Usability Testing Case Study
Client and Problem Description:
The client for this project was the Pratt Center for Career and Professional Development (CCPD), tasked with supporting students and alumni in their career development journeys. The overarching problem was to enhance the usability and user experience of the CCPD website to better serve its target audience. The specific goals included identifying usability issues, improving navigation and content presentation, and optimizing overall user engagement.
Individual Role and Team:
Our team collaborated on each step of this project. My role in this project is to help the team. brainstorm and be responsible for 1/4 part under each step (Since we have 4 members in our team).
My other team members: are John Veon, and Nidhi Gowda, Lillian MacGuire. Each of us is assigned to do 1/4 job overall at every step. We separated the job almost evenly in every step while we moved forward. Besides the 1/4 job, everyone still has their role in this project.
John is responsible for the project manager and time planning, Lillian speaks a lot when we need opinions for decisions, Nidhi always takes notes while we are meeting, and I always listen and point out some important information when making decisions.
Process Overview
Client Kick-off Meeting:
- Initiated with a client kick-off meeting to understand project goals, target audience, and desired outcomes of the usability testing.
- Discussed key features of the CCPD website, user personas, and usability pain points.
Defining Objectives and User Profiles:
- Defined specific objectives for usability testing, including identifying navigation challenges, assessing content readability, and evaluating feature accessibility.
- Developed user profiles representing typical CCPD website users, such as undergraduate students seeking career resources.
Participant Recruitment:
- Recruited 8 participants matching defined user profiles through targeted outreach to Pratt Institute students interested in career development resources.
- Ensured participants were representative of the CCPD website’s intended user base.
Methodology Selection:
- Selected task-based testing, think-aloud protocols, and navigation exercises to simulate real user interactions and gather meaningful insights.
- Designed user tasks to evaluate key usability aspects and identify pain points in user journeys.
Conducting Usability Testing:
- Conducted usability testing sessions with recruited participants in a controlled environment, capturing participant interactions and feedback.
- Used screen recording and observation techniques to document user behavior and gather qualitative data.
Analyzing Data and Identifying Findings:
- Analyzed usability testing data, including task completion rates, navigation paths, and qualitative feedback from participants.
- Identified key usability issues and pain points based on participant interactions and observations.
Generating Recommendations:
- Developed actionable recommendations to address identified usability issues and enhance user experience on the CCPD website.
- Prioritized recommendations based on impact and feasibility of implementation.
Reporting and Presentation:
- Compiled findings, insights, and recommendations into a comprehensive usability testing report.
- Give our skate holder a presentation for the whole process.
My participants:
For defining objectives and user profiles, I responded to the post-test questions and gave some recommendations on the user profiles. In participant Recruitment, I have been assigned to test two undergraduate students and they are both international students. After testing, I converted the data into documentation and shared it with my team. Before the slide and mock-up were decided, I brainstormed the testing date with my team and came out with some highlight pieces of information. For the slide, I’m responsible for converting the post-test questions and post-task questions data into a graph. Also responsible for the recommendation 4 (the finding and solution for it), and the recap, next step. For the mock-up part, I did the reorganize side bar and some drop down, with a CTA on each page of CCPD website.
Results and Recommendations
There are 4 recommendations outcome for this study, and clients feel very satisfied with our team’s outcome and presentation. I’m responsible for making a CTA for CCPD website and some side bar drop down (screenshots are attached).
Quantitative Findings
Task Completion Rates:
- Users encountered challenges in completing specific tasks, such as accessing Handshake appointments or locating essential information.
- Quantitative data revealed a high number of clicks required to navigate to desired features, indicating inefficient usability.
Time on Task:
Users spent longer than anticipated on tasks due to navigation complexities and dense content, affecting overall user efficiency.
Qualitative Findings
User Feedback:
- Participants expressed frustration with the website’s navigation and information architecture, citing difficulties in finding relevant content.
- Text density and lack of visual hierarchy were highlighted as key issues impacting information processing and comprehension.
Navigation Challenges:
Users struggled to locate essential features and contact information, leading to user dissatisfaction and reduced engagement with CCPD services.
Big Picture Insights
Usability Challenges:
- The product exhibited significant usability challenges, including navigation complexities, dense content presentation, and inefficient information architecture.
- Users faced obstacles in accessing desired features and information, impacting overall user experience and satisfaction.
Impact on User Engagement:
- The usability issues identified had a direct impact on user engagement levels, with users expressing frustration and inefficiency in navigating the website.
- Accessibility barriers, such as the absence of clear calls-to-action and relevant navigation pathways, hindered users’ ability to interact effectively with the CCPD website.
Link to Report and Slide
Final Report: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1sky2_CFdeoejIdO3zpKhsWUeYA046wTdaemSHqMnA04/edit?usp=drive_link
Conclusion
Delivery of Final Results:
The final results of the usability testing were delivered through a detailed report and presentation to the client, highlighting key findings, usability issues, and proposed solutions. The report included quantitative metrics, qualitative insights, and prioritized recommendations to guide improvements on the CCPD website.
Next Steps:
- Collaborating with web development teams to implement recommended changes, such as introducing deep links for streamlined navigation, optimizing content readability, and restructuring information architecture.
- Monitoring post-implementation metrics and user feedback to assess the impact of usability enhancements and iterate based on evolving user needs.
Major Lessons and Takeaways:
- User-Centered Design: The importance of prioritizing user needs and preferences in website design and usability.
- Collaboration and Stakeholder Engagement: The value of continuous collaboration with stakeholders and multidisciplinary teams to drive successful outcomes.
- Iterative Improvement: The need for ongoing iteration and refinement based on user feedback and evolving industry standards to ensure sustained usability and user satisfaction.
SkateHolder Feedback:
They are delighted with our recommendations and saw our effort on this project. CCPD can’t change the sidebar navigation, and many changes are limited. For the handshake share button, they will need to communicate with the department to see if it’s possible to change it. CCPD cares about user’s thinking, but more opinions will affect the department’s decisions on the web page.
