Usability and evaluation – focus groups and other
techniques
Martin Bazley
University of Brighton25 Nov 10
Martin BazleyPreviously• Teaching (7 yrs)• Science Museum, London,
Internet Projects (7yrs)• E-Learning Officer, MLA South East
(3yrs)
Currently• Vice Chair, DLNet (was E-
Learning Group for Museums, Lib, Archives)
• Consultancy, websites, training, user testing, evaluation …Martin Bazley & Associateswww.martinbazley.com
•Slides and notes available afterwards
www.martinbazley.com
Users don’t always ‘get’ what we are offering:
a real–world analogy
Even a slight difference in viewpoints…
…can cause real problems for users
In a conflict between visual affordance…
…and written instructions
visual affordance almost always wins
Another example
So what is the point of all this?
People interact with digital material differently…
… from the way they use books, object labels, magazines, newspapers, etc
For most people the web is a
predominantly visual
medium
Website usersWebsite users
Website users• Who uses your website?
• Why would they want to use it?
• How would they find it?
• What do they get out of it?
• What do they dislike about it?
How do you get it right for everyone?
• Answer:• You can’t get it right for everyone.
• You have to make choices, and stick to them:
• Who is it for? • What..• How…
Who for…?Who for…?What for?What for?
How will they use it?How will they use it?
Who for what for ...• Who for? (audience)
Need to be clear from start• mum + 2 children looking for something to do
this weekend• teachers of yr5/6 in local area with whiteboards• men interested in gadgets
Who for what for ...• What ‘real-world’ outcomes?
What will they do as a result of using the site?
• make a donation• plan a visit to a museum• buy a train ticket• think differently about learning disability
Who for what for ...• How will they use it? (user experience)
What do they actually do on the site? • browse and read articles
• working alone or in pairs? (learning resources)• lean forward or sit back?• Browsing, following, searching…
• Also Where, When and Why?
Who for what for ...• Website appraisal
– For each example note first impressions
•Who is it for?•What does it offer them?•How will they use it?
Websites for different Websites for different audiencesaudiences
Websites for different audiences
The following tips are based on • numerous evaluation sessions• numerous user testing sessions• talking to other people who use
websites• talking to other people who make
websites
‘General users’There is no such thing as a general
user
Are you a general user?
Adults/families with general interest
• What does the site tell me at a glance?
• genuine enthusiasts = interested whatever the website looks like, and will spend some time looking around it or phone up for more information if required.
Adults/families with general interest
• But most will not bother unless something engages them within a few seconds
• The questions people might like answered within a few seconds of arriving on a museum site probably include:
Adults/families with general interest
• Where is it? Further down the home page it says ‘alongside Middle Wallop airfield’ but I have no idea where that is.
• a schematic map on every page, or at least on the home page and visit info, would really help in attracting visitors who don’t know the area
Adults/families with general interest
• What’s the rough cost and roughly how long might I/we want to spend there?This would give me an idea of whether to view it as a place to pop into on the way somewhere or combine it with another attraction; or whether it requires more serious investment of time or money
Adults/families with general interest
• What kind of experience will I get?I know there will be ‘displays’ – it is a museum!
• but will there be people around to help bring the place alive for me, my spouse, my children or friends?
• – or are there events, or things to do like dressing up in a pilot’s uniform, or games to play, etc?
Websites for schools‘Serve the National Curriculum’ or ‘extend or
enhance’?‘enhance’ sounds good but most teachers want:
1.curriculum specific – by all means cross-curricular but with one scheme of work or topic as ‘headline’ (think ‘product byline’)
2.ready-to-use – teachers may want to adapt to their own situation (esp second time round), but most will not have time – offer at least one ready to use version
3.minimal preparation and with time commitment (preparation time and class time) clearly specified
4.flexible/adaptable/extensible where possible
Foundation and KS1 (3-7yrs)
Production of materials for this age range is particularly tricky:
• aim at teachers not children, so…• good bank of images, videos or other
mainly visual assets • think of interactive whiteboards
Key Stage 2 (7 to 11 years old)
• keep no of words on each page to a minimum, say 50 in total
• illustrate key ideas visually as well as verbally and use audio if possible
• do not assume that the teacher can be over their shoulder at all points – so keep the instructions and processes simple
• try to use language, images, ideas, and settings that will appeal to the target audience
Key Stage 3 (11 to 14 years old)
• For KS2 a cross-curricular approach is OK (for example they may use the same site for Geography and Science) but:
• At KS3 cater for a single subject (and scheme of work)
• (Can offer suggestions for cross-curricular working, but remember generally each teacher teachers only one subject each.)
‘Lifelong learners’
• for (non-specialist) interest level think of 12 yr olds
• Identify a particular audience with specific interests/motivations for using your site
• then focus on constraints to allow successful design to proceed. (In a formal learning setting constraints often implicit in the course, physical set up etc.)
Specialist researchers
• Fact-oriented, less graphics and design, more text and specifically relevant images, with good search facility
• Examples of specialist researchers: – HE students and staff– experts or enthusiasts in this subject
area
Martin Bazley
www.ICT4Learning.com
Website evaluation and testing
Need to think ahead a bit:– what are you trying to find out?
