| Is your site easy to use?Usability isn't the same | | | | Web, and what they know about your company |
| as design. Just because you've hired a talented | | | | and products, so you can better understand their |
| designer to craft your site and make it look great | | | | reactions.Start at your homepage, and ask them |
| doesn't mean it's easy to use. Looking good is a | | | | what they think your site is about. This can be a |
| completely different matter from working well! | | | | good way of judging how successfully you're |
| After all, plenty of beautiful sites have won design | | | | welcoming new visitors.Throughout the test, |
| awards while losing customers by the | | | | encourage your testers to think aloud while they |
| thousands.How many times have you gotten lost | | | | work through the tasks you've set out for them, |
| on a good-looking site or abandoned a purchase in | | | | so you can get a sense of their |
| frustration after you couldn't find the information | | | | expectations.Next, work through your prepared |
| you were looking for? If you walk into a | | | | script. Ask the tester to attempt various tasks |
| brick-and-mortar store and can't find your | | | | and answer the questions you've prepared, while |
| favorite brand of gherkin pickles, you can simply | | | | checking their expectations with questions such |
| ask an employee where they are. But on the | | | | as: "What do you think you'll be able to do here?" |
| Web, it's much easier for a customer to go to a | | | | and "Before you press that button, tell me what |
| competitor's site than to go through the trouble | | | | you expect to see next." While you should take |
| of sending an e-mail inquiry.Whatever your | | | | notes and follow the script, be flexible enough |
| business is about, your web site will have specific | | | | that you can pursue any responses that may |
| goals, such as convincing people to...Subscribe to | | | | take you by surprise.During the test, be sure not |
| your newsletter | | | | to guide the subject. Watch that you don't |
| Fill out a survey | | | | provide any hints, suggestions, or even answers |
| Purchase your product | | | | that will influence their actions. If they can't |
| Inquire about a service you offer | | | | complete a task, simply ask them what they |
| Usability is simply a gauge of how easy it is for | | | | expected to have happen and how they'd fix the |
| your visitors to do these things.For an home | | | | problem, then move on to the next task.If |
| business site, usability is especially crucial. If people | | | | testers have a problem or become confused, |
| can't follow your navigation scheme, they won't | | | | don't assume you know why. Ask what the |
| be able to find your products. And if they can't | | | | problem is, and then paraphrase their answer |
| find them, how can they buy them?Obviously, a | | | | back to them to make sure you aren't bringing |
| key measure of the success of your site is its | | | | your own bias into the test.6. What to watch |
| efficiency in converting visitors to buyers. Yet did | | | | for:Hesitation: If their mouse cursor hovers over a |
| you know that, according to market research | | | | link, ask them what they're thinking. Hesitation |
| from the Gartner Group, more than 50% of Web | | | | often means they're trying to figure something |
| sales are lost because visitors can't find the | | | | out, and usually indicates a problem. In a perfect |
| content they're looking for? And another study by | | | | design, the user doesn't have to think -- |
| usability consultants Creative Good estimated that | | | | everything makes sense and the next step is |
| improving the customer experience increases the | | | | always clear.Backing up: When users back out of |
| number of buyers by 40% and increases the | | | | a page (using either their browser's "back" button |
| overall order size by 10%!With results like these, | | | | or the site's navigation) it's often a hint that their |
| why doesn't everyone test their sites for | | | | expectations weren't met. Perhaps they thought |
| usability? Some people mistakenly assume that | | | | the link would take them somewhere else, or |
| usability testing is too expensive, too | | | | they've lost track of where they are in the |
| time-consuming, or too complicated to bother | | | | site.Unexpected routes: Did your tester take a |
| with, especially for smaller companies.Fortunately, | | | | different route through the site to accomplish a |
| usability doesn't need to be any of these | | | | task than you expected? People tend to have |
| things.Setting Up a Basic Usability TestWhile | | | | different ways of navigating web sites. Did they |
| usability testing is most efficiently done as part of | | | | use their browser's back button three times to |
| the process of creating a web site, it can be done | | | | retrace their steps rather than clicking once on |
| at any time to improve your site's effectiveness. | | | | your navigation links? It may be a sign they've |
| If you are planning a design update or adding new | | | | lost their way or haven't noticed the |
| elements to a site, it's crucial you begin the | | | | links.Extended reading: Unless your home business |
| testing before you invest time and money in | | | | page is a long salesletter or has a newsletter, |
| making changes.To do a basic usability test, you | | | | users shouldn't have to read too many |
| just need to find a "sample group" of potential | | | | instructions to make their way through the site. |
| customers and ask them to perform simple tasks | | | | Usability isn't just about buttons and navigation; it's |
