Usability Testing and its benefits
Web sites with complex functionality
We recommend conducting a usability test
when a web site, with complex functionality, is built. If a process
starts that has to be completed by the users actions we make
sure that way, that they understand which buttons have to be
clicked and when to wait to achieve the desired result.
Closing windows too early, therefore interrupting a process,
is the most common mistake users make. For example windows that
are generated to transfer the user to another server, as on the
PayPal Gateway, when the payment is finalized users often close
the window, convinced that all is done and clear. Fact is however
in this example is that they have to return to the site to finalize
the task to receive the confirmation and it is absolutely necessary
that the process can be closed. Because users do not return to
the site, the database has only temporary files saved, the buying
process is not completed, important data the user should receive
is not sent, because the task was never completed.
The owner of the site will receive frustrated e-mails. The users
are desperate because they do not receive the confirmation mail
but only the pay slip from the PayPal transaction. This is causing
a lot of frustration for the users and for the owner of the site.
To prevent this, a usability test would have shown this effect
beforehand and the system could have been adjusted to make sure
that the user understands that returning to the site is required
to finalize the process.
Costs and results of a usability test
Usability testing prevents wasting money
in software that few people will or can use, or that your
web site turns into a source of frustration for your clients
turning them away and seeking other online sources.
How do we conduct a usability test?
The persons testing the screen flow of a specific process are
representatives of your target/user group. This group will need
to provide us with:
- the experienced internet or application user;
- the user that uses the internet or applications once in a while;
- the internet or computer novice.
These users will have to fulfill and finalize specific tasks on
the web site. How they manage to succeed in doing this or where
in the process they fail, tells us exactly where the application
has to be modified and improved.
Another aspect that is evaluated is the user experience, which
differs from the usability of a web site. User experience is
engaging the user in a positive way. It is delivering a smooth
process without any nasty events, serving information the user
needs to know about and satisfies or even exceeds his expectation
visiting this web site.
Contact us if you would like to receive more information
about this subject:
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