Team: Gerard Samson, Haochen Shen, Jiatong Gu, Jiten Thakkar, Michaela Jackson
This case study provides an overview of the methodologies used in the moderated user testing, discusses the findings in-depth, and outlines the prioritized recommendations. It highlights the importance of continuous improvement in digital interfaces to meet users’ evolving needs and expectations, ultimately enhancing their experience with innovative digital interactions on Artle.
Duration:
6 weeks
(Spring 2024)
Role:
UX Consultant
Usability Studies,
UX Research
Tools:
Figma, Figjam, Google Workspace, Slack, Zoom
Project Overview
Artle, the online spin-off of Wordle created by the National Gallery of Art (NGA), offers players a unique opportunity to explore the museum’s extensive collection and engage with art in a fun and interactive way. With its vast array of artworks, ranging from paintings to sculptures, Artle serves as a virtual gateway to the world of art and creativity.
Recognizing the importance of providing users with a seamless and enriching online experience, NGA partnered with the Pratt Institute to conduct an extensive user testing initiative focused on enhancing the digital interface of Artle. The collaboration aimed to identify key areas for improvement and implement enhancements that would refine the user journey within the game.
How can we enhance the user experience on Artle to make it more intuitive, engaging, and informative?
Through rigorous testing and analysis, by the end of our project, four critical recommendations were identified to optimize Artle’s usability and appeal. These recommendations address various aspects of the user experience, from simplifying navigation to enhancing the presentation of artist information.
The Process
The project objectives were set in consultation with our clients, aiming to identify usability issues within the daily game and past games page, collect feedback for potential game improvements, and assess the experience of new players.
Our target user groups comprised Fun Seekers, New Users, Art Affiliates, and Mobile users, as specified by the clients. Fun Seekers are individuals seeking interactive experiences or content for themselves or their children. To recruit participants from these groups, we distributed a screening questionnaire using Google Forms across the Pratt Institute community via mass email and Instagram stories, offering a $10 Amazon gift card incentive provided by Pratt Institute.
Participants were chosen based on their questionnaire responses, which delved into game preferences, device usage, art interest, and involvement in the arts/museum scene.
Questionaire Analysis:
The only ideal participant type that was not somehow represented was the parents likely to play with their children. This missing identity was due to scheduling conflicts with the potential user that fit this criteria.
Testing
After selecting participants, we developed pre and post-test questionnaires. The pre-test questionnaire gathered user demographics, while the post-test focused on extracting insights into thoughts, opinions, and behaviors. Both surveys included a mix of open-ended questions and rating scale assessments. During testing sessions, evaluators verbally presented questions from the questionnaires, recording responses for analysis. To ensure consistency, we followed a detailed moderator script covering instructions, task descriptions, and participant debriefing. Participants explicitly consented to audio/video recording using a consent form. We prioritize replicating professional testing center setups for our testing process by using separate rooms for the moderator conducting the test with the participant and the observation process.
Through insights gained through user testing and competitor analysis (both can found in the Appendix), we were able to approach client recommendations in a creative manner.
“This looks like some sort of ad because of the visuals and the banner.”
User 4
Recommendation 1: Enhance the presentation of the past games button
The Problem:
The “Past Games” button, despite its prominent positioning within the interface, faces usability challenges stemming from its unclear purpose and copywriting. Consequently, users tend to overlook it during their interaction with the interface, hindering their ability to access the game’s historical content efficiently
The Solution:
We suggested relocating the button to the upper right corner of the interface, aligning with a universal standard. This adjustment aims to enhance user navigation, fostering a more intuitive and confident browsing experience.
The biggest take away from this recommendation is to simplify the copywriting and presentation of buttons on the game page to help users have a clearer understanding of their purpose.
“I’m wondering if it is all by the same artist”
User 2
Recommendation 2: Optimize the ‘How to Play’ Feature
The Problem:
Many users experienced confusion when first interacting with the interface. Instead of clicking the “How to Play” button at the top for guidance, they immediately dove into the interface, leading to frustration. This lack of initial instruction caused many participants to frantically click around to discover which interactions were available.
