Make link more VISIBLE?

DEFINITIONS AND SOURCE LINKS!!!!

Research question: Is the ‘Definitions’ link sufficiently visible?

User task: You’re working with a Community Development Corporation in the 7th Ward neighborhood. For planning purposes, you want to know how many blighted houses there are in this neighborhood. Find that number. (Please think aloud as you work.)

How is “vacant” defined? Is “vacant” the same as “blighted”? Hmm… I wish there were some definitions for me to read…

The set-up for field usability testing

Notetaker User Interviewer

Field testing is messy, but you learn more about how people use your site in the real world.

User task: You’re working with a Community Development Corporation in the 7th Ward neighborhood. For planning purposes, you want to know how many blighted houses there are in this neighborhood. Find that number. (Please think aloud as you work.)

User task, Prompt: The Census reports only “vacant” houses, but doesn’t call them “blighted.” Use this web site to figure out if blighted houses are included in the count of “vacant” houses. Explain.

Analyzing findings

Time of day Time spent on previous page URL of page clicked on

target page!

4 clicks to target

Research question: Is the ‘Definitions’ link sufficiently visible? Answer: Yes. It is placed where people expect to see it, and the text of the link matches users’ mental search terms.

Why aren’t definitions viewed more? Questions about definitions may not spontaneously arise Little external motivation to use definitions Aversion to reading dense technical writing

“Oh Lord. I need some glasses for this.” “I wouldn’t use this… perhaps if I were a little more like a researcher…” “I gotta read all this?”

Design changes resulting from usability findings

Pop-up window displays one definition at a time

Repeat important content in the main pages for “just in time” learning

DEFINITIONS AND SOURCE LINKS!!!! No need to make link more visible!

There are no stupid users, only stupid designers.