06-13-2012 can anyone use our portal?
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June 10-15, 2012
Growing Community; Growing Possibilities
Can anyone use our portal?
Tom FreestoneSenior Developer
Brigham Young University
2012 Jasig Sakai Conference 2
Define Usability◦ What is and is not
usability? Discuss the
principles of user-centered design
Designing and implementing a usability test
Overview
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Not◦ Not ascetics (e.g.
Branding)◦ Accessibility
Is◦ Helping users to
figure out how to get what they need You can't always get what you
want But if you try sometimes well you just might find
You get what you need (Rolling Stones – You Can’t Always Get What You Want)
usa·bili·ty n:
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Case for Usability
[1] [4][2]
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Usability done right
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J j J J
Theory – How do our brains work?
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Something of both actual and perceived properties [3]
Affordances
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Gulf of Execution◦ Describes the gap
between user’s mental model for action and the means to execute the goal [4]
Satisfice◦ combining satisfy
with suffice◦ find the best option
available [5]
Problem #1
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Gulf of Evaluation◦ Difficulty assessing
the state of the system and how well the system supports the discovery and the interpretation of state [4]
Problem #2
[5]
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2010 Social Networking◦ 28 % of senior citizens use social
networking 2010 Internet
◦ 50 % of all Senior Citizens are online.
2010 Cell Phones◦ Senior Citizens less likely to send
a text then their younger counterparts [6]
Reason◦ The lack of intention to use
computers is mainly driven by the perception that using computers is a difficult and complex task that requires a lot of effort to master [7]
Why can’t people figure some things out?
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Users are :◦ In a hurry and want
to save time◦ Don’t read, they scan◦ Good at matching
things to task at hand
◦ If the user thinks it is “too hard” they are not going to use it as often (if at all).
Inconvenient Observations
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If you don’t know what your portal is then its users don’t have the time to figure it out for you
◦ You need a Tag Line
What Do These Usability Problems Have to Do with Our Portal?
myBYU is your BYU core information, your way.
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What is the portal? What does the
portal have? What can I do in
the portal? Why am I in the
portal (instead of somewhere else)?
Fundamental Questions to Ask (that should be obvious)
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Portal needs to tell me what it is and why I care
Site Hierarchy
Search
The Obvious
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Portals are expensive real estate◦ Everybody wants a
piece Too many cooks to
spoil the broth One size fits all
Reality Check
16
Focus Groups◦ Good sampling of users’
opinions◦ 5-10 people
Web Analytics◦ Numbers kill The Good
Idea Fairies *◦ Metrics
Browser Types/Resolutions Bounce Rate Repeat Visitors Engagement
uPortal 4 Event Tracking
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How do start?
* An evil mythical creature that whispers advice and ideas without data into the ears to leadership, causing hundreds unnecessary changes and countless wasted man-hours every year. [http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Good-Idea-Fairymilitary/234595846556002]
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It depends … myBYU
◦ Start-over◦ Legacy system needed
to retire Trade-offs
◦ User Stress (Gulf of Execution)
◦ Break what works Soft Roll-out
To Start over or to Evolve
Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?' `That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,' said the Cat. `I don't much care where--' said Alice. `Then it doesn't matter which way you go,' said the Cat. (Lewis Carroll. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland)
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Will Not◦ Best Color Scheme◦ Whether Users like
tabs or pull-downs◦ Which design is
better than the other
Will◦ Will tell you if users
can use your portal◦ You may be surprised
What Usability Tests Won’t Tell You?
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Methodical, Iterative Process◦ Scientific Method
Ask a Question Background Research Hypothesis Experiment Record Observations Analyze Data Draw Conclusions
◦ Fair Test 1 Variable Changing
Good design is not random.
How Do You Test Usability?
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Set-up◦ Computers◦ Recording Software◦ Microphones◦ Cameras◦ Test Staff
Test Subjects◦ 10-20 people
Need to Pay Them
◦ Non-Disclosure Agreements
The Formal Usability Test (e.g. Using a Usability Lab)
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Test Administrator will ask subject to do a task(s)
Typically, users will explain their actions while they complete the task
Test(s) can be watched in an adjacent room
The Usability Test
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The Data
Scan Paths
Heat Maps
Design and Usability CenterBentley Universityhttp://usability.bentley.edu/eye-tracking
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Pros◦ A professional is
totally worth it. Cons
◦ Cost◦ Of course, you need
to have a lab.
Formal Usability Labs
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Typical Setup ◦ Laptop◦ Place
Cubical/Conference Room
Table at Student Union (with a bag of candy)
◦ A Good Listener◦ Notepad◦ Cameras (Overrated)
Usability Tests on the Cheap
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Performance◦ How long to complete task?
Accuracy◦ How many mistakes were
made trying to complete task?
Recall◦ Does person remember task
after a period of time? Stickiness
◦ How long does a person spend using UI?
Emotional Response◦ What is user’s mood while
completing task?
What Are You Going to Measure?
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Classic Card Sorting◦ Setup
3x5 cards with a set of things such as registration, HR, …
Paper
◦ Task Have user put cards into
a logical order by placing them on a piece of paper with a category
◦ Great for finding information hierarchy
Methodology #1
[6]
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Trunk Test◦ Steve Krug, Don’t Make
Me Think [7]
Task◦ Print screenshot of portal ◦ Hold at screen shot at
arms length◦ Circle the answers to
following questions: What is this? Where am I? How can I search? …
Methodology #2
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“Hall Testing” Set-up
◦ Laptop◦ 3-4 Random Willing
People
Hall Testing assumes there will be lots of iterations.
Methodology #3
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Don’t skip usability testing because you don’t have resources
Be Methodical
Use a formal lab if you can
Usability on the “Cheap”
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Understand what your portal is and is not.
Users do not want to have think to use your portal
Usability Matters
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Portals to be like …
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