– how do you intend to test it?
– why? what will do you do as a result?
The Why?Why? should drive this process
Martin Bazley
www.ICT4Learning.com
Test early
Testing one user early on in the project…
…is better than testing 50 near the end
Martin Bazley
www.ICT4Learning.com
When to evaluate or test and why
• Before funding approval – project planning
• Post-funding - project development
• Post-project – summative evaluation
Martin Bazley
www.ICT4Learning.com
Testing is an iterative process
Testing isn’t something you do once
Make somethingMake something=> test it => test it
=> refine it=> refine it=> test it again=> test it again
Martin Bazley
www.ICT4Learning.com
Before funding – project planning
• *Evaluation of other websites– Who for? What for? How use it? etc– awareness raising: issues, opportunities– contributes to market research– possible elements, graphic feel etc
• *Concept testing – check idea makes sense with audience– reshape project based on user feedback
Focus group
Research
Martin Bazley
www.ICT4Learning.com
Martin Bazley
www.ICT4Learning.com
Post-funding - project development
• *Concept testing– refine project outcomes based on
feedback from intended users
• Refine website structure– does it work for users?
• *Evaluate initial look and feel – graphics,navigation etc
Focus group
Focus group
One-to-one tasks
Martin Bazley
www.ICT4Learning.com
Martin Bazley
www.ICT4Learning.com
Martin Bazley
www.ICT4Learning.com
Martin Bazley
www.ICT4Learning.com
Martin Bazley
www.ICT4Learning.com
Post-funding - project development 2
• *Full evaluation of a draft working version – usability AND content: do activities
work, how engaging is it, what else could be offered, etc
Observation of actual use of website
by intended users,
using it for intended purpose,
in intended context – classroom, workplace, library, home, etc
Martin Bazley
www.ICT4Learning.com
Martin Bazley
www.ICT4Learning.com
Martin Bazley
www.ICT4Learning.com
Martin Bazley
www.ICT4Learning.com
Martin Bazley
www.ICT4Learning.com
Martin Bazley
www.ICT4Learning.com
Martin Bazley
www.ICT4Learning.com
Martin Bazley
www.ICT4Learning.com
Martin Bazley
www.ICT4Learning.com
Martin Bazley
www.ICT4Learning.com
Post-funding - project development 3
• Acceptance testing of ‘finished’ website– last minute check, minor corrections only– often offered by web developers
• Summative evaluation– report for funders, etc– learn lessons at project level for next time
Martin Bazley
www.ICT4Learning.com
Two usability testing techniques
“Get it” testing- do they understand the purpose, how
it works, etc
Key task testing- ask the user to do something, watch
how well they do
Ideally, do a bit of each, in that order
Martin Bazley
www.ICT4Learning.com
Martin Bazley
www.ICT4Learning.com
User testing – who should do it?
• The worst person to conduct (or interpret) user testing of your own site is…– you!you!
• Beware of hearing what you want to hear…
• Useful to have an external viewpoint• First 5mins in a genuine setting tells
you 80% of what’s wrong with the site• etc
Creating resources for Creating resources for use on whiteboardsuse on whiteboards
Using whiteboards
• http://www.teachers.tv/ict/whiteboardtips
• http://smarttech.com/trainingcenter/tutorials.asp#
• http://www.prometheanplanet.com
Roles of IWB
… at different points in the lesson / learning cycle
– Starter
– Main
– Plenary
Interactive” means
• “lots of things moving on screen, clickable, automatic response, quizzes etc
• interaction between students, teacher and screen – activities, conversation, cognitive engagement, etc
first meaning used mainly by companies trying to market whiteboards, software etcas ‘interactive’
second used mainly by educators
Resources for use on whiteboards - examples
• Ford Madox Brown MAG• Tate Tools• Museum Network Artworks• Museum Network Myths• National Portrait Gallery Mary
Seacole• National Gallery• Museum of London Fire of London
Resources for use on whiteboards - examples
• Britons at War• Wartime in Bedford • http://www.movinghere.org.uk/
schools/default.htm • www.mylearning.org/overview.asp?
journeyid=409 • www.mylearning.org/overview.asp?
journeyid=441
Some examples
– http://www.nhm.ac.uk/nature-online/british-natural-history/index.html
– http://www.manchestergalleries.org/the-collections/highlights-of-the-collection/narrativeobject.php?irn=876
– www.seayourhistory.org.uk/content/view/39/77/
– http://www.portsmouth.gov.uk/business/2781.html
Whiteboard resource exercise
• We are using Powerpoint (or Word if you prefer) just to summarise your ideas on the board.
• Don’t spend too long formatting / designing – just focus on – what items, text and links would be on screen,
and– What teacher / pupils would do with them
‘templates’
• The following slide (Britons at War) is a sample web page – think about how people would get to your whiteboard page(s)
• The next slide is an outline template for a whiteboard page – edit or ignore this completely.
• Make sure you have at least something to show on screen
75
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www.martinbazley.com