Website Usability - Coursework Example

Website Usability 1. Executive Summary Webmasters, a prominent usability and software ergonomics company, was contracted by Space International to undertake a usability test on their website. Space International is gathering data to be used as informative baseline to be used for surety purposes after site redesign and re-architecture. To explore the way test participants observed and self-organized Space related information, Webmasters involved only three participants from different department within Space International to do a card sort of functionalities found on the current website; these selection criteria was due to time factor which was limited. Webmasters then asked the same users to perform related tasks on the current Space International website. This report describes the outcomes obtained from the test sessions, avails insights into functionality challenges and gives recommendations regarding the state and all that surrounds the new website. The test was done at Space offices which currently their headquarters. The system tests imitated task cases based on Space’s knowledge of the website’s purpose and common end user needs. In combination with the results obtained from testing exercise, Webmasters pinpointed common end user miscues, general usability metrics and critical areas that need correction. Webmasters found out that participants had sufficient knowledge on what Space website is supposed to do and were able to execute a few from the new site. In as much as they had some little know how of what is expected from the website, few challenges unfolded in line with the new website especially with most of the new functionalities that had been added. Users were also very excited about the new features and the look of the new interface. 2. Purpose of the Study Between June 27 and July 5 2014, Webmasters carried out a usability test on the publicly available Space website in Mexico, at the main usability test lab at Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) as well as the Webmasters offices. The sessions at Webmaster’s offices provided the required geographic range to the test crew of Space participants; this similar test procedure was used for all the participants. The functionality tests were majorly based on task cases obtained from Space’s past knowledge of the website’s main purpose and relevant end user needs. Webmasters came up with each activity to assess end-user’s ability to easily maneuver around the interface and be able to understand the kinds of information associated with each major areas of the site content. Basically, Webmasters conducted the usability test to avail answers to some of the following questions: How well does the new Space website convey a sense of the type of content that users may expect whenever they explore the new Space’s internet sites? It is always essential to use modern technology by upgrading organization system to meet and satisfy user needs (NORLIN & WINTERS, 2001). Does the new Space website wide navigation and organization ensure effective and efficient access to the relevant content? Are the end users in a position to comprehend the new Space website content? How well do users get to understand the meaning of links, site instructions and labels? What groups do end users create whenever clustering functions according to discerned similarity? What are the usability statistics such as the rate of successful task completion, proving that the minute sample size enables particularly most general of inferences? 3. Participants Between June 27 and July 5 2014, Webmasters moderators administered usability test to 3 participants at the usability test lab at Bureau of Labor Statistics in Mexico and other three at Webmasters main offices. These participants were selected by PW Research depending on specific age formulae: 27 and above, with test participants preferred to be between the age of 30 and above. Language requirement: fluent English speaker and specific web experience of at least use of the initial website once or more. A section of participants were from Webmasters, especially the ones who were not involved in the re-engineering of the website and a section that met the criteria from Space International. In order to gain the relevancy of how the Space website met professional requirements, Webmasters recruited almost equal ratios from three departments. Hence selecting participant for a study, the recruitment should be spread to reflect the whole firm (BEASLEY, 2013). All those who were involved in the testing phase signed a valid consent form showing their willingness to participate freely in the usability testing and be recorded in a video for the purpose of both Space and Webmasters references. These video recordings provide visual information of the participants’ activities and comments in general. Each participant was tested individually, each participant being one on one with a moderator during the event. Test sessions and the interviews were undertaken in the same room. All the relevant web tasks were done using the new publicly available website. All the participants completed the usability test components as follows: Background questionnaires: Every participant answered some question regarding their occupation, age, time spent on the website and typical steps with health related information. Card Sort: Each participant was given a set of 30 cards containing various site functions or intended functions. They clustered them into intuitively related groups and assigned a name to each group. User Tasks: The participants were requested to complete a series of navigation centric activities on the new Space website. Some of the tasks were general and others were very specific to the departments that Space participant came from within the organization. the main aim of the tasks was to test the effectiveness of the new site navigation framework. Unstructured Feedback: Every participant was finally asked to give general feedback about the new website in form of comment or suggestion. 4. Method In the section of web tasks, participants executed six to eight tasks as specified from the moderators. The questions about web tasks were developed to reflect task situations on gathering of information and where possible were placed into words to exempt use of onscreen keywords. Scheduling of participants was done at an interval of one hour. The moderator tried to keep each session less than the intended time. The participant got explanation from the moderator about the purpose and nature of usability test and further elaborated that each would be required to complete certain tasks using the new Space website. Each task case was designed with the expectation that the participants would substantially require less time. In the course of each test session, the Space moderator managed to record each participant’s click path and the number of clicks needed in order to complete each dedicated task. In the entire test session, the moderator required the participants to discuss expected outcomes based on the new site and specific responses to whatever they were doing and observing. Thinking loud was also a recommendation from the participants in order to provide insight on their choices while they navigate through the new site and attempt finishing their tasks. 5. Findings and Recommendations Webmasters found out that: Participants had different approach styles to manipulating Space related data: Users could only manipulate data independently if the data was from the department he or she belonged to. Organizing data from different department that one was not familiar with posed a challenge. All the participants were ever constantly conversant with basic information notions, regardless of the background. For instance, participants were conversant with major labels such as add user, manage user and were not able to interpret some acronyms such as URL, Gateway and other general technical information. The participant were very positive about functionality breadth offered bythe new Space website but occasionally went astray whenever non-familiar terminology was used. The participants were pleased by the new display of search results which they applauded. Some users requested that the website be responsive, to mean that it can fit in both desktop and mobile screens. Based on the findings, Webmaster recommended that: Space International should consider interlinking the departments in such a way that members of different department can have the relevant know how to manage data from a different department whenever necessary. Organize for trainings that explain these technical terms to users. To foster this, Webmaster shall add a page that contains acronyms that the user can reference whenever he or she is in need to do so. Use transparent categories but will continue relying on cross linking. Due to responsiveness issue, Webmaster concluded that they will immediately start writing the mobile version to be availed as soon as possible. Conclusion Space new website has been built using modern technologies used in website developments and the technicians have taken into account the challenges that come with the ever shifting technology. The website is in a good condition and this can be supported by the fact that the tests were successful done without much failure. This was a test; Webmaster shall continue providing support for the next three months when the system comes into full use. Bibliography BEASLEY, M. (2013). Practical web analytics for user experience: how analytics can help you understand your users. NORLIN, E., & WINTERS, C. (2001). Usability testing for library websites: a hands-on guide. Chicago, American Library Association. Read More