Usability Testing Cha Kang & Zach Pease
Introduction In the design of a resource for those suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, great care must be given to maintaining a sensitivity to the unique challenges posed by the condition. In this study we explore what usability challenges users of aboutface.com encounter, and provide recommendation on ways to obviate them.
Project Goals Client Goals Improve navigation Improve browse function Improve search function Test Goals Observe what difficulties users face when using the AboutFace website. Determine User s relationship to the search options. Find out what issues users have when using the video section of the website. Determine User search behaviours. Determine findability of features within the aboutface website
Methods Test location 1 remote, 5 in person Participants Total of 6 people participated: 3 veterans, 1 family & friend,1 clinician, 1 non-veteran with PTSD Equipment Windows desktop, MacBook Pro, ipad Version of interface 1 live site, 5 prototype
Participants Nicholas S 33 yrs old I don t think PTSD is too debilitating Service: Served in Army from 2006-2012 Device: Windows Desktop Tech Savvy: Paul S 67 yrs old I help veterans with PTSD and they are in a lot of stress Service: Served in Air Force from 1968-1972 Device: MacBook Pro Tech Savvy: Jeff K 31 yrs old Sometimes you don't want to watch a video. Service: Marine Corps, Afghanistan, 2010-2011 Device: Windows Desktop Tech Savvy: Jessica K 48 yrs old I have friends who live with PTSD and functions well in society Service: No, has friends who served Device: ipad Tech Savvy: James P 35 yrs old With so many options, it makes making a decision difficult Service: No, has family in the service Device: Windows PC Tech Savvy: Andi S 26 yrs old Sometimes, you wouldn t want to watch a video. Service: No, has PTSD Device: Windows PC Tech Savvy:
Findings Category Section that participants had issues with Observation What we observed Recommendation What we recommend Level of Severity 1 - inconvenient, 2 - frustrating, 3 - critical Video Clip of participants having problem completing the task
Issue 1 Why Am I Here? Category Home Page Video Observation Most participants did not immediately understand the site s purpose. Is it intended to help find treatment? To build community and report? Recommendation Explain in plain english what the site is for, and consistently promote that message, particularly the ability to Get Help. https://drive.google.com/open?id=0b ytpaares8xumg1hzdztazfkuwm Level of Severity 1. 2. 3
Issue 2 Feature Search Features Category Search Page Video Observation Most participants had difficulty finding the search features easily. Recommendation If the intended purpose of the site is finding and watching videos, feature it more prominently. Either promote it from the top navigation, or feature it on the home page. https://drive.google.com/open?id=0b34ta 0GGEGVDRmk0bjJZU0dwN2c Level of Severity 1. 2. 3
Issue 3 Clear Up Clutter Category Whole site Video Observation There are large amounts of distracting images and links peppered throughout the site, without a clear hierarchy. Recommendation Design should be reoriented to feature the most important features, and extraneous elements should be minimized or removed. Improve focus on most important features (search, get help, next steps). https://drive.google.com/open?id=0bytp AaRes8XUd2xqQnVPMy1VcWM Level of Severity 1. 2. 3
Issue 4 Context, Context, Context Category Video pages Video Observation Users desired additional information, often located on external pages. Recommendation Include explanatory text with videos to demonstrate each videos relevance. More extensive metadata, as well as copy that isn t dependent on playing the video, should be included. Additional text summarizing videos content could be helpful. https://drive.google.com/file/d/0b34ta0g GEGVDaXNuTW5idFNtWUU/view?usp=s haring Level of Severity 1. 2. 3
Issue 5 What Now? Category Whole Site. Video Observation After watching a video, no clear next steps are provided by the site. Users are at a dead end, and further exploration is not encouraged. Recommendation Provide actionable next steps at each task point. Related videos, how to contact this clinician, etc. For the site to be useful, it must guide users through what can be a difficult and emotional process. https://drive.google.com/open?id=0byt PAaRes8XUdFZ3V3c3SUhHRU0 Level of Severity 1. 2. 3
Recommendations Provide clear copy indicating the site s purpose. This is a sensitive subject, provide direct information on how aboutface can help. Make video search easier to find. Move to top nav or home page. Increase the visibility of Get Help and other actionable options. Include an actionable feature at nearly every part of the site. Include more informative text for reference and mobile/repeat viewing. Text relevant to a video s content should be provided in conjunction with it. Provide a clear information hierarchy. Prioritize the most important elements, de-emphasize others.
