1. Adam Almohtadi
Usability Test for www.OmahaZoo.com
Test Preparation:
To prepare for the usability tests, I first went through each one myself. While looking at
the website for the first time I found the layout to be attractive and user friendly at first glance.
The home page seemed to have elements of both fun and business incorporated together.
The navigation seemed easy to use and easy to understand for both the experienced and
non experienced user. The above the fold section of the website contained everything a user
would need to access any part of the website and wasn’t too cluttered, which I liked in both a
design and usability sense.
Task 1: Determine the following information about the Lozier IMAX Theater
1. What films are currently playing?
2. Go through the process of buying IMAX tickets to any show — Go as far as possible
before actually purchasing
While walking through Task 1, I was easily able to find the IMAX section through the
navigation menu on the home page. Once in the IMAX section of the website, I was able to
quickly find the show times due to the simplicity of the page and the highlighted “click here”
2. Adam Almohtadi
option to view current show times. I was able to see that Journey to the South Pacific 2D,
Island of the Lemurs: Madagascar 3D, and Rocky Mountain Express 3D were all currently
playing in the IMAX theater. Upon continuing to the second part of Task 1 to purchase IMAX
tickets online, I was able to quickly navigate to the ticket section of the website due to the
conveniently located side navigation bar. However, even though it was easy to find where to
purchase tickets, I did not like how the website requires you to make an account before
buying the tickets online. I feel that it is a hassle to go through this to purchase tickets and
may cause users to avoid buying tickets online due to not wanting to go through the process
of restoring first.
Task 2: Determine who is eligible for the zoo’s job shadow and internship program
While conducting Task 2 of the usability test, I was again able to quickly navigate to
the internships and job shadowing portion of the website due to the easy navigation bar at
the top of the page, which clearly featured a careers and volunteer tab. Once on the desired
page, the highlighted text directed me right to the desired information, where I was able to
see that the internships are available to all college students and graduates. Also, I was able to
see that job shadowing opportunities are available to 11th grade through college level
students. This page also offers information on how to contact those in charge of these
programs for further information which I found very convenient, because the user would not
need to search the site in order to inquire further on these two topics.
3. Adam Almohtadi
Task 3: Determine which areas of the zoo are available for weddings. Determine why people
want to get married at the zoo.
I was again able to quickly navigate to the wedding section of the website due to the
clear and simple navigation. From the info provided on this page, I was able to infer that the
both the aquarium and all of the exhibits at the zoo were available for wedding ceremonies
and receptions. The bold, linked text featured on the wedding page led me to the info
pertaining to why zoo weddings are becoming more popular and why people chose to have
them. Having the link a different color made it very easy for me to see that it was in fact a
clickable link which made it very simple for me. I was then able to read that people choose to
have their weddings at the zoo or aquarium for a wedding that was out of the norm, and for a
new experience.
Task 4:
• Determine the following information related to Stingray Beach
1. Can guests touch the stingrays?
2. What are the hours of operation of this exhibit?
3. What is the fee, and how does one pay?
When I attempted to complete Task 4, I was unable to find any information on Stingray
Beach when using the navigation bar. I went to the exhibits tab on the navigation menu, and
4. Adam Almohtadi
selected the aquarium tab, the only option that I believed would contain information on
Stingray Beach. However, once on this page, I clicked to download the information on the
aquarium exhibits and could not find any information whatsoever on Stingray Beach. Besides
not being able to find the requested information, I also did not like how I had to download a
pdf file to access the information on the aquarium exhibits. I feel as though many users would
not want to download any addition items in order to find information that they feel should be
included on the website. However, being an experienced user, I then used the search tool
located at the top of the website to find the Stingray Beach exhibit. Once I found this section,
I was easily able to find all the information I needed to complete Task 4 besides how to
purchase the tickets for it. From searching the site, I have came to the conclusion that they do
not give any information on how to purchase tickets for the Stingray Beach. Even though this
was not a big deal for me, I feel as though it would be a big turn off and frustrating to less
experienced web users.
