What is USABILITY and why should I care? Adriana Corona, Senior Experience Designer User Experience & Web ITS MARCH 11, 2014 YaleSites DrupalCamp

2 USABILITY The extent to which something is easy to use for an intended audience USABILITY TESTING Observing someone use what you’ve made with the aim of improving usability DISCOUNT USABILITY TESTING Usability testing on a budget, with just as many benefits

Why should you care? Better serve your users Less frustration More satisfaction Cost effective, quick & easy 3

It always works! When to test Whom to test What to test How to test And now what? Demo AGENDA

It always works! You’re too “close” to your design No website is perfect Biggest problems are usually the easiest to find 1 5

When to test 2 6

2 7 As early as possible (Before you think you should)

But… but.. It’s not ready!!! 8 Even better!

9 TESTING on Day 0 ‘back-of-the-napkin usability test’ Hours spent: 0.25

10 TESTING on Day 30 Hours spent: 40

11 TESTING on Day 120 Hours spent: 160

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When to test 2 13 As early as possible (Before you think you should) or… Now!

Whom to test 3 14 Users unfamiliar with your site Don’t worry too much about “representative users” for initial tests 3 – 5 users per test

Why 3 – 5? 15 Biggest problems are usually the easiest to find Will be found by most people Will prevent them from finding other problems

Usability problems on your site* 16 * adapted from Steve Krug’s “Don’t Make me Think” (2006, p. 139)

One Test 8 Users 17 Total Problems found: 5

Two Tests 3 Users per test 18 First test 3 Users Problems found: 3

Two Tests 3 Users per test 19 Second test 3 Users Problems found: 5

Two Tests 3 Users per test 20 Total Problems found: 8

21 More evidence-based answer from the Nielsen Norman Group Why 3 – 5?

What to test 4 22 Impressions What do they think the site is about? What do they think they can do here? Goal-based Tasks Is the user successful in doing the task? Were there confusing steps? Do they understand the terminology?

How to test 1.Choose goal-based tasks 2.Write scenarios 3.Find a location and 3 participants 4.Practice a script 5.Test! 5 23

What should a user be able to do on this site? (Why are they here?)___________________________________________________________________________ Choose Goal-based Tasks prioritize

Task: Find Yale bikeshare locations. Scenario: Write Scenarios You are a Yale employee working at 55 Whitney Ave. You’ve decided to be healthier and more ‘green,’ and your coworker told you about Yale’s bike rentals and suggested you find one nearby. Find out if there are Yale bikes near your work.

26 You are a Yale employee working at 55 Whitney Ave. You’ve decided to be healthier and more ‘green,’ and your coworker told you about Yale’s bike rentals and suggested you find one nearby. Find out if there are Yale bikes near your work. 1 1 Provides context 2 2 Goal-based task No leading or domain-specific terms. Don’t say “bikeshare” or “Zagster”

27 3. Find a Location & Participants Stake out where your users are Print flyers Ask your friends and neighbors Offer incentives

Write your own, or use a template: e.g., Practice a script We want to see if our site works well for users. It should take about __ minutes We are testing the site, and not you! Don’t worry if you make any mistakes, we’re hear to learn from your experience You won’t hurt our feelings, our aim is to improve the site. Please try to think out loud as you do the tasks Ask me if you have questions, but understand that I may not answer them immediately because we’re trying to see how people use the site on their own We are recording the session. Only our team will see this recording (Consent form) We want to see if our site works well for users. It should take about __ minutes We are testing the site, and not you! Don’t worry if you make any mistakes, we’re hear to learn from your experience You won’t hurt our feelings, our aim is to improve the site. Please try to think out loud as you do the tasks Ask me if you have questions, but understand that I may not answer them immediately because we’re trying to see how people use the site on their own We are recording the session. Only our team will see this recording (Consent form)

29 5. Test! Have a bookmark of your site Prepare screen capture software Have scenarios in different cards Read script, sign consent form if needed Start screen recorder Open your site Start with impression test “Tell me what you think this site is for? What things can you do here? Don’t click on things yet, just narrate your thoughts” Run through the scenarios Thank them. Give incentive Stop screen recorder Don’t take notes !

And now what? 6 30 List the 3 most critical usability problems Try to fix them! Rinse & repeat

Further Reading 31

Thanks! Adriana Corona, Senior Experience Designer User Experience & Web ITS MARCH 11, 2014 YaleSites DrupalCamp

33 1. Slide 8: “Frustration” photo used under creative license from Sybren Stüvel ( 1. Slide 10: “website” photo used under creative license from tourist_on_earth ( 1. Slides 13-17: Krug, S. (2000). Don't make me think!: a common sense approach to Web usability. Pearson Education India. CREDITS

34 FEEDBACK drupalcamp.yalesites.yale.edu/session-feedback

DEMO 7 35