The Solution:
To address this, we recommended implementing game instructions as a pop-up before gameplay begins. This approach will facilitate smoother gameplay by providing users with guidance upfront. The new “How to Play” text box also includes visual elements to help the users further understand the instructions.
The biggest takeaway from this recommendation is to implement game instructions as a pop-up before gameplay begins to provide users with upfront guidance. This will provide new users with clear instructions on how to navigate the game, reducing confusion and improving their overall gaming experience.
“It would nice for me to see all four images of the game after I solved it”
User 9
Recommendation 3: Improve Display of Artist Information
The Problem:
Players expressed interest in delving deeper into the artworks and artists featured in the game. However, upon clicking on the artist’s name, they were redirected to an external website with a brief biography that did not directly relate to the artworks showcased in the game. This discrepancy left users feeling disappointed with the lack of relevant information provided.
The Solution:
Our proposed solution involved enhancing the post-game experience by providing users with additional information about the artist and artwork, along with incorporating visual elements to enhance user gratification. This includes implementing an ending screen that dynamically displays relevant details about the artist and artwork. Additionally, incorporating celebratory text for winning outcomes and encouraging messages for losing scenarios aims to foster user engagement and retention.
The biggest takeaway from this recommendation is to incorporate detailed artist information directly within the game interface to make it easily accessible. This will help retain site traffic and reduce the effort required for users to find information about artists after playing the game.
“The filter should have options instead of having to scroll to find them”
User 8
Recommendation 4: Optimize Feedback Mechanisms for Filtering
The Problem:
The existing interface enables users to organize past games by date, but it lacks a dedicated calendar view, making it difficult for users to locate specific dates efficiently. Moreover, although the current filter system provides options for refining search criteria, users face uncertainty because there is no visual feedback upon selecting filters.
The Solution:
We suggested adding a visible display of selected filters, like a sidebar or summary section, that remains visible while users navigate. Additionally, including an “apply filter” button prominently alongside the filter options will provide immediate confirmation of selected filters, reducing the need for users to seek reassurance. Lastly, introducing a calendar view of past games will enhance users’ ability to locate specific dates efficiently.
The biggest takeaway from this recommendation is to enhance the filtering system to provide clearer feedback to users, helping them understand how their selections are influencing the displayed content and making the filtering process more intuitive.
“Making it more engaging, and make it feel like a game. And not just a search engine.”
User 7
Next, we made the bold decision to completely redesign the current gameplay interface in response to user feedback indicating that the game was not enjoyable to interact with. Many users expressed frustration over the dropdown menu and the lack of hints provided, especially making the game difficult for new users.
Recommendation 5: Introduce New Gamification Features
The Problem:
While the current game mode may be suitable for veteran players and those accustomed to similar games, it presents challenges for new players and may not align with their comprehension.
The Solution:
We’ve introduced a new game mode, drawing inspiration from Hangman and Wordle, with the specific goal of improving the onboarding process for new players. In this mode, players are provided with the number of letters in the artist’s name, akin to Hangman, to help them get started with their guesses. After their initial attempt, they receive visual cues indicating which letters are correct, correctly placed, or incorrect, similar to the mechanics in Wordle.
Missed Opportunities:
Although we thoroughly assessed the past game and gameplay pages, we unfortunately neglected to evaluate users’ interactions with the game grouping feature and its impact on accessing Artle’s past games. However, we proposed integrating links to the game grouping page within both the gameplay and past game pages, complemented by compelling and interactive copywriting.
Conclusion:
Our recommendations were positively received by the clients, who appreciated our bold and creative approach. We emphasized the boldness of our suggestions, reflecting the bold feedback we received. In our final meeting, we dedicated time to assist the clients in brainstorming practical steps to implement our recommendations. We summarized the key takeaways from each recommendation discussed earlier. However, we regretted overlooking certain aspects within our scope due to our team’s focus on challenges outside of it. We hope the clients will consider exploring these missed areas in the future.
Appendix:
Observations not included:
- Only 1 participant successfully completed the game
- 2 participants did not successful complete task 2