Choosing Participants:
Tester 1: Ann Almohtadi
My first tester I chose to use was my mom. She is a 45 year old nurse and completed
private high school and nursing school. I chose her because I know that she is on the internet
a lot, but often has questions on how to find things so I felt that she was a good blend of the
experienced and not so experienced internet user. She estimates that she spends roughly 6
5. Adam Almohtadi
hours a day during the week browsing the internet, most all of which is done at home since
she is usually very busy at work, and about 8 hours per day on the weekend . She stated that
about 30% of that time spent on the internet was for social media usage. Having visited the
Omaha Zoo multiple times in her life, she is familiar with the site content, despite never
having been on the site before. She considers herself a medium-experienced internet user.
Environment for Tester 1:
• Location of test: The test was conducted in the living room of our home. I chose this area
for testing because I feel that it is a very common place for people to browse the internet.
• Physical Environment: The living room was well lit, as it was during daytime hours and
there are many windows, including two large roof windows. She had just gotten three
puppies a few days before conducting the test, so there was a lot of activity going on
around her, as well as the need for her to keep her eye on them. I feel that this is a good
representation of a typical household and many people have things going on around them
when using the internet.
• Technical Environment: Tester 1 used a MacBook Pro to conduct the test. This computer
was running Google Chrome with a 1280 x 800 screen resolution with no browser add-ons.
The user was connected to a high speed DSL modem via wi-fi while attempting to
complete the tasks given.
Tester 2: Evan Oltremare
6. Adam Almohtadi
Evan is a 23 year old male college student. He is my high-experienced user because
he has grown up in the age of modern technology and has been using computer his whole
life, as well as using them rigorously for college purposes. He is a reasonable tester because
he is much younger than Tester 1 and lives in a different environment, giving a good variety
to the testers. Evan had no previous familiarity with the site content, as Tester 1 did. He claims
to use the internet on average about 56 hours a week, with about 70% being social media
usage.
Environment for Tester 2:
Location of test: Tester 2 took the usability test alone in his room at home. I chose this
location because it is a typical setting for a college student when using the internet, and is the
opposite of the location used for Tester 1.
Physical environment: Tester 2’s bedroom was quite, with no distractions present. There was
average room lighting, and I feel that this is a good environment for the test because it is very
similar to what most college students are used to when they are studying and using the
internet. I like this environment for the test because it is almost the exact opposite as to
where Tester 1 conducted the test, covering both spectrums of internet surfing environments.
Technical environment: Tester 2 used a HP computer to conduct the test. This computer was
running Internet Explorer with a 1280 x 800 screen resolution with no browser add-ons. The
user was connected to a high speed DSL modem via wi-fi while attempting to complete the
tasks given.
7. Adam Almohtadi
Test Results:
Initial Site Thoughts:
• Tester 1 Report: Upon initial arrival to the site, Tester 1 commented on the layout of the
page. She stated that she felt as though the open space on either side of the content was
unnecessary. She didn't like how the whole page wasn't utilized, causing the images and
text to appear smaller than she felt it should be. However, besides the size of the layout, she
liked how simple and clean the page looked and the easy navigation bar located at the top
of the page. Her favorite part of the page was the search tool in the upper corner because
she usually relies on this tool to navigate websites.
Tester 2 Report: Upon arriving at the home page, Tester 1 had many positive things to say. He
really liked how the events and ticket purchasing information to them were available on the
8. Adam Almohtadi
home page without having to navigate to find them. He also liked the layout, saying that it
was very clean and simple looking, yet not boring, making him want to look around and see
what the site had to offer.
Task 1: Determine the following information about the Lozier IMAX Theater
Tester 1:
• What films are currently playing?
Tester 1 approached this task by going to the exhibits tab located on the navigation
menu. Once the menu dropped down, they selected the Lozier IMAX Theater. Upon arriving
at the page, they then selected the highlighted “click here” for showtimes options. Once they
loaded they page they were able to see the information needed to complete the task.
Answer- Journey to the South Pacific, Rocky Mountain Express, Island of the Lemurs:
Madagascar
Completed- Yes
• Go through the process of buying IMAX tickets to any show — Go as far as possible before
actually purchasing. Agree to any terms necessary to purchase tickets online.
While attempting to complete the second part of Task 2, Tester 1 had a difficult time
finding where to purchase tickets at first. They searched near the showtimes to find a link but
could not. After a short time, they differed to the side navigation bar to find the tickets table
and were able to complete the rest of the task.
Completed up to purchase point- Yes
9. Adam Almohtadi
Tester 2:
• What films are currently playing?
