Transcript Fact or Fancy? How to Make Fact-Driven Decisions for Your Website Laurie Southerton Jane Bungum Riva Kupritz.

Fact or
Fancy?
How to Make Fact-Driven
Decisions for Your Website
Laurie Southerton
Jane Bungum
Riva Kupritz
Introduction
 It’s not about you. – Jane Bungum
 Get the facts. – Riva Kupritz
 Use the facts. – Laurie Southerton
Target!
The fly sticker acts
as a target,
reducing splashes
on the floor by up
to 80 percent.
Why?
Because…
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Launch a new product
New functionality
New market
Re-organize
departments
Develop new content
Implement new
technology
Re-brand
Update design
People!
 Why projects fail
– Lack of user involvement
– Incomplete requirements
– 63% budget overruns
 www.sowhat.com Tools & Techniques
How to Calculate ROI
– $1 of user research
– $10 to changehttp://www.amanda.com/res
in development
ources/ROI/AMA_ROIWhiteP
– $100 to change
after release
aper_28Feb02.pdf
 Do it right or do it over
– 80% $ spent on maintenance
is for unmet user needs
– Rework means no new work
– Your competitors learn from
your mistakes
Standish Group CHAOS report (1994 – 2006)
Bias & Mayhew, Cost Justifying Usability
Users…
Users
 One who makes
use of a thing
 Arrive at a site
with a task:
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Browse
Entertain
Connect
Transact
Transform
 Humans
Not Users
 Purchasers (B2B)
 Marketing staff
 Surfers
 Little stick guy in a
requirements doc
 YOU
What you need to know about users
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Who uses the site?
 Education/intellectual
Tools & Techniques
abilities
What do they want to do?
User Research
Where do they want
to go?  Number of users
 Differences between users
When do they need the
1. Crafting the User
information?
Physical
Research Plan characteristics/capabilities
Why this site?
http://adaptivepath.com/ide
 Language/literacy
Experience level
as/essays/archives/000107.
 Task knowledge required
Frequency
php
 Domain knowledge
Have to/want to
Training
2. level
User & Task Analysis
for
Technical comfort
 Learning style
Interface Design,
Other systems
 Ways of working
Hackos & Redish
Concurrency
 Mental models
Motivation
3. The Design of
 Everyday
Frustrations
Transition points
Things, Norman
www.ass.u.me
1. Anecdotes, personal
opinions and preferences
2. Dueling data
3. Standards
Tools & Techniques
Research-based design
guidelines:
www.usability.gov
Power question
How
do
you
know?
Get the facts.
Getting the facts
“He who asks
is a fool for five minutes,
but he who does not ask
remains a fool forever”
–Ancient Chinese Proverb
Where to start?
1. Decide who you need to talk to
2. Ask the right questions
3. Use the right tools to get
the right information
Don’t let egos get in the way!
Selecting the Right Method
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Existing data?
Do you know your users?
Geography?
Multiple segments/needs?
Quantitative vs. qualitative?
Knowledge of how they use site?
Budget?
Resources?
Research Methodologies
 Web Analytics
 Interviews
 Competitive
benchmarking
 Surveys
 Focus groups
 Bulletin board
discussions
 Social media
 Observation
 Usability testing
Web analytics
 Learn more about
users
 How many?
 Which pages do they
visit?
Tools & Techniques
 Which paths do
they
• Web
analytic tools:
WebTrends, Sitemill,
take?
Google, etc.
 Where do they enter?
• Heat maps:
 Where do theywww.crazyegg.com
leave?
Online Focus Groups
Bulletin Board Focus Groups
Tools & Techniques
Online/Bulletin Board Vendors:
• WebEx
• Social Media
• QualCore, iTracks,
• Channel M2, Consumer View
• PeanutLabs
Social media
Online Community: Unlimited Potential for Research
Social
Media Sites
Blogs
Banner and
Text Ads
Top social media sites for marketing
Tools & Techniques
• Web analytic tools:
• PeanutLabs
• Social Media market
research groups
Source Michael A. Stelzner, 2009
Survey Intercept Interviews
 Jenn: Hi and thanks for chatting with me today. I can see
from the survey that you chose an island beach vacation as
your most preferred vacation destination. Can you tell me
why that kind of vacation location appeals to you the most?
Tools & Techniques
 Respondent: My •husband
and I do not travel very often, so
iModerate
when we do have the money and time to do so, we like to
relax, enjoy the sun and beach and just be with each other.
 Jenn: So what would you say an island beach vacation
offers you that other types of destinations do not? What
makes it special or unique?
 Respondent: The chance to get away and relax… The
ocean, the waves, pools, bars and cool evenings for long
walks on the beach!
