This document discusses website usability testing. It introduces three common usability testing methods: heuristic evaluation, cognitive walkthrough, and think aloud protocol.
Heuristic evaluation involves usability experts evaluating a site against recognized usability principles. Cognitive walkthrough requires reviewers to complete tasks on the site and track clicks and ease of finding links. Think aloud protocol observes users completing tasks while thinking aloud, so their thoughts can be understood.
The document encourages testing with others, trying small improvements, and observing real users to get the most useful feedback. Usability testing helps ensure users can complete tasks efficiently and without frustration on a website.
1. Library Website Usability
(for everybody!)
ELLIE DWORAK
WEB SERVICES LIBRARIAN
BOISE STATE UNIVERSITY
2. Quick Introductions
NAME
WHERE YOU WORK AND JOB TITLE
WHY YOU CHOSE THIS SESSION
WHAT YOU PLAN TO DO WITH IT
SOMETHING YOU HOPE TO LEARN
3. What is Website Usability???
Usability is “the effectiveness, efficiency, and satisfaction
with which a specified set of users can achieve a specified
set of tasks in a particular environment.”
- International Standards Organization
Hunh?
Usability is whether somebody can:
Do what they need to do
Quickly
Without frustration
On your website
That’s all!
4. What is Usability Testing?
Methods used to gather feedback on your website’s
usability
In other words:
Can people do what they came to do?
Quickly?
And leave happy?
7. Method 1: Heuristic Evaluation
Definition from wordnet.princeton.edu
Noun
(n) heuristic(a commonsense rule (or set of rules)
intended to increase the probability of solving some
problem)
Adjective
(adj) heuristic (of or relating to or using a general
formulation that serves to guide investigation)
Or
An evaluation checklist
8. Heuristic Evaluation
Guideline Grade Explanation
Do you answer your users
questions?
Is your navigation clear
and simple?
Do you provide anchor
text?
Does your design guide
the eye?
Do you start link names
with important
keywords?
Is your wording
straightforward?
9.
10. Does this page answer the
user’s questions?
DEPENDS ON THE QUESTION!
•H O W D O I F I N D A B O O K ?
•H O W D O I C H E C K O U T A B O O K ?
•H O W D O I F I N D A N A R T I C L E O N M Y T O P I C ?
•W H E N I S T H E L I B R A R Y O P E N ?
11.
12. Heuristic Evaluation
Guideline Grade Explanation
Do you answer your users B+ Answers many questions on the front
questions? page, and leads people to second pages
for other answers.
Consider including hours link on front
page.
13. Easier (less subjective) questions
Do you have white space?
Have you offered contact information?
Do you have a site map?
Does your site require unnecessary plug-ins?
Does your logo link home?
Do you date your content?
Is your name and logo on every page?
Does your content have spelling errors?
15. Method 2: Cognitive Walkthrough
Reviewers complete tasks
How many clicks does it take?
How easy is it to find the right links?
Considerations
What tasks will be analyzed?
What is the “right” answer for each task?
17. Ideas!
Set up a group of libraries and test each other’s pages
Everything is easier and more fun with a group
It’s easier to see problems with somebody else’s website
Just test one little thing at a time
It’s not as overwhelming
Small improvements are way better than unfinished big
projects
Think about who your users are while you write tasks
Write little scenarios
Look at web site statistics to get an idea of what users value
20. Method 3: Think Aloud Protocol
This is “traditional” usability testing
Observe people doing things on your website
Ask them to talk about what they’re doing
Ask them questions about what they’re doing
21. Fancy/expensive/slow Simple/cheap/fast
Morae or other screen Note taker captures
capturing software pertinent information
Video subjects Changes made after
Eye tracking each test
software/hardware
Formal reports and
recommendations
22. More Work!
1. Train testers
2. Write clear tasks
3. Recruit volunteers
4. Block out times
5. Reward volunteers
6. Fix problems
7. Do it again
8. Pshew, tired!
23. Why Bother?
Information from actual users is the most reliable
kind
Principles to remember:
Watch what people actually do
Do not believe what people say they will do
24. The good part!
You only have to test 1-4 times to get good
information
Test early in a design process if possible
Fix problems before testing again
Always keep your objectives in the forefront
26. Comments on a Few Other Types of Testing
Card sorting
Paper-based tests
Statistical analysis
Not really testing methods but sometimes useful:
Focus groups
Questionnaires and surveys
Interviews