A presentation on observations and recommendations of a usability testing conducted on the Planetizen Courses website, an online educational platform designed for urban planners, architects, and landscape architects.

1. PLANETIZEN COURSES
Usability Test Report
8.6.2014
Helen Brown

2. Goal
Test Users’ Navigation
Experience
Help Dino find an
instructional video on
Photoshop

3. What Am I Looking for?
• Errors
• Time wasted
• Frustration
• Site abandonment
• Low rating

4. Assumptions
Users have already
registered
Users cannot
use the search
function

5. How was the Test Conducted?
• 6 tasks
• 4 new users
• Video record tasks
• Log comments and notes
How Were the Findings Analyzed?
• Group notes into themes
• Map user journeys
• Recommendations

6. Tasks
1. Can I learn color correction?
2. How do I resume a video?
3. How many new classes have
been added?
4. The video won’t play. Now
what?
5. How much and how long will it
take to learn Photoshop?
6. How many continuing
education credits can I earn?
Class chapters
Lack of feature
New class feature
Troubleshooting
Business model
CM feature

7. Participants
• 2 students
• 1 mid-career planner
• 1 principal architect

8. 5-Second Test

9. 5-Second Test Results
Site design
is clear
Simple,
not too busy
Directed my
eyes…colorful
I’d give my
credit card
number
4.1 out of 5

10. Notes

11. Site and Page Organization

12. Site and Page Organization

13. Site and Page Organization
3
1
45
2
3
4
5
1
2

14. User Journey Map

15. User Journey Map

16. User Journey Map
75%

17. User Journey Map

18. User Journey Map

19. User Journey Map

20. User Journey Synopsis

21. Pages Rarely Visited During the Test

22. Recommendations
• Visual cues and consistency
• Information upfront
• Show don’t tell
• Direct users

23. Visual Cues & Consistency

24. Visual Cues & Consistency

25. Visual Cues & Consistency

26. Visual Cues & Consistency

27. Visual Cues & Consistency - Recommendation

28. Viewing Course Videos
Home Courses Results Individual
Class
Individual
Class Video

29. Viewing Videos - Home page

30. Viewing Videos - Courses page

31. Viewing Videos - Courses Results page

32. Viewing Videos - Individual Class page

33. Viewing Videos - Individual Video page

34. Viewing Videos - Individual Video page, scrolled down

35. Viewing Videos - Recommendations
Home Courses Results Individual
Class
Individual
Class Video

36. Viewing Videos - Recommendations
Legal Issues for Form Based Codes
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Chapters

37. Information Upfront

38. Information Upfront - Recommendation

39. Information Upfront

40. Information Upfront - Recommendation

41. Show Don’t Tell

42. Show Don’t Tell - Recommendation

43. Show Don’t Tell - Recommendation

44. Show Don’t Tell - Recommendation
Lynda knows
what I was
watching
Dashboard is
prominent
Lynda keeps
me interested

45. Show Don’t Tell

46. Show Don’t Tell - Recommendation
What People Are Saying About Us
“I was surprised at how easily I picked up
Photoshop for Beginners. As soon as I finished
the class, I was able to start touching up site
photos.” -Martha Y, city planner for Wonderville
on Introduction to Photoshop for Planners,
Advanced.
“Planetizen Courses’ straightforward videos
helped with learn SketchUp. My presentation
skills have never been better.” -Tomas X,
Urban Designer on SketchUp for Planners,
Advanced.
“Learning GIS on Planetizen helped me gain a
new position as a GIS technician for City of
Irvine. I was able to learn from the convenience
of my home office.” -Angela J. GIS Technician
for AXY on Advanced GIS for Planners.

47. Direct Users

48. Direct Users - Add Links

49. Existing Site Map

50. Proposed Site Map

51. Thank you!
Help Dino find an
instructional video on
Photoshop
Thanks,
Planetizen!