Week 10A

NO CLASS TODAY
Today, we are visiting Listrak for class. 

Week 9 Outside of Class

1,000 word Write-Up Revisions

Natalie Pavlovec

Professor Pannafino

Experience Design

23rd Oct 2017

Effectiveness of the Millersville University Admissions Website

For Project two, The effectiveness of the Millersville University Admissions Website was evaluated. A mix of Guerrilla and Moderated Usability Testing on potential Millersville students and their families was conducted. The in-person user testing was based on the questions given in class.

According to Bryan Kern and Luke Bahl, authors of the article “Moderated Testing 101”, moderated testing is “being live with your test participants, guiding them through the tasks, answering their questions, and replying to their feedback in real time (Kern).” During moderated testing, the person or people conducting the test are able to see how people use a site (Kern). It’s a great way to observe how your user base interacts with your product (Kern). The conductor of the test should not assist the user during the test because it will defeat the purpose of observing users’ natural behavior (Kern). This type of testing does not require a large amount of participants and can go as long as needed.

According to Markus Pirker, author of the article “7 Step Guide to Guerrilla Usability Testing: DIY Usability Testing Method” on Userbrain Blog, the main goal of guerrilla testing is to “find errors and fix them as quickly as possible (Pirker).” The setup is easy, and expensive recording equipment, having a research lab, getting participants to come to you (travel costs, arrangements, schedules & cancellations), dealing with paperwork and administration, and recruiting the right participants with their demographics matching your target audience should not be worried about (Pirker). Guerrilla testing requires no more than a couple of hours to complete. The sessions are very short, and the right people for guerrilla testing are the people available at the very moment.

The steps taken to complete guerrilla testing are simple. You can approach anyone and ask them if they would like to answer a few questions about your product. In this case, the person conducting the test will ask someone if they want to participate in a test regarding the effectiveness of the Millersville University Admissions Website. If they participate, the next step is to give the person taking the test a few tasks to complete. While they are completing a task, observe their interaction and ask them about their experience. After these steps are completed, the guerrilla test has been complete. Aside from guerrilla testing not requiring much time to complete, this type of testing also doesn’t require a large amount of participants to gather all the information you need. You need about three to five participants to discover the biggest issues.

The first day of testing for the effectiveness of the Millersville University Admissions Website began on October 16th, 2017, at the Welcome Center. Students conducting the testing arrived thirty minutes prior to the tours beginning. Doing this would provide time for the students to ask their questions before the tours started without feeling rushed. Receiving answers to all of the questions was difficult, but it was manageable to ask three people one question each.

The first person asked to participate was a mother who was attending the tour with her daughter and her daughter’s friend. The student conducting the test introduced themselves, explained what the test was for, and stated most importantly that the test was not a test of them. The question asked of the mother was if she could find information on how much it costs to attend Millersville University. She took a minute or so to let the question sink in. She scrolled to the bottom of the home page, slowly scanning the information displayed. When she had no luck finding any information that might answer the question at the bottom of the page, she slowly scrolled back to the top, scanning the information again to see if she missed anything. Her facial expression turned from focused and determined to lost and confused. After scanning the top navigation, she was able to successfully locate the “paying for Millersville” tab. Clicking on the button, she scanned the new information, and clicked on the Net Price Calculator. This calculator estimates net price information on how much it will cost to attend Millersville University. This includes cost of attendance — including tuition and required fees, books and supplies, room and board (meals), and other related expenses — minus estimated grant and scholarship aid).

The second person the student tested was the mother’s daughter. Since she has interest in attending Millersville University, the question asked of her was if she could find information on the major she’s interested in applying for. She quickly looked over the homepage, and went to the top navigation and clicked on the Academics button. Her mother informed her to click on the Undergraduate Academics section. She clicked on the Learn More button in the Undergraduate Academics section. Fortunately for her, the major she was interested in applying for was the first section displayed on the page: College of Education and Human Services.

The third person the student tested was the friend of the daughter. Since she was also attending the tour, the student decided to ask her a question as well. The question asked of the daughter’s friend was if she was interested in attending Millersville University, would she be able to find information on the major she’s interested in applying for. She clicked on the Undergraduate Academics section. She then went to the Learn More button in the Undergraduate Academics section. Once she arrived on the same page the daughter arrived on, she became doubtful because she did not see her major of interest displayed on the page. After the scrolled down the page, though, she became relieved when she was able to find the College of Science and Technology section, where her major was displayed.