Wireframe 1 Home page Home Search Videos About Us FAQ Search Videos Takes users to Search All Video page PTSD - You are not alone. Watch Videos - veterans share their experience living with PTSD Watch Videos - family members share their stories Watch Videos - clinicians share their experience with treating patients Need Help? Call # About Us New page with This is AboutFace informations Ways to Get Help Watch Videos about veterans share their success stories Watch Videos about clinicians share their success stories Ways to Get Help Takes users to Get Help page About Treatments Watch Videos about Prolonged Exposure Therapy (PE) Watch Videos about Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) About Treatments Takes users to Therapies page Footer All the Watch Videos links take users to the video
Wireframe 2 Search Video page Home Search Videos About Us FAQ Contact Us Search All Videos Search Who What Where Veteran Clinician Family Introduction - Who I am Up-close stories - My experience Therapies - How therapies helped me Service Branch Service Year Place of deployment Clear hierarchy Gender Male Female Topic Name Clear all filters Clear check mark when clicked # Results Footer
Wireframe 3 After watching video x Home Search Videos About Us FAQ Contact Us Watch more about (name) Search Other Videos Get Help Takes users to next video about that person Takes users to Search Videos page Takes users to Get Help page
Conclusions Make this more visible Get Help Make this available
Thank You! Cha Kang cha.kang220@gmail.com Zach Pease kallistai@gmail.com
Appendix
Interview Script Hi, my name is, and I am a graduate student at University of Baltimore majoring in Interaction Design and Information Architecture. I am currently working on a research project to conduct usability testing for AboutFace.com. With your permission, I would like to ask you some questions about yourself. Afterwards, I would like you to perform a few tasks on About Face website while I observe, ask questions, and take notes. You are free to stop at any time, and to only answer questions you feel comfortable answering. Any informations you provide, and any video or photos that I take, will be used for research purposes only. Is this ok? Next, I would like to record video and audio of this session on this device for future study. Is that ok with you? (If yes, begin recording) Thank you. Before we start, do you have any questions for me?
Personal Informations Name: Age: Gender: M F Marital Status: Single Married Divorced Widowed Education Level: High School Some College College Masters PhD Living Situation: Location: Served in the armed services: Yes No If no, who: Spouse Parents Son Daughter Friend Patient
Questions Questions Do you ever use the internet to look up information? Have you ever used the internet as a medical resource? Are you familiar with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder? Have you, or anyone you know, ever received clinical treatment for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder? Possible Follow Up Questions What do you normally look up? Can you describe to me a situation in which you used the internet in this way? What are things you liked or disliked about it? How familiar would you say you are with PTSD, from a clinical perspective? What was your relationship with that person?
Tasks for veterans/friends/family 1. Let s say that someone recommended this site to you as a PTSD resource. Please show me how you would use it, and please try to think aloud as you do so. For this first part, please just use the site as you would naturally, and stop when you feel like you would normally stop. 2. Let s say that you have a friend who thinks she might have PTSD, and you want to find some information that might help her. Let me watch what you would do. 3. Let s say that your friend thinks she might be more comfortable with a female clinician. Find some videos from male and female clinicians that she could use to check this out. 4. Let s say that your friend is now ready to get help. Can you find information about how to get help? 5. Imagine you were a WWII veteran, seeking testimonials about PTSD from people who also served in WWII. How would you go about finding this information? 6. Let s say that you have a friend who is using prolonged exposure therapy. Can you find some information about this? 7. Let s say that your friend worries about how her family will be affected by her PTSD. Can you find any information about that for her?
Tasks for clinicians 1. Imagine someone recommended this site to you as a PTSD resource to use with your patients. Please show how you would go about using it, and please try to think aloud as you do so. 2. Imagine you have a patient who is a WWII veteran, and they would like to see testimonials from people who also served in WWII. Can you show me how you would find this type of information to share with them? 3. Let s say the same patient is worried about how his PTSD might affect his family. Can you find anything from other families who are going through the same situation? 4. Let s say that you think prolonged exposure therapy would be helpful for this particular patient. Can you find anything you can use to help him feel more comfortable with this treatment approach?