Human-Computer Interaction - Report Example

Signature of Participant ___________________

Evaluation Tasks/Scenarios

To conduct a proper test of the site, it should be emphasized that site should be checked by participants during the special tasks. Citethisforme.com is designed to response to the need of fulfilling these tasks. Thus, site should be capable of handling requests of students. These tasks are the following:

• Find an information about creating the reference list;
• Find a source in the database;
• Include it to the list of references;
• Using of alternative path through inputting reference data manually;
• Creating proper reference based on the inputted information;
• Export of references to the word documents without premium functions;

Each tasks have only one step, since they refer to the specific part of the site. Participants are expected to follow the description of tasks and to ask questions in case of the unclear information about the task. Each tasks are connected with each other, since they lead to the ultimate result of the interaction with site that is tested. Fulfilling of all tasks is aimed on creating the reference entry that should be relevant to the citation rules. Test is carried out by independent group of participants, this site is tested by our group and interaction with other groups is not expected.

Following tasks were executed by the participants under supervision of us to ensure collection of fair and precise data regarding the site. All actions and mistakes, which were done during the tasks fulfilling were recorded. It ensures that site has good design that can be used for successful referencing sources. In addition, created sources were checked for quality. It is essential to check results for quality, since site should release only proper sources. Otherwise, site is useless, as site is designed to simplify the process or reference list creation and minimization of mistakes during the creating of reference list. This site should provide only proper references and they should have practical implementation in the students’ life as it is stated in the site purpose section. Results of the tasks will be ground for the further research of the site. However, research is limited to the test of the basic functions without test of the premium functions, which according to the claims of the site developers should be better and advanced. In addition, these functions are called to further simplify the interaction with site. However, important factor is that the site should have high level of usability without the premium account.

Research was taken in the home, with all necessary applications and hardware to carry out sufficient research of the site. However, mostly research is aimed on the subjective opinion from the participants, since there are no additional applications, which can help to study the site deeper. Furthermore such activities require agreement from the administrators from the site that is not expected by the research. All necessary conditions for taking the research were followed, such as light, temperature conditions. Due to the fact that it is proven that such factors have minor influence on the results of the research, they are not considered as important. In addition, we have used the desktop computer with high speed bandwidth (94,01 Mbit/s inbound connection and 92,57 Mbit/s outbound) These conditions are essential for carrying out the test and to provide good results. It is important to emphasize that modifiability cannot be achieved, since we are using one workstation for carrying out the test.

Results

Task Completion Success Rate

Fulfillment of tasks was recorded by us and all preventing factors were documented to present in the report. This report also emphasizes the features regarding the fulfillment of task, there are many features, which should be considered, in this report section we will present the information about task completion rate.

All participants successfully fulfilled task 1 (acquiring information), it means that sites provides enough information to start working with site. Two participants managed to complete the second task (find a source). From the third try all participants fulfilled the third task (Including reference). Only one participant solved the fourth task (alternative path). Fifth task (creating a reference) was fulfilled by all participants. And the last task (export of reference list) was easy for all participants, so 100% participants solved it.

Participant

Task 1

Task 2

Task 3

Task 4

Task 5

Task 6

1

√

-

-

-

√

√

2

√

√

-

-

√

√

3

√

√

-

√

√

√

Success

3

2

0

1

3

3

Completion Rates

100%

75%

0%

25%

100%

100%

Figure #1 Tasks completion rates

First task

Most participants found it hard to fulfill all tasks due to the multiple reasons. These reasons are very important and require improvements which will be presented in the recommendations section. First task was easy due to the intuitive design of the site (see figure 1). According to the screenshot of the site, we can see that information is presented in the understandable manner, so it is easy to find essential information for starting work on the reference list. In addition, the most common sources are highlighted, so user can easily click on them and start the work. However, the most important drawback that is emphasized by all participants is large amount of advertising that slowdown work. It means that site fails to respond effectively on the users’ requests. In addition, site behave in a strange manner to show all advertising, site is trying to resize its structure and buttons change their location, thus, user can accidentally use a wrong menu. These features are decreasing users’ experience and 2 participants said that they will not return to this site with such amount of advertising. Improvement of the account to the premium can solve this issue, however, basic account should have good usability as well.

Second task

Second task presented difficulties for all users, since advertising ruins the effective work with site. It is known fact that advertising is a part of the monetization of site; however, writing a request in the field is associated with difficulties due to the high response time and resizing of the site to face the size of advertising. Furthermore, participants complain of appearing their last requests that undermines their experience, since they want to search information about for instance ‘automation’ and site automatically change the request for ‘automobile’. Our research discovered the information that this issue is associated with high response time and drawback in the usability. It is better to avoid retyping the same request for many times, however, automatic changing of the request is not effective usability practice and it can make interaction with site impossible. To avoid replacement of the request, user should click few times on the actual request to avoid help from the site. Participants think that this drawback of the site is the most frustrating feature of the site that should be solved to avoid negative experience of users.

