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USC 5.0 redesign: Initial user testing results

 

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Matthew Paul Thomas wrote on 13/06/11 10:20:
>...
>> On 10/06/11 16:00, Matthew Paul Thomas wrote:
>> ...
>>> We now have three (well, nearly three) mockups of possible layouts,
>>> and we will test these with users on Monday and Tuesday. Then we'll
>>> pick one, refine it, and publish it, before testing it some more the
>>> week afterwards.
>...
> Here they are: <http://imgur.com/a/AoTo4>
>
> Remember that we are mainly testing the layout and elements at this
> stage. The visual design (spacing, colors, fonts, etc) may change a lot
> later on.
>...

So last week our user researcher, Andreea Vaduva, presented these three
sketches to nine separate participants. (Calum Pringle and I sat in on
one session each.) To begin with, she asked general questions about
their experience with applications, how they learn about new
applications, how they think of an application store, and how it differs
from a physical store.

Then she used the interface sketches as stimulus to find out what the
participants wanted to see when browsing for software (and whether any
of the metaphors we'd suggested might be helpful in informing the layout
and choice of information). She asked each participant to identify and
discuss features that jumped out at them, either positively or
negatively. She also asked them what kind of information they required
when looking for and selecting an application.

Andreea and Calum have reviewed this summary of the feedback collected,
and given permission to post it:

1.  Overall, participants preferred the first ("Clockwork") and second
    ("Holidays") designs -- because they saw the third ("Michelle")
    design as containing too much information.

2.  Participants generally wanted to see the name, picture (icon), and
    rating for each application shown. As well as mentioning those
    things specifically, they expressed dissatisfaction with elements
    that used icons with no names, and lists that included names and
    ratings with no icons.

3.  People require a variety of ways of finding things, including
    categories, themed lists, and search.

4.  The most useful elements identified were the "Top Rated", "Most
    Popular", and "Recommended For You" lists, though a few participants
    expressed uncertainty about how they could tell why recommendations
    had been made. They also liked "new features" and shortlisted items,
    but disliked "Staff Picks", because they thought it would be what
    "techy people" were recommending.

5.  Participants expressed a general preference for simple layouts with
    a small number of sections.

6.  Participants liked seeing videos on the home screen, but weren't
    interested in seeing reviews there.

Calum and I have now produced composite wireframes, that we think take
the best elements from each of the three previous designs. Andreea is
using these in a second round of testing starting today.

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References