HTML and CSS Reference
In-Depth Information
Web page that lists store locations and hours of operation, you may want to clarify the link
descriptions or make the links more prominent on the home page.
Another way to conduct usability testing is to give users a specific task to complete
(such as finding a product price list) and then observe how they navigate the site to
complete the task. If possible, ask them to explain why they selected certain links. Both of
these observation methods are extremely valuable, but require access to users.
Usability testing can also be completed using a questionnaire or survey. When
writing a questionnaire or survey, be sure to write open-ended questions that can give you
valuable information. For instance, asking the yes/no question “Is the Web site visually
appealing?” will not gather useful information. If you change that question to use a scaled
response, such as, “Rate the visual appeal of this Web site, using a scale of 1 for low and
5 for high,” you can get more valuable input from the users. Make sure, however, that
the scale itself is clear and understandable to the users. If you intend that a selection of
1 equates to a “low” rating, but the users think a 1 means “high,” then your survey results
are questionable. A usability testing questionnaire should always include space for users to
write additional explanatory comments.
Figure 1-17 shows some examples of types of questions and organization that you
might include in a Web site usability testing questionnaire.
do not require
name unless
necessary
ask for user's
relationship to
organization
sample
question
structure
range of
choices for
answers
another
sample
question
structure
area for
additional
comments
Figure 1-17 Web site usability testing questionnaire.