Third task

Third task is not fulfilled by participants. All participants complain about the improper processing of the request, site shows many sources, which can be chosen, however, after successful choice of the source, site shows some information about the source and asks users to change the information about the source. It is hard to understand what information requires changing and even after confirmation that no changes are required, site sends another window with one more confirmation of the information that was presented automatically. It is clear that using the DOI or ISBN no additional change is required. Thus, all participants found it very difficult and time consuming to fulfill this task. This and previous tasks were the most complicated and time consuming tasks, which completely ruin the experience. Both these features should be solved to avoid so negative feedback from users. Another feature that was identified here is that reaching a boundary of 15 sources, site shows the popup message that basic users cannot add more than 20 sources. This popup message undermines the proper work with site, since it can appear and close the window of adding the source. It deletes all entered information and frustrates users.

Fourth task

Fourth task is associated with minor difficulties, however, some participants confused the information in the site. Thus, participants complain that site has unclear information regarding the creating of sources. With deeper study of the site design, certain pattern can be found and interface can be learned, however, it requires constant site visiting. Due to the features, which were mentioned above, site is not suitable for repeatable visiting, thus, learnability can be endangered. In addition, assistance regarding these issues is not provided, so it is impossible to learn a site through the integrated help application.

Fifth and sixth tasks

Last tasks were carried out without considerable issues. One of participants has claimed that site cites references incorrectly. There are sources, where date of publishing is not identified. In such cases, site inputs ‘n.d.’ instead of the date. It is a violation of the citation rules, since, there should be empty space. Thus, information can be inaccurate and it seriously decreases the credibility of site. Other sites offer the same services, however, they provide a credible services without such violating of rules. However, according to our study, Citethisforme.com is the most comfortable way to make sources, in addition, it has good search in the database. Further recommendations on the design will be presented in the recommendations section.

According to the results of the usability test, site is good for use, however, there are certain drawbacks, where participants have encountered issues working with site. In addition, according to the site design these issues are relevant for both versions of the site, thus, choice of the basic version could not create these issues.

Strongly Disagree

Disagree

Neutral

Agree

Strongly Agree

Percent Agree

Ease to use

2

1

100%

Frequently use

1

1

1

75%

It is difficult to find something important

3

0%

Good learnability

1

1

1

75%

Can get information quickly

1

1

1

25%

Homepage has good design

1

2

75%

I want to come back to do the same activities

2

1

25%

Site has good organization

1

1

1

75%

Figure #2 Likert scale regarding site features

Recommendations and feedback from participants

Liked Most

The most applicable features, which were noticed by participants, refer to the functionality of site. Most participants commented good export of references to the document. Using the copy/paste procedure, references can be easily extracted to be placed in the document. One more positive feature lies in the fact that site offers huge database of books and articles, which can be found by ISBN and DOI, but also by the name of the paper or name of the author. Such search for sources is important, when student wants to find good source for the paper or to create a reference without manual entering the information. These features were marked as the most applicable and suitable for students’ work on the references.

Liked Least

The most useless and frustrating feature is large amount of advertising that slowdowns the work with site. Such advertising affects the interaction with site and undermines normal work. 2 of participants have claimed that they will not use this site anymore, since it brings them “frustrating and bothering experience”. That said, they have pointed to the fact that from the functional point of view, it carries out its objectives and is good for work on references. However, from the point of view of the usability of site and comfort work, this site is made without consideration of the visitors’ experience and should be improved to face users’ expectations.

Recommendations for Improvement

Participants claimed that site requires removal of large advertising that overloads a site. Using internet connection with high bandwidth cannot solve the problem, since the server that supports this site is overloaded with advertising. Thus, information is presented with delay and there is strong delay between actual request and response on the request. It makes interaction with site impossible. Thus, advertising should be optimized or removed to avoid decreasing of the users’ experience. One more feature that was emphasized is improvement of the server. It is known fact that freemium companies should have alternative ways of monetization. However, company should face the load of advertising to offer sustainable work of site.

Recommendations

Description of change

Justification

Level of importance

Reduce the load on the server or improve the server to face the load of the advertising.

Advertising has strong influence on the stable work of the site. It is known fact that advertising should be integrated to monetize site, however, site should have high usability as well.

Severe

Make an interface more suitable for work and consider DOI and ISBN entries as separate entries.

Site requires user to check the reference, however, there is no need to check the references, which are requested through the DOI or ISBN

Medium

Solving the issue with N.D. in the in-text citation that violates the citations rules and can lead to deduction of points

Site generates in-text citation with n.d. where should be date. In case of the non-specified date, site should not generate any date entry

Light

Figure #3 Recommendations for improvement of site

Conclusion

Site has strong framework for creating references and serving students as assistance in their academic work. It has good features and quick export of the references to the document. Such functions are suitable for students and can help with writing the paper. However, there are severe issues with the advertising, which completely ruin the users’ experience and decrease the overall satisfaction of work with site. Thus, company should take specific measures to avoid such misconducts. It is clear that company is focused on the premium users, since they are main source of income, however, basic users should see that company offers good services. Such users can become premium users and without good experience, concept of freemium services will fail. Thus, company should work better on the customers’ experience through the development of their servers or through optimizing of advertising, since current advertising overloads the site.