Get it right the first time through cheap and easy DIY usability testing
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This document provides an overview of DIY usability testing methods, emphasizing that it's designed for those without extensive expertise in the field. It covers important aspects such as what to test, when to test, who to test, and various testing tools available. The document concludes that enhancing usability is an ongoing process that encourages exploration and experimentation.
Get it right the first time through cheap and easy DIY usability testing
- 1. Get It Right the FirstTime Through Cheap and Easy DIY Usability Testing Wednesday, July 22th Drupal GovCon 2015 David Minton @DH_David @DH_Stephen @DesignHammer 1
- 2. Overview • Introduction • What is Usability • Who,What,Where, and When • Free and/or Inexpensive Tools 2
- 4. Disclaimer Let’s get this out of the way first! 4
- 5. Disclaimer We are not Usability experts • We’ll share easy DIY techniques & tools We won’t tell you how to fix your website • But we will point you in the right direction 5
- 6. Scope What we’ll cover and what we won’t. 6
- 7. What we will cover • What is usability? • Why should I bother? • How can I test my site? • How do I keep my site usable? 7
- 8. What we won’t cover • Usability best practices • Statistical analysis of results • Every type of usability test 8
- 10. What is usability? “Usability testing refers to evaluating a product or service by testing it with representative users.The goal is to identify any usability problems, collect qualitative and quantitative data and determine the participant's satisfaction with the product.” usability.gov 10
- 11. What is usability? “If there's one thing you learn by working on a lot of different Web sites, it's that almost any design idea—no matter how appallingly bad— can be made usable in the right circumstances, with enough effort.” Steve Krug, author Don't Make MeThink: A Common Sense Approach toWeb Usability 11
- 12. Keep in mind • Popular≠Good • Attractive≠Usable • Ugly≠Unusable 12
- 13. What, when, and who to test? 13
- 14. What to test? Anything or everything? 14
- 15. What should you test? • Information Architecture • Navigation • User Interface elements • New Functionality • Critical User Interactions • Everything! 15
- 16. When to test? Is it too soon, or too late? 16
- 17. When to test • The sooner the better • Tests should be part of the change process • Test early and test often! 17
- 18. Who to test? Your opinion probably isn’t the one that matters. 18
- 19. Potential test subjects • Actual site users • Representative site users • Crowdsourced • Artificial intelligence 19
- 20. Actual site users Pros: • Most relevant to site Cons: • May have limited availability • May require compensation 20
- 21. Representative users Pros: • Relevant to site • More relevant than crowdsourced and AI Cons: • Only as relevant as your recruiting • May require compensation 21
- 22. Crowdsourced Pros: • Readily available • Likely more relevant than and AI Cons: • May not closely model actual site users • May require compensation 22
- 23. Artificial intelligence Pros: • Readily available • Complete tests in real time Cons: • May not closely model actual human users 23
- 24. Which is right for you? • What kind of site are you testing? • What is your site’s demographic? • What access do you have to site users? 24
- 25. How to test? 25
- 26. Types of tests One size does not fit all! 26
- 27. Formative Tests • Used throughout the change process. • Support tool for decision making. • Different tools for different stages. 27
- 28. Summative Tests • Generally QA testing. • Determine if finished feature/site is usable. • Confirm improved usability. • Used prior to making changes to determine and document any usability problems. 28
- 29. Types of testing • Analytics • User Testing • Usability Testing 29
- 30. Usability testing • Based on task completion. • Usually measurable. 30
- 31. User Testing • Based on user opinion. • Not tied to specific task completion. 31
- 32. Analytics • Measure of actual user behavior. • May suggest usability problems. • Not a substitute for usability testing. • May provide baseline to measure success of plans derived from usability testing. 32
- 33. Analytics It takes time to collect data; start today! 33
- 34. Web Analytics Formative • Records actual site visitor interaction. • Can suggest usability problems. 34
- 35. Web Analytics Possible tools • Google Analytics (Google) • WebTrends Analytics (WebTrends) • AWStats (AWStats) 35
- 36. Heat Maps Formative • Records specific actual site visitor interaction: mouse click and scroll depth. • Can suggest usability problems. 36
- 37. Heat Maps Possible tools • Crazy Egg (Crazy Egg) • Hotjar (Hotjar) • Lucky Orange (Lucky Orange) • Google Analytics* (Google) *sort of 37
- 38. User testing Opinions are like noses, everyone’s got one. 38
- 39. User Surveys Formative • Ask users what they like or don’t like. • Good starting point for refining or adding new features. 39
