PowerPoint Presentation

(Self-)service designEye-tracking Findings That Will Help You Design Forms That Everyone Can Use

Caitlin Rinn, University of BaltimoreNol Alton, University of BaltimoreKathryn Summers, University of BaltimoreKath Straub, Usability.org

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Why forms?

< What are the *%#@ password requirements??

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There are MANY of tiny decisions

Where do the instructions go?Should they be visible or behind a link?How many sections or pages?Where do the labels go?How do we show which fields are required?How do we show whats required in a field?How do we communicate that the user didnt do what we wanted?

How do we word rights and responsibilities?

In a world of self-service design,If you cant fill the form, you cant [X]

Order on-lineChange your mailing addressGet a parking spot at UniAccess internet @ the conferenceRegister to vote

Get needed government benefits

Bargas-Avila, Orsini, Urwyler & Opwis (2011) Use this

Use this Seckler, Heinz, Bargas-avila, Opwis & Tuch (2014)

Bojko, Aga and Schumacher, R. (2008). Use these*Use this [Required]* Not published, but based on Toronto Public Library UT & accessibility field research

Our studies

Where do the instructions go?Should they be visible or behind a link?How many sections or pages?Where do the labels go?How do we show which fields are required?How do we show whats required in a field?How do we communicate that the user didnt do what we wanted?

How do we word rights and responsibilities?

18 Expert Users (American University Students and Community members)Ages 18 47; 72% male

25 At-Risk UsersAges 28 77; 52% male9 Older users (over 60)

What did they do?REALMParticipants each completed several formsParking permitUser name and passwordMedical/Optical clinic intake formStudy design:

Participants

REALM health literacy reading testParticipants

At risk reading Demographics

At risk reading levels 8% at or below 3rd grade level16% 4th-6th grade level48% 7th 8th grade 28% High school +

ParticipantsParticipants completed a series of forms to Voter registrationGet a parking permitSign in at a medical clinicParticipate in future studies (paper)

MethodStudy design:

3 x 3 x 3 design / Latin square presentation

VariablesInstruction placementInstruction visibilityForm Layout

MeasuredErrorsLooking patterns/Instruction engagement

MethodInstruction location

Top of SectionAbove FieldRight of FieldMethodInstruction visibility

Method

Wizard/GatedAccordionLong pagePage layout

Method

Low literacy participants Took twice as long do complete the task and they often didnt finish.

(30 mins vs. 60 mins)Findings

Low literacy

Findings

^^ Instructions above the field got most noticeInstructionLocationInstruction EngagementUser TypeExpertLow LitOver 60Above62.78116.47*89.5@ Right45.6557.6543.56Section head72.3360.1270.43Findings

Older users & experts engaged when needed

Low literacy users tended not to engage

< No engagement with the instruction linksFindings

Instruction Engagement (Clicks)User TypeExpertLow LitOver 60Button2.18.652.56Text Link3.181.13*3.00Visible Text5.294.885.50Input ErrorsUser TypeExpertLow LitOver 60Button2.673.241.78Text Link1.884.75*2.88Visible Text1.944.131.88^^ ^^They looked more but comprehension was shaky< People clicked links more often than buttonsInstructionVisibilityFindings

^^ ^^At-risk users didnt predict how the accordion would look.FormLayoutAccordionPercent CompletionUser TypeExpertLow LitOver 60Step One100%100%100%Step Two100%75%75%Step Three100%56%63%Step Four100%38%50%WizardPercent CompletionUser TypeExpertLow LitOver 60Step One100%100%100%Step Two100%75%88%Step Three100%81%100%Step Four100%94%100%ScrollingPercent CompletionUser TypeExpertLow LitOver 60Step One100%100%100%Step Two100%81%88%Step Three100%81%88%Step Four100%94%100%Findings

Low literacy

Findings

Low literacy

< Accordions violate the Rule of Least Astonishment

Findings

Low literacy findings

Participants had ideas and expectations about how the interaction might work, but tended not to try them spontaneously.

Usernames and passwords were foreign to them. Most didnt have an email.

Low engagement with help information Didnt look at buttons / links If they did, they tended not to engage

Findings

< Participants did not read the page headingFindings

Low literacy

Findings

Experts expect the form to fix it for them

Findings

Instruction location

Top of SectionAbove FieldRight of FieldUse this Recommendations

Instruction visibility

2nd choiceUse this Recommendations

Page layout

Wizard/GatedAccordionLong pageDont use this (!!)Recommendations

Work in progress

Thanks!Questions?

For questions later, contact kath@usability.org