The participants displayed similar emotions while completing the tasks. They became confused when they were not able to find something that might direct them to what they are trying to find. It was observed they displayed uncertainty—it seemed like they were worried about not completing the task correctly, or doing something wrong. The student conducting the test informed them there was no right or wrong way to answer or complete a task. The student conducting the test thanked them for their time prior to the tour beginning, quickly wrote down what was observed during the test, and the meeting was concluded when the three participants left to begin their tour.

Another similarity between the participants was noticed by the student conducting the test. The student noticed each participant squinting at the homepage, and the following pages they visited to answer their questions. The student conducting the test noticed this might be because the text displayed on the pages might be too small, or hard to read. It is also noticeable that the sections might be crammed too close together, making it hard to find the information you’re looking for.

A suggestion for the site, to make it easier for students to locate the Academic Programs without being directed off the Admissions Web Page, is to add a tab to the different colored navigation on the Admissions Web Page. That way, when people who are searching for that information, this tab can direct them to all of the academic programs. By adding a tab to the navigation, users won’t be directed off of the Admissions Web Page.

Works Cited

Pirker, Markus. “7 Step Guide to Guerrilla Usability Testing: DIY Usability Testing Method.”Userbrain Blog, Simplease 2017, 24 Mar. 2016, userbrain.net/blog/7-step-guide-guerrilla-usability-testing-diy-usability-testing-method.

Kern, Bryan, and Luke Bahl. “Moderated Testing 101.” UserTesting Blog, 2017 USERTESTING, 29 Sept. 2014, www.usertesting.com/blog/2014/02/19/moderated-testing-101/.

Week 9B

In Class

Today in class, we are working on making revisions to our 1,000 word write-ups.

Here is the revised version of my write up. (In Progress)

Natalie Pavlovec

Professor Pannafino

Experience Design

23rd Oct 2017

Effectiveness of the Millersville University Admissions Website

For Project two, The effectiveness of the Millersville University Admissions Website was evaluated. A mix of Guerrilla and Moderated Usability Testing on potential Millersville students and their families was conducted. The in-person user testing was based on the questions given in class.

According to Bryan Kern and Luke Bahl, authors of the article “Moderated Testing 101”, moderated testing is “being live with your test participants, guiding them through the tasks, answering their questions, and replying to their feedback in real time (Kern).” During moderated testing, the person or people conducting the test are able to see how people use a site (Kern). It’s a great way to observe how your user base interacts with your product (Kern). The conductor of the test should not assist the user during the test because it will defeat the purpose of observing users’ natural behavior (Kern). This type of testing does not require a large amount of participants and can go as long as needed.

According to Markus Pirker, author of the article “7 Step Guide to Guerrilla Usability Testing: DIY Usability Testing Method” on Userbrain Blog, the main goal of guerrilla testing is to “find errors and fix them as quickly as possible (Pirker).” The setup is easy, and expensive recording equipment, having a research lab, getting participants to come to you (travel costs, arrangements, schedules & cancellations), dealing with paperwork and administration, and recruiting the right participants with their demographics matching your target audience should not be worried about (Pirker). Guerrilla testing requires no more than a couple of hours to complete. The sessions are very short, and the right people for guerrilla testing are the people available at the very moment.

The steps taken to complete guerrilla testing are simple. You can approach anyone and ask them if they would like to answer a few questions about your product. In this case, the person conducting the test will ask someone if they want to participate in a test regarding the effectiveness of the Millersville University Admissions Website. If they participate, the next step is to give the person taking the test a few tasks to complete. While they are completing a task, observe their interaction and ask them about their experience. After these steps are completed, the guerrilla test has been complete. Aside from guerrilla testing not requiring much time to complete, this type of testing also doesn’t require a large amount of participants to gather all the information you need. You need about three to five participants to discover the biggest issues.

The first day of testing for the effectiveness of the Millersville University Admissions Website began on October 16th, 2017, at the Welcome Center. Students conducting the testing arrived thirty minutes prior to the tours beginning. Doing this would provide time for the students to ask their questions before the tours started without feeling rushed. Receiving answers to all of the questions was difficult, but it was manageable to ask three people one question each.

The first person asked to participate was a mother who was attending the tour with her daughter and her daughter’s friend. The student conducting the test introduced themselves, explained what the test was for, and stated most importantly that the test was not a test of them. The question asked of the mother was if she could find information on how much it costs to attend Millersville University. She took a minute or so to let the question sink in. She scrolled to the bottom of the home page, slowly scanning the information displayed. When she had no luck finding any information that might answer the question at the bottom of the page, she slowly scrolled back to the top, scanning the information again to see if she missed anything. Her facial expression turned from focused and determined to lost and confused. After scanning the top navigation, she was able to successfully locate the “paying for Millersville” tab. Clicking on the button, she scanned the new information, and clicked on the Net Price Calculator. This calculator estimates net price information on how much it will cost to attend Millersville University. This includes cost of attendance — including tuition and required fees, books and supplies, room and board (meals), and other related expenses — minus estimated grant and scholarship aid).