Usability testing
 Lots of Options
– Lab
Tools & Techniques – Eye tracking
• Remote How To:
– Remote
www.remoteusabilitytesting.com
 Get help with
www.usertesting.com
WebEx, GotoMeeting
– Best format
– Designers shouldn’t
test
– How to fix problems
Article:
Boxes & Arrows.com: Remote Online
 Don’t
do it if you’re
Usability Testing: Why How
And
When To Use It
not going to use
the results
User Research Story
 Career development website
– 3 million hits per month
– no data on who was coming to the site
– wanted to re-design
 Conducted a multi-faceted market and
usability research study including:
– A web-based survey which received over
14,000 responses
– Survey intercept interviews
– Online focus groups
– Contextual interviews
– Remote usability testing
User Research Story
 Delivered plan connecting various
research with the site redesign
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scenarios
task flows
personas
messaging
content
 Shared findings and report with web
development team
Use the facts.
 Who are the
users for this
site?
 Why would
they come
here?
 What would
they do on
this site?
 How do you
know?
Now what do we do?
Use the facts!
 Educate Web team
 Educate all stakeholders
 Use personas,
scenarios and other
facts during design,
development and
beyond!
Everyone knows…
 Greater understanding of
users, their goals and
behaviors
 Users are center of process
 Communicates what they
do
 Simplifies decisions and
priorities
What is a Persona?
Personas are believable
narrative descriptions
which personify the
characteristics of our
most important users.
Personas are:
• Not based on individual
people
• Not reflective of every
customer or marketing
segment
• Based on research with
REAL people
Persona Example
Ruby Retired
Retired Secretary – Age 71
Ruby and her husband did not plan well for their retirement.
Since her husband passed, she lives off a small spousal benefit
from her husband’s pension and Social Security, which is
staying the same while her living expenses always seem to be
going up. Ruby lives alone and has had more time to reflect on
her life lately. She wonders what she can do to make a
difference – and make some extra money. “This will probably
be my last job and I would like to make a difference in
other’s lives besides just working for money (though
needed!)”
I’m finding my
choices limited
when competing
with younger
applicants and their
technical skills.
Key Challenges:
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Age
Availability of jobs in area
Limited computer skills
Desire for part-time work
Key Tasks:
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Identify and assess skills
Search for job
Apply for job
Interview for job
Find education or training
Explore careers
Use the facts - Design
 Information Design/
Info Architecture
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Organizing content
Labeling
Navigation
Search
 Visual Design
Create
Check
Change!
Check – Content & Labels
Card Sorts:
 Open
 Closed
(Reverse)
Tools & Techniques
• Personas & Scenarios
• Card Sorts:
Microsoft PowerPoint
www.optimalsort.com
www.websort.com
Check – Navigation
 Use facts to create
 Walk thru with users
Tools & Techniques
• Scenarios – Test scripts
• Task flows
• Visio
Check - IA
A
Day - Month - YEAR
Logo
First name Last name
Search >
Today I’m: IN | OUT [In/Out Status]
E Home> Main Nav> Content Page
B
Office Directory
Page Title
Find>
• Room Scheduler
• Firm Calendar of Events
C
• Current Newsletter
[Archives]
D
F
Tools & Techniques
• Wireframes & Prototypes
Page content
• AXURE
Client Matters
Research
Practice Areas
• Visio
• HTML
Training
Policies
Office Locations
Admin Services
• PowerPoint
• www.balsamic.com
G
Related Info:
Check – Visual design
Circle 5
words you
feel BEST
describe this
visual design
option for the
new website:
Responsive
Professional
Friendly
Reputable
Shoddy
Approachable
Reliable
Global
Cluttered
Confident
Trustworthy
Current & Cool
Service-Oriented
Easy-to-use
Annoying
Clean
Confusing
Comfortable
High-tech
Helpful
Simple
Ugly
Good
Tools & Techniques
• Brand Definition test
• Survey tools:
www.surveymonkey.com
www.zoomerang.com
Check - Development
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Iterate
Test, test, test
User groups
Beta and A/B
releases
Tools & Techniques
• Usability testing lab
• Online tools:
www.usertesting.com
Check – GO LIVE!
More facts!
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Poll/survey users
Collect user testimonials
Track success measures
Tools & Techniques
Watch site metrics
• Satisfaction
Surveys
Review help
desk logs
• Helpinquiries
desks & email
Review email
inquiries
Identify issues
• Web analytic tools:
www.crazyegg.com
Get the facts. Use the facts.
Strategies:
 How do you know?
 Create > Check > Change!
 Create your own toolkit:
 User Research – Articles, Books, Online Tools
 Personas & Scenarios – Templates, processes
 Card Sorts & Wireframes - Tools
 Usability testing – Processes and tools
 Web analytics – Get a good one!
Get the facts. Use the facts.
Questions?
www.southertonconsulting.com
www.outsourcemktng.com
Laurie Southerton
www.userstrategies.com
Riva Kupritz
[email protected]
Jane Bungum
[email protected]
[email protected]