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/.
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