SharePoint and Usability Testing

SharePoint and Usability Testing: Why Aren’t We Doing It?
Chris Poteet
Portal Solutions
@chrispoteetpro
www.siolon.com

What Is Usability Testing?

Definition
“[O]ne user at a time is shown something (whether it’s a Web site, a prototype of a site, or some sketches of individual pages) and asked to either (a) figure out what it is, or (b) try to use it to do a typical task.”
- Steve Krug

Why Aren’t We Doing Usability Testing?

Why Not?
Perceived Cost

Why Not?
Perceived Time

Why Not?
Misinformation

Why Should We DoUsability Testing?

Why?
Verify Content Utility

Why?
Test Information Architectures

Why?
Meets Business’ Needs

Why?
Settles Debates/Resets Focus

Why?
Gives Perspective

Types of Usability Testing

Types
Moderated
A participant is guided by a present moderator.
Unmoderated/Self-Moderated
A participant is given a task list and allowed to work alone.

Types
Local
A participant is in the same room as the moderator.
Remote
A participant either does the test on their own time or over remote technology

Tools for Usability Testing

Tools: Moderated & Remote

Tools: Moderated/Unmoderated & Local

Tools: Unmoderated & Remote

Putting Together a Usability Test

Designing a Test
Discover Content/Activity Emphasis

Designing a Test
Create Test Questions

Designing a Test
Find Participants

Designing a Test
Test Early and Often

Sample Usability Test

Sample Test
Association of the United States Army

Sample Test
Content Emphasis
Conferences
Headline News
Membership Benefits

Sample Test
User Tasks
Find a chapter close to you
What does AUSA do and what services do they provide?
Locate the schedule for a recent annual meeting
What are the benefits of a membership?
What phone number would I use to ask questions?
Discover an upcoming conference that interests you

Designing a Test
View Video

Sample Test
Tester’s Comments
Couldn’t find city for all results
Same results showed up for search / dropdown
About us page for chapter is blank
She was lost in chapter sites
She never found schedule and didn't notice left hand links
She was overwhelmed with the directory. No main number
Found main number after a while
She had no idea how to navigate to the conference result she got

Sample Test
Suggestions
Add city to chapter results
Order by distance away from zip code
In chapter sites use global navigation and move ancillary navigation
Why does "chapter activities" take you to chapter search page?
Add main contact number to contact page. Remove needlessly long list.
Add synonym for conference to search and possibly a best bet

Sample Test
$39

Chris Poteet
Portal Solutions
@chrispoteetpro
www.siolon.com

SharePoint and Usability Testing

by Chris Poteet on Feb 01, 2011

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SharePoint and Usability Testing — Presentation Transcript