06-13-2012 can anyone use our portal?

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


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:


Case for Usability

[1] [4][2]


Usability done right


J j J J

Theory – How do our brains work?


Something of both actual and perceived properties [3]

Affordances


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


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]


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?


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


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.


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)


Portal needs to tell me what it is and why I care

Site Hierarchy

Search

The Obvious


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

2012 Jasig Sakai Conference

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]


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)


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?


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?


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)


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


The Data

Scan Paths

Heat Maps

Design and Usability CenterBentley Universityhttp://usability.bentley.edu/eye-tracking


Pros◦ A professional is

totally worth it. Cons

◦ Cost◦ Of course, you need

to have a lab.

Formal Usability Labs


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


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?


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]


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


“Hall Testing” Set-up

◦ Laptop◦ 3-4 Random Willing

People

Hall Testing assumes there will be lots of iterations.

Methodology #3


Don’t skip usability testing because you don’t have resources

Be Methodical

Use a formal lab if you can

Usability on the “Cheap”


Understand what your portal is and is not.

Users do not want to have think to use your portal

Usability Matters


Portals to be like …

06-13-2012 can anyone use our portal?

Technology

good design

test administratorwill

paper task

task tests

users liketabs

task athand

users tofigure

good deal