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The Unobtrusive Usability Test:
  Creating Measurable Goals to Evaluate a Website

 Tabatha Farney
 Web Services Librarian
 University of Colorado Colorado Springs
 Paper at:
 http://www.ala.org/acrl/sites/ala.org.acrl/files/content/conferen
 ces/confsandpreconfs/2013/papers/Farney_Unobtrusive.pdf

                                                     Presented at the 2013 ACRL
                                                            Conference.
Usability is a
  constant process
How can we keep up with the pace
   of changing library users?
What is Web Analytics?




The process of collecting, reporting, and analyzing website
usage data to reveal how users are actually interacting with
a website in order to make improvements.
Common Web Analytics
          Metrics

 Basic Usage    Engagement                Goals

 Visits        Duration of Visit    Conversions
 Visitors      Page Depth
 Page Views    Bounce Rate




                            and the list goes on
All that data is gather
seamlessly into a web
 analytics tool without
bothering the end user.
Usability Testing       Web Analytics

                    +
                    =
              Validation
                Testing
Validation testing takes place
after the website is finished
and evaluates that the site
meets its desired goals based
on set benchmarks.

Requires a large group of users and
simple usability benchmarks.
Applying Web Analytics to
    Usability Testing
 Usability Process*                  Applying WA
1. Understand tests
                              Unchanged
purpose and goals
2. Determine the research
                              Unchanged
questions

3. ID a target audience       Website users (can further
                              segment this group)
                              Tasks must be measurable
4. Select the tasks
                              in website use data.
5. Define the usability       Select the web analytics
metrics and reports           metrics and reports.
6. Report the findings        Unchanged

                          * Modified from Rubin and Chisnell (2008).
Identifying Usability Metrics
Task 1: Find a research database within
four web pages of the visit.
       Task Completion                    Success Rate
 Metric: Conversion                 Metric:   Successful Conversions
                                                Total Conversions
 Report: Goal w/ custom             Report: Goal w/ custom
 segment                            segment


      Time to Complete Task             Common Pathways
 Metric: Average Time on Site
 (average); Visit Duration (mean)   Metric: Page Views
 Report: Audience Overview;         Report: Reverse Goal Path
 Audience Engagement
Example Report
       Sample report in Google Analytics
Reporting
                    September  November 2012
                                      Task 1
Total Conversions                     10154
                                                Any success
                    Total Successes    6778
                                                under 65%
                    Total Failures     3376
                                                triggers the
                    Success Rate      66.84%    error analysis
                                                process.
Average Time on Site                  0:09:40
Visit Duration
                 0-10 seconds          2187
                 11-30 seconds         2132
                 31-60 seconds         798
                 61-180 seconds        1153
                 181-600 seconds       1343
                 601-1800 seconds      1587
                 1801+ seconds         954
Drawbacks & Benefits

      Drawbacks                Benefits
 Error analysis is a    Easy to regularly
  long process            assess website usage
 Inability to track          Simple to implement
  individual users            Many WA tools have
                               automatic export
 Only data from
  website users          Can be combined with
                          other usability efforts
 Data focuses on
  actions, not           Many libraries already
  motivations             use a WA tool
Recommendations for You
                                    Reuse
  Keep test    Invest in error     previous
  goals and     analysis and     usability tests
                                                   Test the test.
    tasks        reporting         to guide
 manageable.       steps.          goal/task
                                   creation.
Summary
 Apply the structure of
  usability testing to your
  website use data
 Make your tasks
  measurable using
  website use data
 Be prepared to report
  the data regularly
 Error analysis is an
  essential process
 Make changes based
  on the data and test
  again!
Resources
Citations for 際際滷s                                Images Used
                                                    Students Moving through HUB, pennstatenews, Flickr,
Barnum, Carol M. Usability Testing Essentials:
Ready, SetTest! Boston: Morgan Kaufmann            http://www.flickr.com/photos/pennstatelive/4950729405
Publishers, 2011.                                   (slide 2).

                                                    Web Analytics Framework, Beantin
Farney, Tabatha and Nina McHale. Web Analytics      webbkommunikation, Flickr,
Strategies for Information Professionals: A LITA
                                                    http://www.flickr.com/photos/beantin/7649183772/
Guide. Chicago: ALA TechSource, 2013.
                                                     (slide 3).
Nielsen, Jakob and Hoa Loranger. Prioritizing Web
                                                    Peanut Butter, sparktography, Flickr,
Usability. Berkeley: New Riders, 2006.
                                                    http://www.flickr.com/photos/sparktography/410446108/
                                                    (slide 6).
Rubin, Jeffrey and Dana Chisnell. Handbook of
Usability Testing: How to Plan, Design, and         Kshocolat Dark Chocolate Bar, Boz Bros, Flickr,
Conduct Effective Tests, 2nd ed. Indianapolis:
Wiley, 2008.                                        http://www.flickr.com/photos/sparktography/410446108/
                                                    (slide 6).
Tullis, Tom and Bill Albert. Measuring the User     Giant Reeses Peanut Butter Cup, camknows, Flickr,
Experience: Collecting, Analyzing, and
                                                    http://www.flickr.com/photos/camknows/8265569228/
Presenting Usability Metrics. Boston: Morgan
Kaufmann Publishers, 2008.                          (slide 6).

