Testing Content

TESTING CONTENTAngela Colter@angelacolter #testconMay 9, 2011

“If at any time during any rolling consecutive twelvebilling cycle period you fail to make two MinimumPayments on a timely basis or exceed your Credit Limittwice we may elect to increase your Purchase, CashAdvance and/or Balance Transfer APRs to the PenaltyAPRs. All Penalty APRs will remain in effect until, in asubsequent rolling consecutive six billing cycle period,you do not exceed your Credit Limit at any time andyou make all of your required Minimum Payments on atimely basis when, in your next billing cycle, all PenaltyAPRs will no longer apply.

WHY TESTYOUR CONTENT?

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Readability FormulaUsability TestCloze Test

READABILITYFORMULA

Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level Formula # words # syllables.39 x + 11.8 x – 15.59 = grade level # sentences # words

Whether youre a content strategyveteran or curious about where tostart, this is your conference. 9TH GRADE

Conference this youre where orveteran your about strategy iswhether a content start curious to. 9TH GRADE

FORMULAS· Quickly estimate text difficulty· Produce an easily understood metric· Can help you argue for funding to test with users· Are not magic· Should not be your only evaluation method· Are not a guide for writing good content

“Improving comprehension by writingto a readability formula is like lightinga match under a thermometerto warm up a room.–George Klare

USABILITY TEST

Did youunderstand that?

Find out what users do,not what they say they do.–Jakob Nielsen

Find out what users understand,not what they say they understand.–Me

How to design a usability test Recruit the right participants Identify critical issues to users and business Create tasks that test those issues Ask users to think aloud, paraphrase Know what the correct answer looks like

THIS TASK:• Buy a Zone 2 TrailPassTESTS THIS CONTENT:• Where is the online store?• Can I figure out how to use it to make a purchase?

THIS TASK:• Buy a pass that suits your needs.TESTS THIS CONTENT:• Where is the online store?• Can I figure out how to use it to make a purchase?• What modes of transportation will I use?• Are my start and end stations in the city?• How many times a week will I use it?• How many days are left in the month?

USABILITY TESTS· Tell you what problems users have· Reveal why they are having problems· Make you feel the user’s pain· End opinion-based arguments· Can require lots of time and resources

CLOZE TEST

andyrutledge.com/closure.php

CANCELLATION AND SUBSTITUTION POLICYYou can transfer your ______ registration tosomeone else ______ up to May 3 ______no charges or penalties. ______ note that ifyou ______ up for both the ______ and aworkshop, you’ll ______ to transfer bothregistrations; ______ are no partialsubstitutions ______ registrants.

How to create a Cloze test Take at least a 125-word sample of text Remove every 5th word Go for 25-50 blanks Ask users to fill in the exact word the author used Calculate the percentage of exact matches

How to score a Cloze test 60% or more: appropriate 40-60%: may need additional help 40% or less: too difficult

CLOZE TESTS· Indicate whether material is appropriate for a given audience.· Take into account reader’s prior knowledge of the subject matter· Take little time to design, administer and score· Do not require subject matter expertise

Comparison of testing methods Formula Cloze UsabilityPeople Just you As many as it takes to As many as it takes to convince you (5+) convince you (5+)Time Very quick Quick Not quickCost Low Mid High $0-$100 $0-$25 per participant $100+ per participantContent Text Text Text and Wireframes

WANT MORE?Web: angelacolter.comA List Apart: alistapart.com/articles/testing-content/Email: acolter@electronicink.comTwitter: @angelacolter

Testing Content

by Angela Colter on May 12, 2011

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