Usability and Usability Testing of Websites: An Example Redesign for Sargent Manufacturing A Major Qualifying Project Submitted to the faculty of Worcester Polytechnic Institute in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Bachelor of Science, Professional Writing Submitted By: Joseph Sceviour Submitted on 5/22/10 Submitted To: Project Advisor: Chrysanthe Demetry Email: [email protected] Contents Table of Figures ............................................................................................................................................. 4 Abstract ......................................................................................................................................................... 5 Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 6 Background ................................................................................................................................................... 8 Perspectives on Usability .......................................................................................................................... 8 Usability Engineering ................................................................................................................................ 9 Web Interfaces ........................................................................................................................................ 10 Cultural Usability ..................................................................................................................................... 11 Discount Usability Engineering ............................................................................................................... 12 Heuristic Evaluation ............................................................................................................................ 14 Scenarios ............................................................................................................................................. 14 User and Task Observation ................................................................................................................. 14 Simplified Thinking Aloud ................................................................................................................... 15 Between Subject vs. Within Subject Testing ....................................................................................... 15 A Case Study: The Sargent Manufacturing Website ............................................................................... 16 Methodology ............................................................................................................................................... 20 Identifying Different Users ...................................................................................................................... 21 Recruiting Testers ................................................................................................................................... 21 Employing the Discount Usability Testing Approach .............................................................................. 22 Initial Heuristic Evaluation .................................................................................................................. 22 User and Task Observation ................................................................................................................. 22 Simplified Thinking Aloud ................................................................................................................... 23 Scenarios ............................................................................................................................................. 23 Heuristic Evaluation of Redesign ........................................................................................................ 24 User and Task Observation of Redesign ............................................................................................. 24 Compare, Repeat as Necessary ........................................................................................................... 24 Usability Problems with the Initial Website................................................................................................ 25 Redesign of the Access Control Section of the Sargent Manufacturing Website ....................................... 31 Reflections on Usability Testing .................................................................................................................. 43 Heuristics................................................................................................................................................. 43 Scenarios ................................................................................................................................................. 43 2 | P a g e User Task Observation ............................................................................................................................ 43 Simplified Thinking Aloud ....................................................................................................................... 44 Cultural Usability Testing ........................................................................................................................ 44 Works Cited ................................................................................................................................................. 46 Appendix 1 .................................................................................................................................................. 47 Testing Introduction Form ...................................................................................................................... 47 Testing Situation # 1 Background ........................................................................................................... 48 Testing Situation # 1 Metrics .................................................................................................................. 48 Testing Situation # 2 Background ........................................................................................................... 49 Testing Situation # 2 Metrics .................................................................................................................. 49 Testing Situation # 3 Background ........................................................................................................... 50 Testing Situation # 3 Metrics .................................................................................................................. 50 Post-Testing Interview Questions ........................................................................................................... 51 3 | P a g e Table of Figures Figure 1 Circuit of Culture (Melles, 2008) ................................................................................................... 12 Figure 2 Nielsen, "Why You Only Need to Test with 5 Users" .................................................................... 13 Figure 3 Sargent Manufacturing's Homepage www.sargentlock.com ....................................................... 17 Figure 4 Methodology Flowchart ................................................................................................................ 20 Figure 5 Sargent Main Page with Jargon Highlighted ................................................................................. 25 Figure 6 Poor Image Recognition on Current Sargent Site ......................................................................... 28 Figure 7 No Common Information Section ................................................................................................. 29 Figure 8 No Common Information Section (continued) ............................................................................. 29 Figure 9 Titles Looking Like Links ................................................................................................................ 30 Figure 10 Icon Users Cannot Click ............................................................................................................... 30 Figure 11 Old Access Control Page ............................................................................................................. 31 Figure 12 New Access Control Page ............................................................................................................ 32 Figure 13 Product Comparison ................................................................................................................... 34 Figure 14 Product Line Sub-Page ................................................................................................................ 36 Figure 15 Hover-Over Text .......................................................................................................................... 38 Figure 16 Product Line and Hardware Combination Page .......................................................................... 38 Figure 17 Levers, Finishes, and Options ...................................................................................................... 40 Figure 18 Product Identifier (Top) .............................................................................................................. 41 Figure 19 Product Identifier (Bottom) .......................................................................................................