                                                    Labs are Full! clemsonunivlibrary, Flickr,
Turner, Steven J. Demonstrating Success: Web       http://www.flickr.com/photos/clemsonunivlibrary/6096116
Analytics and Continuous Improvement. Journal
                                                    865/ (slide 7).
of Web Librarianship 6, no.1 (2012): 45-55.
                                                    Thumbs Up, P1r, Flickr,
                                                    http://www.flickr.com/photos/p1r/4730426448/ (slide 14).

More Related Content

Unobtrusive Usability Testing: Creating Measurable Goals to Evaluate a Website

  • 1. The Unobtrusive Usability Test: Creating Measurable Goals to Evaluate a Website Tabatha Farney Web Services Librarian University of Colorado Colorado Springs Paper at: http://www.ala.org/acrl/sites/ala.org.acrl/files/content/conferen ces/confsandpreconfs/2013/papers/Farney_Unobtrusive.pdf Presented at the 2013 ACRL Conference.
  • 2. Usability is a constant process How can we keep up with the pace of changing library users?
  • 3. What is Web Analytics? The process of collecting, reporting, and analyzing website usage data to reveal how users are actually interacting with a website in order to make improvements.
  • 4. Common Web Analytics Metrics Basic Usage Engagement Goals Visits Duration of Visit Conversions Visitors Page Depth Page Views Bounce Rate and the list goes on
  • 5. All that data is gather seamlessly into a web analytics tool without bothering the end user.
  • 6. Usability Testing Web Analytics + = Validation Testing
  • 7. Validation testing takes place after the website is finished and evaluates that the site meets its desired goals based on set benchmarks. Requires a large group of users and simple usability benchmarks.
  • 8. Applying Web Analytics to Usability Testing Usability Process* Applying WA 1. Understand tests Unchanged purpose and goals 2. Determine the research Unchanged questions 3. ID a target audience Website users (can further segment this group) Tasks must be measurable 4. Select the tasks in website use data. 5. Define the usability Select the web analytics metrics and reports metrics and reports. 6. Report the findings Unchanged * Modified from Rubin and Chisnell (2008).
  • 9. Identifying Usability Metrics Task 1: Find a research database within four web pages of the visit. Task Completion Success Rate Metric: Conversion Metric: Successful Conversions Total Conversions Report: Goal w/ custom Report: Goal w/ custom segment segment Time to Complete Task Common Pathways Metric: Average Time on Site (average); Visit Duration (mean) Metric: Page Views Report: Audience Overview; Report: Reverse Goal Path Audience Engagement
  • 10. Example Report Sample report in Google Analytics
  • 11. Reporting September November 2012 Task 1 Total Conversions 10154 Any success Total Successes 6778 under 65% Total Failures 3376 triggers the Success Rate 66.84% error analysis process. Average Time on Site 0:09:40 Visit Duration 0-10 seconds 2187 11-30 seconds 2132 31-60 seconds 798 61-180 seconds 1153 181-600 seconds 1343 601-1800 seconds 1587 1801+ seconds 954
  • 12. Drawbacks & Benefits Drawbacks Benefits Error analysis is a Easy to regularly long process assess website usage Inability to track Simple to implement individual users Many WA tools have automatic export Only data from website users Can be combined with other usability efforts Data focuses on actions, not Many libraries already motivations use a WA tool
  • 13. Recommendations for You Reuse Keep test Invest in error previous goals and analysis and usability tests Test the test. tasks reporting to guide manageable. steps. goal/task creation.
  • 14. Summary Apply the structure of usability testing to your website use data Make your tasks measurable using website use data Be prepared to report the data regularly Error analysis is an essential process Make changes based on the data and test again!
  • 15. Resources Citations for 際際滷s Images Used Students Moving through HUB, pennstatenews, Flickr, Barnum, Carol M. Usability Testing Essentials: Ready, SetTest! Boston: Morgan Kaufmann http://www.flickr.com/photos/pennstatelive/4950729405 Publishers, 2011. (slide 2). Web Analytics Framework, Beantin Farney, Tabatha and Nina McHale. Web Analytics webbkommunikation, Flickr, Strategies for Information Professionals: A LITA http://www.flickr.com/photos/beantin/7649183772/ Guide. Chicago: ALA TechSource, 2013. (slide 3). Nielsen, Jakob and Hoa Loranger. Prioritizing Web Peanut Butter, sparktography, Flickr, Usability. Berkeley: New Riders, 2006. http://www.flickr.com/photos/sparktography/410446108/ (slide 6). Rubin, Jeffrey and Dana Chisnell. Handbook of Usability Testing: How to Plan, Design, and Kshocolat Dark Chocolate Bar, Boz Bros, Flickr, Conduct Effective Tests, 2nd ed. Indianapolis: Wiley, 2008. http://www.flickr.com/photos/sparktography/410446108/ (slide 6). Tullis, Tom and Bill Albert. Measuring the User Giant Reeses Peanut Butter Cup, camknows, Flickr, Experience: Collecting, Analyzing, and http://www.flickr.com/photos/camknows/8265569228/ Presenting Usability Metrics. Boston: Morgan Kaufmann Publishers, 2008. (slide 6). Labs are Full! clemsonunivlibrary, Flickr, Turner, Steven J. Demonstrating Success: Web http://www.flickr.com/photos/clemsonunivlibrary/6096116 Analytics and Continuous Improvement. Journal 865/ (slide 7). of Web Librarianship 6, no.1 (2012): 45-55. Thumbs Up, P1r, Flickr, http://www.flickr.com/photos/p1r/4730426448/ (slide 14).