Usability Testing October 17, 2006

Overview Heuristic Evaluation and Usability Testing (25 min) Client Relationships – Lisa Lowthers (30 min) Review Session (20 min) –Groups –Individual assignments

Usability Tests (from 10/5) For sites that already exist Identify specific problems through task scenario testing –Pick a typical task (perhaps from observation) –Ask user to complete task and talk their way through the steps (think-aloud protocol) –Observe; may sometimes need to prompt for thoughts and responses Final survey identifies general likes | dislikes –Colours, navigation, images, etc. of this site –Accuracy, completeness, consistency –Easy to understand, emotional involvement

Usability testing is based on the notion that usability is a necessary precursor of task support; both are important –Sites need to be: Consistent Accurate Allow users to navigate where they want to go Prevent users from becoming lost Attractive Comprehensible (chunked; organized; use headings and extratextual features like boldface Support user tasks –Usability requirements may be quite detailed:

During usability tests, need to be sure you are: –Testing appropriate | typical | critical tasks –Asking the right questions to identify problem areas for improvement Take a look at a typical survey: – You can find much simpler surveys that have a single focus: –Identifying usability or task problems –Usage –Requirements for new function

Heuristic (Expert) Evaluation – 10/5 Many problems can be found by educated usability professionals –Design, navigation, site hierarchy (too deep), performance, etc. –Can’t identify subjective likes | dislikes, etc. Usability principles (from Lazar) and design principles (from Williams’ Non-Designers Guides) can be applied to improve sites –Accessibility guidelines: –Health online communities (see text p. 211) –E-commerce (see text p. 213)

Class project: your group can do a heuristic evaluation of problems –Explain/ classify the problems you find –Identify possible solutions –Note severity of the problem Unlike usability tests, heuristic reviews tend to identify problems separate from user tasks  quick and dirty but disciplined However, you still need to work with typical users to improve site functionality

Ten Minutes Brainstorm in your groups on 5 heuristics for websites for college students –Text –Images –Layout and general appearance –Color –Animation and Flash Apply these to the homepage of Languages: Note any conflicts between guidelines > refine them Normally, you would then do a long set of validation tests for the heuristics/ guidelines

Text Guidelines 1.Differentiate titles and headings from regular text with different sizes 2.When choosing colour, make sure it fits the function of the site; black text/ dark colors for colleges 3.Not really childish fonts or weird colors but you can have some funky; people want the info first 4.Can use some animated text to draw attention 5.Make links standout

Image Guidelines 1.Appealing and exciting pictures (not boring) 2.Size – not huge in the center of the page 3.Images and text should balance out | be self-explanatory or explained in text 4.Recent pictures – keep them fresh and representative 5.Images of students and student life; not focus on teacher, campus, or admin

Layout Guidelines 1.Clear and organized 2.Navigation bar – easy to find and follow 3.Text and image should support one another 4.Don’t have fancy pictures or icons just because… 5.Keep the information balanced – not too much on any one page

Color Guidelines 1.Bright attractive colors (not dull) 2.Background shows words clearly 3.White space to help reading 4.Don’t over accent any one area of the screen 5.Central focus accented with color

Animation and Flash Guidelines 1.No long load times 2.Needs to look professional 3.Make it unique (don’t rip it off someone else) 4.Don’t overuse – maybe one menu but not everything 5.Needs to be relevant to the page – task support

Final heuristics: Keep to the point but don’t be boring Use funky graphics but they have to be relevant Some animation but it must do something to advance information/ be unique Layout needs to use space efficiently; don’t waste people’s time Images should reflect students but they need to show action and context

Take a look at the appendices in Lazar –ASHA –Cancer.Net –Play Football.com Interesting issue: Most of these sites are substantially different now; value of usability evaluation in: –Better understanding of users –Development of in-house design principles and aesthetics