The second person the student tested was the mother’s daughter. Since she has interest in attending Millersville University, the question asked of her was if she could find information on the major she’s interested in applying for. She quickly looked over the homepage, and went to the top navigation and clicked on the Academics button. Her mother informed her to click on the Undergraduate Academics section. She clicked on the Learn More button in the Undergraduate Academics section. Fortunately for her, the major she was interested in applying for was the first section displayed on the page: College of Education and Human Services.

The third person the student tested was the friend of the daughter. Since she was also attending the tour, the student decided to ask her a question as well. The question asked of the daughter’s friend was if she was interested in attending Millersville University, would she be able to find information on the major she’s interested in applying for. She clicked on the Undergraduate Academics section. She then went to the Learn More button in the Undergraduate Academics section. Once she arrived on the same page the daughter arrived on, she became doubtful because she did not see her major of interest displayed on the page. After the scrolled down the page, though, she became relieved when she was able to find the College of Science and Technology section, where her major was displayed.

The participants displayed similar emotions while completing the tasks. They became confused when they were not able to find something that might direct them to what they are trying to find. It was observed they displayed uncertainty—it seemed like they were worried about not completing the task correctly, or doing something wrong. The student conducting the test informed them there was no right or wrong way to answer or complete a task. The student conducting the test thanked them for their time prior to the tour beginning, quickly wrote down what was observed during the test, and the meeting was concluded when the three participants left to begin their tour.

Another similarity between the participants was noticed by the student conducting the test. The student noticed each participant squinting at the homepage, and the following pages they visited to answer their questions. The student conducting the test noticed this might be because the text displayed on the pages might be too small, or hard to read. It is also noticeable that the sections might be crammed too close together, making it hard to find the information you’re looking for.

Works Cited

Pirker, Markus. “7 Step Guide to Guerrilla Usability Testing: DIY Usability Testing Method.”Userbrain Blog, Simplease 2017, 24 Mar. 2016, userbrain.net/blog/7-step-guide-guerrilla-usability-testing-diy-usability-testing-method.

Kern, Bryan, and Luke Bahl. “Moderated Testing 101.” UserTesting Blog, 2017 USERTESTING, 29 Sept. 2014, www.usertesting.com/blog/2014/02/19/moderated-testing-101/.

Week 9A

We have to write 1,000 words on our experience at the Millersville University tours. Since I did the Undergraduate User Admissions Web Page, I needed to arrive at least thirty minutes prior to the tours starting.
Here is my 1,000 word write-up on my experience:

Natalie Pavlovec

Professor Pannafino

Experience Design

23rd Oct 2017

Effectiveness of the Millersville University Admissions Website

The effectiveness of the Millersville University Admissions Website was evaluated using a mix of Guerrilla and Moderated Usability Testing on potential Millersville students and their families. The user testing was based on questions given in class.

According to Bryan Kern and Luke Bahl, authors of the article “Moderated Testing 101”, moderated testing is “being live with your test participants, guiding them through tasks, answering their questions, and replying to their feedback in real time (Kern).” During moderated testing, conductors of the test see how people use a site (Kern). It’s a great way to observe how your user base interacts with your product (Kern). The conductor of the test should not assist the user during the test. This will defeat the purpose of observing users’ natural behavior (Kern). This type of testing does not require many participants, and can go as long as needed.

According to Markus Pirker, author of the article “7 Step Guide to Guerrilla Usability Testing: DIY Usability Testing Method” on Userbrain Blog, the main goal of guerrilla testing is to “find errors and fix them as quickly as possible (Pirker).” Setup is easy, and expensive recording equipment, having a research lab, getting participants to come to you (travel costs, arrangements, schedules & cancellations), dealing with paperwork and administration, and recruiting the right participants with their demographics matching your target audience should not be worried about (Pirker). Guerrilla testing requires a couple of hours to complete. Sessions are very short, and the right people for guerrilla testing are the people available at the very moment.

Steps taken to complete guerrilla testing are simple. You can approach anyone and ask if they want to answer questions about your product. In this case, the person conducting the test will ask someone if they want to participate in a test regarding the effectiveness of the Millersville University Admissions Website. If they participate, the next step is to give the person taking the test tasks to complete. While they are completing a task, observe their interaction and ask about their experience. After these steps, the guerrilla test has been complete. Aside from guerrilla testing not requiring much time to complete, this type of testing also doesn’t require many participants. You need three to five participants to discover the biggest issues.

