The Information Experience Laboratory (IE Lab) at the University of Missouri conducts usability and user experience research to improve learning technologies, information systems, and digital products. The IE Lab uses various methods like task analysis, think aloud protocols, surveys, focus groups, card sorting, and heuristic evaluations to test users' experiences. Insights from usability studies help create more effective and satisfying designs that are easier to use. The IE Lab works with clients across various fields and has tools for in-person and remote usability testing.

1. S C H O O L O F I N F O R M AT I O N S C I E N C E A N D
L E A R N I N G T E C H N O LO G I E S
INFORMATION
EXPERIENCE
LABORATORY
University of Missouri
Dr. Isa Jahnke
Director of the IELab
and Associate Professor of Learning
Technologies
Web http://ielab.missouri.edu

2. WHAT IS THE IE LAB?
Founded in 2003
• The Information Experience Laboratory, IE Lab – is a usability and
user experience lab …
• … with the mission to improve learning technologies, information and
communication systems.
The IE Lab conducts research and evaluates digital technology for
clients in diverse fields, for example, journalism, healthcare, medicine,
computer science and education, and more.
Our collaborators and clients are from School of Journalism, College of
Engineering, MU Extension, College of Business, Medical School and so
forth

3. WHAT IS USABILITY?
Usability measures the quality of a User’s eXperience (UX) when interacting
with a product or system—e.g., a web site, a software application, mobile technology,
and digital games.
In general, usability refers to how well users can use a product to achieve their goals
and how satisfied they are with that process/workflow.
• Ease of use
• Satisfaction
• Efficiency of use
• Error frequency and severity
Image Source: www.katzenbergdesign.net

4. WHY IS USABILITY IMPORTANT? (1)
BENEFITS
Business view
• Provides early evidence of success (allows you to confirm the validity of design early
the development process)
• Improves risk management (lets you test and choose on the design to proceed with)
• Cheaper (decreases cost of development)
• Faster (shortens development timeline)
• Increases sales (better products design and effectiveness)

5. Design/Research view
• More accurate designs (a more accurate picture of user needs)
• Proof that your design or prototype works (validation of designs, proof of concepts)
• Accurate picture of workflow (know how users work before coding)
• Reduced task time (improved user performance)
• Higher satisfaction (users will be able to find what they need faster)
• Higher motivation (users will be motivated to use and return to your website)
WHY IS USABILITY IMPORTANT? (2)
BENEFITS

6. ITERATIVE PROCESS OF TECHNOLOGY
DEVELOPMENT AND USABILITY STUDIES

7. METHODS
Task Analysis
Think Aloud
SUS – System Usability Score
Focus Groups
Card Sort
Walkthroughs
Comparative Evaluation
Nielsen’s 10 heuristics
Persona
Data/Web or Learning analytics

8. Task Performance / User testing
Identifies main goals of the system and
models tasks based on these goals,
then users conduct the tasks
Think Aloud
Users are asked to give a
running
commentary on their
thoughts as
they perform tasks.
Game
Performance

9. Image Source: :
https://www.flickr.com/photos/europedistrict/6683158541/player/6e53b9bfc8
Focus Groups
Six to eight representative users
are interviewed as a group to
provide input on system
content, design, or usability.
SUS
System Usability Scale: survey
tool, data collection instrument
for user’s subjective rating of a
product’s usability; range of 0-
100%

10. Card Sort
Categorize system content, user input
on how the site should be designed.
Cognitive Walkthrough
Hypothetical scenario helps to
reveal problems not readily
discovered on the surface.
Image Source: https://davdva.sk/vseobecna-semantika/

11. Comparative Evaluation
Systems more or less equivalent
to the system under review are
identified.
Heuristic Evaluation
with Nielsen’s 10 Heuristics
The system is evaluated by three
or four experts using a standard list
of usability heuristics.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/kentbye/1555744482

12. Persona
Profiles of representative
users and their potential
tasks in the system
Data Analytics
Monitors and analyzes your
web site traffic.

13. TOOLS
Morae
(Mobile) Eyetracking
Qualtrics Survey Tool
Prototyping Tools
Zoom (for remote testing)

14. The Information
Experience Lab has the
ability to conduct in-
person and remote
usability testing

15. New trends in usability and user experience work:
• Methods for evaluating the user’s experience
in immersive VR/AR/XR and 360 degree
videos
• Pedagogical usability check lists
• Sociotechnical heuristics

16. Thank you
ielab.missouri.edu