| at your web site -- like purchasing a product, | | | | also an important test of your copy. Can your |
| subscribing to a newsletter, or locating specific | | | | visitors find the information they're looking for, |
| information like your guarantee -- while you watch | | | | and do they understand it?Making Changes and |
| them.1. When to test:You can test usability any | | | | Testing ResultsOnce you've thanked your guinea |
| time. In fact, even if you don't have a site yet, | | | | pigs for their time and the tests are finished, go |
| you can still test your initial design using rough | | | | over your notes. You're looking for general |
| sketches on paper that show the layout of key | | | | patterns and behaviors, not details or specific |
| information and navigation links. If you're testing | | | | statistics. Did most users get stuck at the same |
| potential changes to an existing site, you can | | | | place? Did more than one person hesitate over |
| work from quick HTML mock-ups, or use your | | | | the same button?The biggest sticking points |
| designer's print-outs.Obviously, the more detailed | | | | should reveal themselves pretty quickly. Once |
| the testing prototype, the better the results, but | | | | you've identified the main roadblocks, use your |
| you'll be surprised by how much information you | | | | testers' suggestions about how they'd fix them or |
| can gather with even the roughest layouts.If your | | | | what they'd expect to find as a basis for a |
| site is up and running already, you can test your | | | | solution, and then test the solution -- before you |
| current design to flag any potential problems and | | | | implement it!As with any testing, make sure you |
| increase its efficiency. Usability testing should be | | | | change only one thing at a time so you always |
| an ongoing process to fine-tune your site and | | | | know exactly what's responsible for any |
| make sure you aren't losing customers -- and | | | | improvement.And throughout the testing process |
| profits -- unnecessarily.2. Set your goals:Start by | | | | -- from coming up with the script to implementing |
| setting your testing priorities. Which of the actions | | | | the changes -- try to keep an open mind and |
| your visitors perform are most important to your | | | | trust your users. Their feedback is not a criticism |
| home business? Focus on a few key things you | | | | of you or a reflection of how much time you've |
| want all visitors to be able to do, such | | | | spent on your site. In fact, the more time you've |
| as...Subscribe to your newsletter | | | | spent working on it, the less objective you may |
| Become a member | | | | be about how it works.Note: If you rely on |
| Add a product to their shopping cart | | | | third-party solutions like shopping carts or |
| Find answers to common questionsThese basic | | | | payment systems, you can't always change the |
| tasks are the "script" for the test. The more | | | | way they work to improve usability. If testing |
| complicated the site, the more detailed the script. | | | | reveals serious problems, it may be worth |
| An e-commerce site selling plumbing supplies might | | | | investigating -- and testing -- other solutions, even |
| use a script that looks something like this:Click the | | | | if they're more expensive. After all, a poorly |
| link for the page on which you think bathroom | | | | designed shopping cart system that's causing half |
| faucets are located.Find the American Standard | | | | of your customers to abandon their purchases is |
| "Ceratop" faucet.Are there any less expensive | | | | no bargain!Usability TipsA big part of usability |
| faucets?Add it to a list of items to buy.How much | | | | testing involves looking at your site from the |
| will it cost to ship the faucet to where you | | | | customer's point of view. Sure, your programmer |
| live?How long is the warranty?Complete the | | | | or Web designer may have a bunch of perfectly |
| purchase.As your testers work through each | | | | valid technical reasons for setting up things the |
| task, you'll be able to see how they use your site. | | | | way they are, but your goal shouldn't be to make |
| Do they browse categories or look for a search | | | | things easier for your programmer or designer at |
| function? Do they encounter any difficulties along | | | | the expense of your customers' experience.As |
| the way? This is an incredible opportunity to get | | | | you surf the Web over the next couple of |
| inside your customers' heads and watch what | | | | weeks, keep an eye out for usability issues you |
| happens when they use your site.You can also | | | | come across on other sites -- basically anything |
| analyze your site's metrics to see what's not | | | | that makes you back up, curse, stop to figure |
| working. If an analysis of your web logs reveals | | | | out the next step, or stare blankly at your |
| that tons of people are exiting your site from one | | | | screen! Make a note and bookmark these sites |
| or two particular pages, for instance, usability | | | | for future reference.And make sure your site isn't |
| testing can be a good way to find out what's | | | | guilty of common usability blunders like these:If a |
| behind the high exit rate. This is especially crucial if | | | | potential customer forgets to fill in their zip code |
| these pages are part of your check-out | | | | when they submit an order form, will they lose all |
| process.Note: If you can, get a test credit card | | | | the information they already entered and have to |
| number from your merchant account or gateway | | | | start over again? If so, you'll likely lose a number |
| provider so your testers can complete test | | | | of potential customers at this point.Your site's |
