Given at UXPA-DC's User Focus Conference, Oct. 19, 2012

1. Usability Issues and User Experience
Evaluation of Surveys
Jennifer Romano Bergstrom, Ricardo Carvalho,
Sarah Keaton, Jonathan Mendelson
User Focus 2012

2. Introduction
• Panel members
• Usability principles for surveys
• Surveys as a method or as an analysis tool
Usability.gov/guidelines
Krug: Don’t Make Me Think
2

3. Usability Issue 1
3

4. Usability Guidelines
1. Page Layout
– Structure for easy comparison: Users should be able
to compare two pages easily
2. Labels
– Use unique and descriptive headers: Headers
should conceptually relate to the items in the section
– Highlight critical data: Visually distinguish important
page items that require user attention
Usability.gov/guidelines
Krug: Don’t Make Me Think

5. Usability Issue 2
Refusals by Item
A 0.7%
B 0.8%
C 2.9%
D 0.9%
E 0.9%
F 0.9%
G 1.0%
H 0.9%
I 0.9%
J 1.0%

6. Usability Guidelines
1. Page Layout
– Visually align page elements: Users can scan items
easier
– Choose appropriate line lengths: Readers read
faster (skim) when line lengths are long
Usability.gov/guidelines

7. Usability Issue 3
Negative Positive
Negative
Positive
7

8. Usability Guidelines
1. Organize Information Clearly
– Clear and logical structure should be apparent to
users
2. Consistency
– Be consistent throughout: Users should not have to
think
Usability.gov/guidelines
Krug: Don’t Make Me Think

9. Usability Issues and User Experience
Evaluation of Surveys
Jennifer Romano Bergstrom, Ricardo Carvalho,
Sarah Keaton, Jonathan Mendelson
User Focus 2012