- 40. User Surveys Possible tools • Paper • SurveyMonkey (SurveyMonkey) • SurveyGizmo (Widgix) • Qualtrics (Qualtrics) 40
- 41. A/B & Multivariate Tests Formative • Users are randomly given an implementation. • Determine which implementation is most effective based on conversion rates. 41
- 42. A/B & Multivariate Tests Possible tools • GoogleWebsite Optimizer (Google) • CMS Specific tools (e.g. Drupal Multivariate) • Optimizely (Optimizely) 42
- 43. Usability testing Choose the test based on your question. 43
- 44. Open Card Sort Formative • Participants organize a list of items into categories they provide. 44
- 45. Open Card Sort Possible tools • Index cards • Cardsort (Optimal Workshop) • UserZoom (UserZoom) 45
- 46. Closed Card Sort Formative • Participants organize a list of items into categories you provide. 46
- 47. Closed Card Sort Possible tools • Index cards • Cardsort (Optimal Workshop) • UserZoom (UserZoom) 47
- 48. Tree Test Formative • Asks test participants where they would go to find specific content. • Tests the organization of content if navigation labels make sense to users • Test website’s pre-defined navigation. 48
- 49. Tree Test Possible tools • Index cards • Treejack (Optimal Workshop) 49
- 50. Expectancy Test Formative • Tests a user’s impressions of an early prototype of the interface. • Typically paper prototype, wireframes, or design concepts. 50
- 51. Expectancy Test Possible tools • Paper Prototype • Wireframes • Design Concepts 51
- 52. 5-Second Usability Test Formative • Tests individual pages (not homepage) for a specific scenario and task. • Not suitable for testing complex systems or user interaction. 52
- 53. 5-Second Usability Test Possible tools • Paper Prototype • Wireframes • Design Concepts • FiveSecondTest (UsabilityHub) 53
- 54. Visual Affordance Test Formative • Tests the “Clickability/Tappability.” • Show subject web page or design concept. • Subject indicate every item believed clickable, and items believed not clickable. 54
- 55. Visual Affordance Test Possible tools • Paper Prototype • Wireframes • Design Concepts 55
- 56. Click Test Summative • Provide scenario and task. • User clicks on the design element to complete task. 56
- 57. Click Test Possible tools • Paper Prototype • Wireframes • Design Concepts • Chalkmark (Optimal Workshop) • Flippa (UsabilityHub) 57
- 58. Sample-of-One Test Summative • Document fundamental errors in interface layout, labels, content organization, affordance, and functionality • Use single subject who fits main persona. 58
- 59. Sample-of-One Test Possible tools • Silverback (Clearleft) • OpenHallway (OpenHallway) • TryMyUI (TryMyUI) 59
- 60. Performance Test Formative or Summative • Can be to look for problems in existing site or confirm function in a new site. • Provide participants a task with a scenario • Observe user interact with website. 60
- 61. Performance Test Possible tools • Silverback (Clearleft) • OpenHallway (OpenHallway) • TryMyUI (TryMyUI) 61
- 62. Free Exploration Test Summative • Observe users interaction with website for set period of time (5 minutes?). • Use when navigation is no longer an issue. 62
- 63. Free Exploration Test Possible tools • Silverback (Clearleft) • OpenHallway (OpenHallway) • TryMyUI (TryMyUI) 63
- 65. Survey Monkey Likes: • Robust question functionality & reporting. • Filter response data by response or URL. • Data export to allow manipulation in excel. Be Aware: • Some features require more pricey plans. 65
- 66. Survey Monkey 66
- 67. Survey Monkey 67
- 68. Survey Monkey 68
- 69. Survey Monkey 69
- 70. Survey Monkey 70
- 71. Survey Monkey 71
- 72. Survey Monkey 72
- 73. CrazyEgg Likes: • Variety of ways to filter/visual data • Can test mobile and desktop Be Aware: • Not real time. • Not cheap to monitor entire sites. 73
- 74. Crazy Egg 74
- 75. Crazy Egg 75
- 76. Crazy Egg 76
- 77. Crazy Egg 77
- 78. Crazy Egg 78
- 79. Crazy Egg 79
- 80. Crazy Egg 80
- 81. Optimal Sort Likes: • Easy to set up. • Can use for remote testing. Be Aware: • Normalizing data requires assumptions. • Not cheap if you need the full version. 81
- 82. Optimal Sort 82
- 83. Optimal Sort 83
- 84. Optimal Sort 84
- 85. Optimal Sort 85
- 86. Optimal Sort 86
- 87. Optimal Sort 87
- 88. Treejack Likes: • Easy to set up. • Can use for remote testing. Be Aware: • Not cheap if you need the full version. 88
- 89. Treejack 89
- 90. Treejack 90
- 91. Treejack 91
- 92. Treejack 92
- 93. Treejack 93
- 94. Chalkmark Likes: • Easy to set up. • Can use for remote testing. Be Aware: • Only single response per question. • Not cheap if you need the full version. 94
- 95. Chalkmark 95
- 96. Chalkmark 96
- 97. Chalkmark 97
- 98. Chalkmark 98
- 99. Silverback Likes: • Portable, works well on a standard laptop. • Does not require a dedicated usability lab. Be Aware: • Mac only. • For on location testing. 99
- 100. Silverback 100
- 101. Conclusion 101
- 102. Conclusion • No silver bullet to make sites usable. • Usability is a never-ending process. • Making sites more usable is fun for all! 102
- 103. Special thanks 103