Tester 1 approached this task by going to the exhibits tab located on the navigation
menu. Once the menu dropped down, they selected the Lozier IMAX Theater. Upon arriving
at the page, they then selected the highlighted “click here” for showtimes options. Once they
loaded they page they were able to see the information needed to complete the task.
Answer- Journey to the South Pacific, Rocky Mountain Express, Island of the Lemurs:
Madagascar
Completed- Yes
• Go through the process of buying IMAX tickets to any show — Go as far as possible before
actually purchasing. Agree to any terms necessary to purchase tickets online.
While attempting to complete the second part of Task 2, Tester 2 also had a difficult
time finding where to purchase tickets at first. However, they quickly found the tickets tab
located on the side navigation bar and were able to promptly complete the task.
Completed up to purchase point- Yes
• Recommendations to improve UX for this task, linked to Jakob Nielson’s 10 Usability
Heuristics
I believe that this task could have been more easily completed by implementing
Jakob Nielson’s Aesthetic and Minimalist Design of Use heuristic. This heuristic states that
dialogues should not contain information which is irrelevant or rarely needed and that every
extra unit of information in a dialogue competes with the relevant units of information and
10. Adam Almohtadi
diminishes their relative visibility. By adding a highlighted, clickable text option, like the “click
here” link featured on other pages of the website to the showtimes page, users could more
efficiently move from the process of viewing showtimes to purchasing tickets. This would not
only add to the efficiency by featuring a clickable link that is seen on almost every other page
of the site; which would also go along with Neilson’s Consistency and Standards heuristic to
make it consistent with other pages of the site, but also minimize the design by not needing
to have the same option in the side navigation bar as well.
Task 2: Determine who is eligible for the zoo’s job shadow and internship program
Tester 1: Tester 1 approached this task by utilizing the navigation bar located at the top of the
web page. They selected the Careers/Volunteer tab where they then selected careers. After
arriving at the page, they then scrolled to the bottom and selected the highlight link reading
“click here” under job shadowing and internships which lead them to their answers for Task 2.
Answer- 11th Grade-College for Job Shadowing, College-Graduates for Internships.
Completed- Yes
Tester 2: Tester 2 approached this task by utilizing the navigation bar located at the top of the
web page. They selected the Careers/Volunteer tab where they then selected careers. After
arriving at the page, they then scrolled to the bottom and selected the highlight link reading
“click here” under job shadowing and internships which lead them to their answers for Task 2.
Answer- 11th Grade-College for Job Shadowing, College-Graduates for Internships.
Completed- Yes
11. Adam Almohtadi
• Recommendations to improve UX for this task, linked to Jakob Nielson’s 10 Usability
Heuristics
Although both testers completed Task 2 with no problems and in a timely manor,
there is always room for improvements. I believe that Jakob Neilson’s Flexibility and Efficiency
of Use heuristic could be implemented to speed up this process using some sort of
accelerator. This heuristic states that accelerators , unseen by the novice user, may often
speed up the interaction for the expert user such that the system can cater to both
inexperienced and experienced users.
Task 3: Determine which areas of the zoo are available for weddings.
Determine why people want to get married at the zoo.
Tester 1:
• Determine which areas of the zoo are available for weddings
Tester 1 approached this task by clicking on the weddings tab they found under the
rent the zoo title in the navigation bar. Upon arriving at the wedding page, the user was able
to gather the information required for Task 3. They had no problems finding the information
in a timely manner.
Answer- All areas of zoo and aquarium
Completed- Yes
12. Adam Almohtadi
• Determine why people want to get married at the zoo
While still on the weddings page from the first part of Task 3, Tester 1 then selected
the “click here” link featured next to the section that reads “Why are Zoos and Aquariums
increasing in popularity for brides and grooms celebrating their special day?” From there
they were able to answer the second part of Task 3.
Answer- For a different wedding experience or sentimental reasons
Completed- Yes
Tester 2:
• Determine which areas of the zoo are available for weddings
Tester 2 also approached this task by clicking on the weddings tab they found under
the rent the zoo title in the navigation bar. Upon arriving at the wedding page, Tester 2
seemed confused as to where weddings could be help opposed to receptions. They clicked
on the “click here” link under receptions. This lead them to the receptions page where they
gathered the wrong information, assuming it was referring to weddings as a whole.