The first day of testing for the effectiveness of the Millersville University Admissions Website began on October 16th, 2017, at the Welcome Center. The classmates conducting the testing arrived thirty minutes prior to the tours beginning. Doing this would provide time for the classmates to ask questions before the tours started without feeling rushed. Receiving answers to all of the questions was difficult, but it was manageable to ask three people one question each.

The first person asked to participate was a mother attending the tour with her daughter and her daughter’s friend. The classmate conducting the test introduced themselves, explained what the test was for, and stated the test was not a test of them. The question asked of the mother was if she could find information on how much it costs to attend Millersville University. She took a minute to let the question sink in. She scrolled to the bottom of the home page, scanning the information displayed. When she had no luck finding any information that might answer the question at the bottom of the page, she scrolled back to the top, scanning the information again to see if she missed anything. Her facial expression turned from focused and determined to lost and confused. After scanning the top navigation, she turned her attention to the navigation on the right side of the homepage. “I would click on Financial Aid. It’s the only thing I see in relation to paying for college,” she said, clicking on the button. Once the Office of Financial Aid page came up, her confused expression did not change. She did not know where to go first, due to the amount of information displayed on the page. The information looked very crammed on the page. After scanning the new information, she clicked on the Net Price Calculator. This calculator estimates net price information on how much it will cost to attend Millersville University. This includes cost of attendance — including tuition and required fees, books and supplies, room and board (meals), and other related expenses — minus estimated grant and scholarship aid).

The second person the classmate tested was the mother’s daughter. Since she was interested in attending Millersville University, the question asked of her was if she could find information on the major she’s interested in applying for. She looked over the homepage, went to the top navigation, and clicked the Academics button. Her mother informed her to click the Undergraduate Academics section. She clicked on the Learn More button in the Undergraduate Academics section. The major she was interested in applying for was the first section displayed on the page: College of Education and Human Services.

The third person the classmate tested was the daughter’s friend. The question asked of the daughter’s friend was if she was interested in attending Millersville University, would she be able to find information on the major she’s interested in applying for. She clicked the Undergraduate Academics section. She then went to the Learn More button in the Undergraduate Academics section. Once she arrived on the same page the daughter arrived on, she became doubtful. She did not see her major of interest displayed on the page. After scrolling down the page, though, she was relieved when she found the College of Science and Technology section, where her major was displayed.

The participants displayed similar emotions while completing the tasks. They became confused when they were not able to find something that might direct them to what they are looking for. They displayed uncertainty—like they were worried about not completing the task correctly, or doing something wrong. The classmate conducting the test informed them there was no right or wrong way to answer or complete a task. The classmate conducting the test thanked them for their time prior to the tour beginning, quickly wrote down observations, and the meeting was concluded.

Another similarity between the participants was noticed by the classmate conducting the test. Each participant squinted at the homepage, and the following pages visited to answer questions. The classmate conducting the test noticed this might be because the text displayed on the pages is small or hard to read. It is also noticeable that the sections might be crammed together, making it hard to find the information you’re looking for.

Works Cited

Pirker, Markus. “7 Step Guide to Guerrilla Usability Testing: DIY Usability Testing Method.”Userbrain Blog, Simplease 2017, 24 Mar. 2016, userbrain.net/blog/7-step-guide-guerrilla-usability-testing-diy-usability-testing-method.

Kern, Bryan, and Luke Bahl. “Moderated Testing 101.” UserTesting Blog, 2017 USERTESTING, 29 Sept. 2014, www.usertesting.com/blog/2014/02/19/moderated-testing-101/.

Week 8 Outside of Class

Week 8B

NO CLASS

We had to sign up for two days to go to the Millersville University tours over the weekend. There is no class during Week 8 so we can gather information during our visits and update our blogs.
I registered for the tours on Monday at 2:30pm and Friday at 10:45am.

SECOND DATE
The second date I went to the Welcome Center was on Friday, October 20th, 2017. I was not able to interview anyone because they arrived right when the tours began.

Week 8A

NO CLASS

We had to sign up for two days to go to the Millersville University tours over the weekend. There is no class during Week 8 so we can gather information during our visits and update our blogs.
I registered for the tours on Monday at 2:30pm and Friday at 10:45am.

