What is USABILITY and
why should I care?Adriana Corona, Senior Experience DesignerUser Experience & Web Services @Yale [email protected]
MARCH 11, 2014 • YaleSites DrupalCamp
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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
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123456
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It always works!When to testWhom to testWhat to testHow to testAnd 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
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5
When to test2
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When to test2
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As early as possible(Before you think you should)
But… but.. It’s not ready!!!
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Even better!
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TESTING on Day 0
‘back-of-the-napkin usability test’
Hours spent: 0.25
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TESTING on Day 30
Hours spent: 40
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TESTING on Day 120
Hours spent: 160
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When to test2
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As early as possible(Before you think you should)
or…
Now!
Whom to test3
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Users unfamiliar with your site
Don’t worry too much about “representative users” for initial tests
3 – 5 users per test
Why 3 – 5?
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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*
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* adapted from Steve Krug’s
“Don’t Make me Think”
(2006, p. 139)
One Test8 Users
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Total Problems found: 5
Two Tests3 Users per test
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First test3 Users
Problems found: 3
Two Tests3 Users per test
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Second test3 Users
Problems found: 5
Two Tests3 Users per test
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Total Problems found: 8
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More evidence-based answer from the Nielsen Norman Group
http://www.nngroup.com/articles/how-many-test-users/
Why 3 – 5?
What to test4
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ImpressionsWhat do they think the site is about?What do they think they can do here?
Goal-based TasksIs the user successful in doing the
task?Were there confusing steps?Do they understand the terminology?
How to test
1. Choose goal-based tasks2. Write scenarios3. Find a location and 3 participants4. Practice a script5. Test!
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What should a user be able to do on this site? (Why are they here?)_______________ ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________ _______________
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1. Choose Goal-based Tasks
Task: Find Yale bikeshare locations.
Scenario:
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2. 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.
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.
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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.
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.
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1 Provides context
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2 Goal-based task
No leading or domain-specific terms.Don’t say “bikeshare” or “Zagster”
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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., http://sensible.com/
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4. 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)
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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
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And now what?6
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List the 3 most critical usability problems
Try to fix them!
Rinse & repeat
Further Reading
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Thanks!
Adriana Corona, Senior Experience DesignerUser Experience & Web Services @Yale [email protected]
MARCH 11, 2014 • YaleSites DrupalCamp
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1.Slide 8: “Frustration” photo used under creative license from Sybren Stüvel (http://www.flickr.com/photos/sybrenstuvel/)
1.Slide 10: “website” photo used under creative license from tourist_on_earth (http://www.flickr.com/photos/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
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FEEDBACK
drupalcamp.yalesites.yale.edu/session-feedback
DEMO7
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