Answer- Aquarium, education center, restaurant jungle, the pavilion, IMAX theater, and
Garden of Senses.
Completed- No.
13. Adam Almohtadi
• Determine why people want to get married at the zoo
Even though Tester 2 had difficulties finding the areas available for wedding
ceremonies, they were still able to complete the second part of the task. Once back on the
weddings page they then selected the “click here” link featured next to the section that reads
“Why are Zoos and Aquariums increasing in popularity for brides and grooms celebrating
their special day?” From there they were able to answer the second part of Task 3.
Answer- To be wowed by the experience and do something unique and different from
normal weddings
Completed- Yes
• Recommendations to improve UX for this task, linked to Jakob Nielson’s 10 Usability
Heuristics
While Neilson’s heuristics apply to most problems on the web, I couldn't find one that
would suit the issue that Tester 2 had while trying to complete the first part of Task 3. The user
simply misunderstood the material, even though there was no clear problem with the
information given on where weddings could be held. This is a user problem rather than a
design issue, since myself and Tester 1 easily completed the task.
Task 4: Determine the following information related to stingray beach
Tester 1:
• Can guests touch the stingrays?
14. Adam Almohtadi
Tester 1 approached this task by first clicking on the exhibits tab on the navigation bar
and then selecting the Suzanne and Walter Scott Aquarium option. Once on this page they
looked around for information on the Stingray Beach but to no avail. After looking over the
page they typed in stingray beach into the search tool at the top of the website. The search
then directed them to the page that contained information on the stingray beach, from there
they were able to answer the tasks.
Answer- Yes
Completed- Yes
• What are the hours of operation for this exhibit?
Answer- Closed for the season
Completed- Yes
• What is the fee, and how does one pay?
Answer- $3 for members, $4 for non-members, children are free. No information provided for
ticket purchases on page or under ticket section.
Completed- Yes
Tester 2:
• Can guests touch the stingrays?
Tester 2 approached this task by first clicking on the exhibits tab on the navigation bar
and then selecting the Suzanne and Walter Scott Aquarium option. Once on this page they
15. Adam Almohtadi
looked around for information on the Stingray Beach but to no avail. Tester 2 then became
frustrated and gave up on the tasks. They could not complete any part of Task 4.
Answer-
Completed- No
• What are the hours of operation for this exhibit?
Answer-
Completed- No
• What is the fee, and how does one pay?
Answer-
Completed- No
• Recommendations to improve UX for this task, linked to Jakob Nielson’s 10 Usability
Heuristics
Seeing that it took Tester 1 a few attempts to find the info on Stingray Beach and
Tester 2 completely gave up on the task, that there is room for improvement in this area of the
website. I would implement Neilson’s recognition rather than recall heuristic to solve this
problem. This heuristic states that objects, actions, and options should be easily visible to the
user in order to reduce their memory load. I would do this by extending the exhibits drop
down menu to feature all of the exhibits rather than having the tab at the bottom to continue
to more exhibits. Another simpler way they could fix this issue is by simply making the “other
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exhibits” tab a brighter color that sticks out, rather than black which seems to blend in to the
page, and went un-noticed by Tester 2.
Testing Conclusions:
Completion Rate:
Overall, there were 14 combined tasks between testers one and two. Out of the 14
tasks given, 10 were successfully completed. This makes the completion rate of the tests 71%.
Compared to the average completion rate of 78% my testers came up 7% short.
Similarities and Differences:
My testers were similar in the fact that they both have a good amount of experience
using the internet. However, while Tester 1 was my lower experienced user, they ended up
completing more tasks that Tester 2. Overall, their approach to each task was almost the exact
same in that they both relied on the navigation bar to find what the needed. However, I
believe that in the case of this study, that being less experienced helped Tester 1 complete
more of the tasks. This is because Tester 2 was over confident in his skills when it came to
using the internet. He felt that if something wasn't easily visible in the navigation bar that it
simply didn't exist on the website or there was an error with the webpage, rather than
searching different places for info. Tester 1 excelled in the test because she used the search
tool to find information that was not readily available in the navigation bar. I believe this
difference between the two users exists because while one was over confident in skill, the
other took a more simple approach and searched for the missing information rather than