| purchases. If this isn't possible, have the testers | | | | navigation scheme must be clear and intuitive. If |
| take the check-out process as far as possible, | | | | your users have to guess at the meaning of |
| and then ask them what they'd expect to happen | | | | vague icons or have to squint to read an obscure |
| next.3. Choose the right people:The people you | | | | typeface, you're making them work too |
| choose for the test are important, as they should | | | | hard.Usability also takes into account other issues, |
| mimic the range of users you have (or want to | | | | such as load time. Research shows that if the |
| have) using your site. Sit down and gather any | | | | time between a viewer's click and the appearance |
| customer demographic information you have to | | | | of a new page is more than six seconds, they |
| create a series of user profiles.What is their level | | | | get distracted and are likely to move on -- |
| of computer experience? How old are they? | | | | probably to your competition!These days, there |
| What special knowledge do they have (if your | | | | are certain expectations regarding how a web site |
| site serves a specific demographic or industry). A | | | | should look and how it should work. For instance, |
| site targeting real estate professionals will have | | | | research shows that most people expect to see |
| very different user profiles than a site selling | | | | a "home" link in the top left corner of a page, and |
| skateboard wheels, so make sure your testers | | | | that they look for internal links down the left as |
| mirror your actual users.Strive for a mix of | | | | well.Now, you could argue that internal links look |
| computer experience that matches the mix you'd | | | | better or make more sense along the right side, |
| expect of your audience. Are most of your | | | | but in the end, usability isn't about what "makes |
| customers already comfortable with computers? | | | | sense" or looks good to you, it's about what |
| Are there some newbies in the mix? You can | | | | works for your average visitor. And if 90% of |
| recruit existing customers if you're testing | | | | your users expect to find your navigation along |
| changes to the site, but for an existing site, look | | | | the left side of the page, then the left side is |
| for people who haven't used your site | | | | what works!Sometimes the simplest solution is |
| before.Finally, don't worry about getting a large | | | | the best. Links that look like buttons get clicked |
| pool of testers: You only need five or six people | | | | on more often -- simply because they look like |
| to identify 80% of the main problems that may | | | | something that can be clicked on. The first thing |
| be affecting your sales.Note: It's common practice | | | | anyone who surfs the Web learns is that blue, |
| to pay testers for their time and effort. And | | | | underlined text is a link. If you start making your |
| while using Uncle Henry or Bob from accounting | | | | links look different for the sake of prettying up |
| may save you $40, they're likely to skew the | | | | your site, you risk losing functionality.Finally, don't |
| results if they don't reflect your target audience | | | | reinvent the wheel just for the sake of being |
| and are already familiar with your site.4. What | | | | trendy. Your web site is a business tool first and |
| you'll need:Set aside a clean, quiet place where | | | | foremost. Study sites that have a similar function |
| there will be no distractions, and provide a | | | | to yours and look for common approaches. |
| comfortable chair for the tester. Place a chair for | | | | Amazon.com, for instance, has helped set |
| yourself slightly behind the tester so you can see | | | | standards and expectations for how an |
| where they're clicking as they complete each | | | | e-commerce site should be organized.While you |
| task.Have your tasks and questions -- your script | | | | don't want to simply copy successful sites, it |
| -- written down, and be ready to take notes. If | | | | makes sense to adopt some of the same |
| you have a video camera, you can also tape the | | | | navigation techniques. After all, with millions and |
| test (with the camera looking over the tester's | | | | millions of customers using a site like |
| shoulder towards the screen). Before you start | | | | Amazon.com, chances are your visitors will be |
| the actual test, run through the script yourself to | | | | familiar with their approach. Take advantage of |
| make sure all the links are working, that the tasks | | | | this familiarity and apply the usability strategies |
| make sense, and that the video equipment | | | | other successful sites have found to be effective |
| captures the detail you'll need to see.5. Running | | | | to your site -- then focus on testing to fine-tune |
| the test:Before you start the test, explain to your | | | | the way your own site works.Still not convinced |
| testers that it's the site you're testing, not them. | | | | you should test your site's usability?Make no |
| Let them know that they can't do anything | | | | mistake: If you don't test your site, your visitors |
| "wrong," and tell them to surf the same way | | | | and customers will "test" it every day! The |
| they normally would. The more relaxed and | | | | problem is, if they're having trouble using your |
| natural they are during the test, the better your | | | | site, they won't take the time to send you a note |
| results.Then, ask them a few questions about | | | | offering helpful suggestions -- they'll just check |
| their level of experience, how often they use the | | | | out your competition! |