The last two weeks have been about exploring Steve Krug's methods for usability testing. We watched a video that gave us an insight on how to approach usability testing using 2 users. By doing this, we developed a better understanding of various persona's and scenarios that can be determined while using all kinds of websites. The two tasks that users were supposed to accomplish are as follows:
***using the website: www.zipcar.com for week 1:
1. You don't currently own a car, and you can get almost everywhere you need to go without one, you are about to sign up for a class that you can't get to using public transportation , and there are other times when it would be more convenient to have a car. A friend has been very happy using Zipcar for occasional trips, so you decide to explore that option. To get to class, you'd need a car one afternoon a week about three hours to make a 50-mile round trip. You'd also like to have a car one Saturday a month to run errands all day. Figure out what this would cost you each month.
2. You're concerned about whether you'll always be able to get a car when you need one. Find out what Zipcar promises about availability.
I found that by encouraging the user to talk out loud, it was easier to figure out what was wrong with the site, what was confusing, what was frustrating and just the overall thought process. the first user was a young male and he was able to accomplish both tasks with very few questions. However, some things on the site were unclear to him such as "EVP". This was not clear to the user that it stood for "Extra value plan". He said that it looked complicated. He also was unsure of what "rollover" meant. By clicking on the link, he was able to understand the term better. On the other hand, the other user that was tested was an older male. He was able to complete the tasks but needed to be prompted to check out the EVP plans. He also did not know was that stood for and was also confused by it. For the second task, he experienced some frustration because he was unable to find it. He has to be prompted to go to the FAQ section. The font was smaller so it was easy for him to miss relevant information.
For week 2 we were asked to perform the same tasks but with a sister website: www.drivemint.com
Task 1 stayed the same but Task 2 was as follows:
2. You realize after recieving your vehicle you need the car for a couple more days. Find out what drivemint guarantees about extending reservations.
The same users were tested for this website. They both were able to complete the first task with minimal problems. They both mentioned that "join mint" was seen on all pages, which took them straight to a page that talked about rates. Both users concluded that pay as you go was the better option in comparison to the smart saver which seemed complicated to figure out. Both had trouble finding information regarding renting on a weekend. This is because it was located on the bottom of the page in smaller font. They also agreed that the site was definitely visually appealing which would convince them to take a look at what they have to offer. The second task was accomplished with no problems but was NOT detailed enough.
Both of these sessions were recorded using CamStudio which is a screen capture program. It also records audio which makes it convenient to show developers various issues that arise from their program or website. Below is a tutorial on how to install and use CamStudio by Jimmy Rusk. It was downloaded from youtube.ca
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