FIRST DATE

The first date I went to the Welcome Center to interview potential participants was on Monday, October 16th, 2017. I got three people before they had to go on the tour. The first person asked to participate was a mother who was attending the tour with her daughter and her daughter’s friend. The student conducting the test introduced themselves, explained what the test was for, and stated most importantly that the test was not a test of them. The question asked of the mother was if she could find information on how much it costs to attend Millersville University. She took a minute or so to let the question sink in. She scrolled to the bottom of the home page, slowly scanning the information displayed. When she had no luck finding any information that might answer the question at the bottom of the page, she slowly scrolled back to the top, scanning the information again to see if she missed anything. Her facial expression turned from focused and determined to lost and confused. After scanning the top navigation, she was able to successfully locate the “paying for Millersville” tab. Clicking on the button, she scanned the new information, and clicked on the Net Price Calculator. This calculator estimates net price information on how much it will cost to attend Millersville University. This includes cost of attendance — including tuition and required fees, books and supplies, room and board (meals), and other related expenses — minus estimated grant and scholarship aid).

The second person the student tested was the mother’s daughter. Since she has interest in attending Millersville University, the question asked of her was if she could find information on the major she’s interested in applying for. She quickly looked over the homepage, and went to the top navigation and clicked on the Academics button. Her mother informed her to click on the Undergraduate Academics section. She clicked on the Learn More button in the Undergraduate Academics section. Fortunately for her, the major she was interested in applying for was the first section displayed on the page: College of Education and Human Services.

The third person the student tested was the friend of the daughter. Since she was also attending the tour, the student decided to ask her a question as well. The question asked of the daughter’s friend was if she was interested in attending Millersville University, would she be able to find information on the major she’s interested in applying for. She clicked on the Undergraduate Academics section. She then went to the Learn More button in the Undergraduate Academics section. Once she arrived on the same page the daughter arrived on, she became doubtful because she did not see her major of interest displayed on the page. After the scrolled down the page, though, she became relieved when she was able to find the College of Science and Technology section, where her major was displayed.

Week 7 Outside of Class

Last week, we were introduced to Project 2: User Testing.

Project Description

Pick from one of two options:

Millersville Admissions Web site (http://www.millersville.edu/admissions/undergrad/)
You will conduct a mix of Guerrilla and Moderated Usability Testing on potential Millersville
students / their families. The in-person user testing will be on the undergraduate admissions
web page and based on the questions below.

-or-

Millersville Admissions Tour

You will explore the following methods Empathy Interview, Contextual Inquiry, and AS-IS and
TO-BE Analysis to better understand what prospective students and their families experience
during a tour. The in-person Empathy Interview and Contextual Inquiry will allow you to create

an AS-IS and TO-BE Analysis and final report.

Detail Information

Where – Lyle Hall - Welcome Center
Who – Potential Millersville students / their families
When – Monday and Wednesday at 2:30pm
Friday at 9:30am, 10:45am, 1:30pm, and 2:45pm

See Pannafino for registration numbers

Questions for option 1
(supplied by admission

department)

Feel free to adjust order as you see fit:

Can you find information on how much it costs to attend Millersville University?

Can you find information about Millersville regarding national/state wide rankings?

Find information on the major that you are interested in applying for?

If you were an out-of-state student how would you find information regarding
special out-of-state offerings?

Find at least two facts about a faculty member within the academic program
you’re interested in?

Find information on how to apply as an international student?

Can you find the “fast facts” page for Millersville?

Let’s say you got admitted – find information about paying your confirmation
deposit and the “next steps in enrolling?”


Find information about living on-campus?


Forms for Review

• https://www.sensible.com/downloads-rsme.html
• Usability test script
• Recording consent form (format and print)
• Things a therapist would say

----------------------------------------------------------------

Formal Report

For Project 2, I decided to do the Millersville University Admissions Website. "You will conduct a mix of Guerrilla and Moderated Usability Testing on potential Millersville

students / their families. The in-person user testing will be on the undergraduate admissions

web page and based on the questions below."

The first day I was supposed to go to the Welcome Center was on October 16th, 2017 at 2:30pm. I arrived at 2pm so I could get questions in before the tours began. We were told that the guests usually plan to arrive early. 

All 4 of the potential interests didn't arrive until 10 minutes prior to the tour, so it was more difficult to get questions in, but I did manage to ask 3 people 1 question each. I brought my laptop with me, connected to wifi, and had the website pulled up so I wouldn't have to do all of that and not have time to get questions in. 

The 3 people I questioned were 1 mother, her daughter, and her daughter's friend. The daughter was interested in going to Millersville, and her friend was with her, so I assumed she would become interested.

---------------
Redoing the report for next class.