IAC 2024 - IA Fast Track to Search Focused AI Solutions
06-13-2012 Can anyone use our portal?
1. Tom Freestone
Senior Developer
Brigham Young University
June 10-15, 2012
Growing Community;
Growing Possibilities
2. Define Usability
◦ What is and is not
usability?
Discuss the
principles of user-
centered design
Designing and
implementing a
usability test
2012 Jasig Sakai Conference 2
3. Not
◦ Not ascetics (e.g.
Branding)
◦ Accessibility
Is
◦ Helping users to
figure out how to get
what they need You can't always get what you
want
But if you try sometimes well
you just might find
You get what you need
(Rolling Stones – You Can’t Always Get What
You Want)
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7. Something of both
actual and
perceived
properties
[3]
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8. Gulf of Execution
◦ Describes the gap
between user’s
mental model for
action and the means
to execute the goal [4]
Satisfice
◦ combining satisfy
with suffice
◦ find the best option
available [5]
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9. Gulf of Evaluation [5]
◦ Difficulty assessing
the state of the
system and how well
the system supports
the discovery and the
interpretation of
state [4]
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10. 2010 Social Networking
◦ 28 % of senior citizens use
social networking
2010 Internet
◦ 50 % of all Senior Citizens are
online.
2010 Cell Phones
◦ Senior Citizens less likely to
send a text then their younger
counterparts [6]
Reason
◦ The lack of intention to use
computers is mainly driven by
the perception that using
computers is a difficult and
complex task that requires a
lot of effort to master [7]
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11. Users are :
◦ In a hurry and want
to save time
◦ Don’t read, they scan
◦ Good at matching
things to task at
hand
◦ If the user thinks it is
“too hard” they are
not going to use it as
often (if at all).
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12. If you don’t know
what your portal
is then its users
don’t have the
time to figure it
out for you
◦ You need a Tag
Line myBYU is your BYU core information, your
way.
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13. What is the portal?
What does the
portal have?
What can I do in the
portal?
Why am I in the
portal (instead of
somewhere else)?
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14. Portal needs to tell
me what it is and
why I care
Site Hierarchy
Search
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15. Portals are
expensive real
estate
◦ Everybody wants a
piece
Too many cooks to
spoil the broth
One size fits all
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16. Focus Groups
◦ Good sampling of users’
opinions
◦ 5-10 people
Web Analytics
◦ Numbers kill The Good
Idea Fairies *
◦ Metrics
Browser Types/Resolutions
Bounce Rate
Repeat Visitors
Engagement
uPortal 4 Event
* An evil mythical creature that whispers advice and ideas without data
into the ears to leadership, causing hundreds unnecessary changes Tracking
and countless wasted man-hours every year.
[http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Good-Idea-Fairymilitary/234595846556002]
2012 Jasig Sakai Conference 16
17. It depends …
myBYU
◦ Start-over
◦ Legacy system needed
to retire
Trade-offs
◦ User Stress (Gulf of
Would you tell
Execution) me, please, which way I ought
◦ Break what works to go from here?'
`That depends a good deal on
where you want to get to,'
Soft Roll-out said the Cat.
`I don't much care where--'
said Alice.
`Then it doesn't matter which
way you go,' said the Cat.
(Lewis Carroll. Alice’s
Adventures in Wonderland)
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18. Will Not
◦ Best Color Scheme
◦ Whether Users like
tabs or pull-downs
◦ Which design is
better than the other
Will
◦ Will tell you if users
can use your portal
◦ You may be surprised
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19. Methodical, Iterative
Process
◦ Scientific Method
Ask a Question
Background Research
Hypothesis
Experiment
Record Observations
Analyze Data
Draw Conclusions
◦ Fair Test
1 Variable Changing
Good design is not
random.
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20. Set-up
◦ Computers
◦ Recording Software
◦ Microphones
◦ Cameras
◦ Test Staff
Test Subjects
◦ 10-20 people
Need to Pay Them
◦ Non-Disclosure
Agreements
2012 Jasig Sakai Conference 20
21. Test Administrator
will ask subject to
do a task(s)
Typically, users will
explain their
actions while they
complete the task
Test(s) can be
watched in an
adjacent room
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22. Design and Usability Center
Bentley University
http://usability.bentley.edu/eye-tracking
Scan Paths
Heat Maps
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23. Pros
◦ A professional is
totally worth it.
Cons
◦ Cost
◦ Of course, you need
to have a lab.
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24. Typical Setup
◦ Laptop
◦ Place
Cubical/Conference
Room
Table at Student Union
(with a bag of candy)
◦ A Good Listener
◦ Notepad
◦ Cameras (Overrated)
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25. Performance
◦ How long to complete
task?
Accuracy
◦ How many mistakes were
made trying to complete
task?
Recall
◦ Does person remember
task after a period of time?
Stickiness
◦ How long does a person
spend using UI?
Emotional Response
◦ What is user’s mood while
completing task?
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26. Classic Card Sorting
◦ Setup
3x5 cards with a set of [6]
things such as
registration, HR, …
Paper
◦ Task
Have user put cards into
a logical order by placing
them on a piece of paper
with a category
◦ Great for finding
information hierarchy
2012 Jasig Sakai Conference 26
27. Trunk Test
◦ Steve Krug, Don’t Make
Me Think [7]
Task
◦ Print screenshot of
portal
◦ Hold at screen shot at
arms length
◦ Circle the answers to
following questions:
What is this?
Where am I?
How can I search?
…
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28. “Hall Testing”
Set-up
◦ Laptop
◦ 3-4 Random Willing
People
Hall Testing
assumes there will
be lots of
iterations.
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29. Don’t skip usability
testing because you
don’t have
resources
Be Methodical
Use a formal lab if
you can
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30. Understand what
your portal is and is
not.
Users do not want
to have think to use
your portal
2012 Jasig Sakai Conference 30
[1] M. Boer, "Honda Develops New Technology to Help Prevent Traffic Jams," Inhabitat, http://inhabitat.com/honda-develops-new-technology-to-help-prevent-traffic-jams/. [Accessed 6/8/2012][2] R. Leishman, “www.clipartOf.com”. [Accessed 6/8/2012]
[3] D. Norman, The Design of Everyday Things, Edition of book, New York, NY: Basic Books, Inc, 1988.
[4] Simon, H. A. (1956). "Rational choice and the structure of the environment". Psychological Review, Vol. 63 No. 2, 129-138. (page 129: "Evidently, organisms adapt well enough to ‘satisfice’; they do not, in general, ‘optimize’."; page 136: "A ‘satisficing’ path, a path that will permit satisfaction at some specified level of all its needs."
[5] Y. Nestoridis, " Windows 8 Hotkeys," , http://yorgonestoridis.com/windows-8/windows-8-hotkeys/. [Accessed 6/8/2012]
[6] http://tommytoy.typepad.com/tommy-toy-pbt-consultin/2011/02/senior-citizens-slowly-adapt-to-the-digital-age-using-computers-and-cell-phones.html [Viewed 6/9/2012][7] Suntanto P. (2006). Senior Citizens Acceptance of Information Systems. IEE Transactions on Engineering Management
[6] D. Spencer, T. Warfel, "Card sorting: a definitive guide ," Boxes and Arrows,http://www.boxesandarrows.com/view/card_sorting_a_definitive_guide. [Accessed 6/8/2012]
[7] S. Krug, "Street Signs and Breadcrumbs," Don't Make Me Think, 2nd ed., Berkeley, CA: New Riders, p. 85-94, 2006.