Hylink Website Usability Tests
01 Usability Goals
What is the purpose of the site? Hylink is a source for clients and/or other users to gain insight into our work and get contact details. It is also a resource for people seeking employment.
What are the goals of the site? Credible, trustworthy, reliable, research-based and peer-reviewed content Current and well-timed content Clear and meaningful communication
Who are the users of the site? Primary Audience: Clients and colleagues of Hylink Secondary Audience: Interested viewers, users who stumbled in from search engine, potential employees, etc. (everyone else)
02 Usability Research Goals
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Iterative design consists of creating paper or computer prototypes, testing the prototypes, and then making changes based on the test results. The ’test and make changes’ process is repeated until the website meets performance benchmarks (usability goals). The iterative design process helps to substantially improve the usability of websites, improve task completion rates, and improve user satisfaction.
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(usability.gov)
Overview We would like to know if visitors to our website find the information they came there to obtain. Alternatively, when users stumble upon our website, we want to know if it is appealing enough for them to explore.
Research Objectives Is the website’s information presented in an efficient manner? Is the user engaged enough to explore? Do the users leave the website feeling “impressed”? Can the users access their desired information efficiently? (I.e. speed)
How are we measuring our success? Measured on user satisfaction (i.e. surprise, relief, frustration, etc.) Qualitative and quantitative, i.e. basing our results on both mood and statistical data
Test Objectives Does the user know where to click to access key information? Based on the terminology presented to the user, do they know what functionalities are being offered to them? If they understand the terminology, where do they decide to click first? How does the experience differ from desktop to mobile? Is it better or worse?
What is our methodology for testing the users? We are using the existing website as a testing environment. We drafted a test plan that contained an introduction, 5 tasks, and a satisfaction rating scale. Example question(s): “What are you looking for?” or “Is it difficult or hard to find?” Example question(s): “If we can change something, what would it be?”
03 Usability Test Plan
Introduction Thank you for being a part of our usability test for the Hylink website. We are going to ask some general questions related to our website, and then ask you to complete five small tasks. As we move through the test, we need you to think out loud. All of your responses are helpful. Please let us know if anything is unclear. There are no right or wrong answers to our questions.
Tasks Task 1 Where would you click first? Task 2 Find and explain a specific case study or project completed by Hylink. Task 3 Find contact information and location for Hylink in Los Angeles. Task 4 Find out what services Hylink offers. Task 5 Get an idea of company culture and the people that work there.
Follow Up: Rate your satisfaction on a scale of 1-10 Find the information you were looking for? Intriguing Content Ease of Use Terminology & Language (Understandable) Overall Satisfaction
04 Usability Test Results
*One user both scrolled and then clicked “Work.”
Task 1 - Where would you click first? “Work” -- 2.5 Users* Scrolls Down -- 1.5 Users* Insight: Work and the Home page should be our main focus during redesign, because these will most likely be the most visited pages.
Task 2 - Find & explain a specific case study or project completed by Hylink Fail 1 Pass 3 Insight: The projects should be organized in a clear way, with clickable images. All users disliked the font choice, and some felt the media strategy was a bit vague. Individual project pages need to be more visually appealing.
Task 3 - Find contact information and location for Hylink in Los Angeles Fail 0 Pass 4 Insight: All feel that it isn’t clear that Hylink has 14 offices, but the contact information itself was easy to find. It should also be a link in the main nav.
Task 4 - Find out what services Hylink offers Fail 0 Pass 4 Insight: Most think that “Our Capabilities” should be restated, maybe “Our Services.” The page needs a more professional and “high class” look.
Task 5 - Get an idea of company culture and the people that work there Fail 4 Pass 0 Insight: Users thought that the “team” looked very serious, and as if only six people worked there. The “People” pg makes the company seem serious and unfriendly. Generally, this area needs a more personal touch.
05 Overall Insights
Overall User Satisfaction Finding information you’re looking for: 6.75 / 10 Intriguing content: 5.25 / 10 Ease of Use: 7.25 / 10 Terminology & Language: 7.5 / 10 Overall: 6.25 / 10
Overall Redesign Insights The website redesign will require an overhaul in both content and visual design. It is in need of more engaging content, which is organized in a clear and visually pleasing way. It is also in need of a more personal touch, to create an understanding of Hylink’s company culture and style. What’s important here is for a visitor to our website to understand why we started, what we do, and what our philosophy is as a company. The prominence and creativity of Hylink should shine through in our web presence.
Hylink Website Trends Research
01 User Experience Trends
Long scroll single page designs
Cinemegraphs
Focus on Micro-Interactions
Hover Animations
Content Focused Design / Design Storytelling
Hero Images
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The goal with user experience is to facilitate and encourage efficient and effective human-computer interactions.
02 Web Design Trends
Material Design
Diverse Type Treatments
Sophisticated Data Visualization
Organic Layouts
Subdued Color Contrast
The End