Neighborhood Watch mobile app (usability testing documentation)


I. Introduction

Neighborhood Watch is a community awareness app that encourages citizens to "Check In" at trouble spots in their neighborhood. Using the gaming model of apps like Foursquare or Gowalla, users can become “Mayor” of a location and earn participation-based “badges.” The goal is to reduce crimes or minor problems in an area, and generally, make neighbors aware of what's happening in their community. This document includes our plan for conducting an informal usability test and an analytical evaluation of our NeighborhoodWatch prototype.

Our goals for this usability test are the following:1. Identify and evaluate efficiency and learnability: weaknesses in navigation structure;

ease of identifying application's main functions.2. Identify and evaluate user expectations: what functionality user expects from an

application such as ours; did we meet, exceed or fail any of the expectations.

II. Test Script

Script to greet participants

Thank you very much for participating in this evaluation.

This is a group project for a Graduate course in Prototype Development at DePaul University. The goal of this project is to evaluate the interface of our NeighborhoodWatch web and mobile applications, and to coordinate the findings into a framework for analysis. The results of our evaluation will be summarized and presented to our internal team.

We will ask you to engage the NeighborhoodWatch application in order to better understand the logic of the application's layout as well as any aspects that may be confusing. We will ask you to “think aloud” as you navigate the NeighborhoodWatch interface to complete the specified tasks we give you. We will provide you with verbal cues if required, but please remember that there is no right or wrong way to use this application. Your interaction and feedback with the application will provide us with valuable insight for modifying and/or improving it.

We will be taking notes on what you say or “think aloud” as you navigate the interface to complete the tasks. Only your interactions with the application will be recorded in our notes.

Your identity will remain anonymous.

We need you to review and sign this statement of consent. Please let me know if you have any questions about it.


Introduction

This evaluation is to assess the usability of a new mobile application called NeighborhoodWatch.

NeighborhoodWatch is an application that allows residents of a neighborhood to keep tabs on problem areas within their community. By harnessing the power of smartphones, GPS-capability, and social networks, NeighborhoodWatch intends to enhance neighborhood safety through the collective awareness and action of the community.

NeighborhoodWatch members flag problem locations within their community so that other members might help keep on eye out for trouble at those locations. To encourage member participation and help other members determine if a location is being watched by other members, NeighborhoodWatch asks members with smartphones to “check-in” to the flagged locations. This capability is only activated with a GPS-enabled smartphone so that participation can be verified. The members that check-in and contribute the most are rewarded with activity badges that correspond to their level of involvement.

Imagine that:

Scenario 1: Mobile Check-inYou have already established a user profile. After coming home from work, you are driving through your neighborhood and want to check-in to a flagged location that other members have concerns about.

Scenario 2: Add LocationYou are walking around your neighborhood and you come across a garage door that has been vandalized with graffiti. You want to add a location to your neighborhood so that other members are aware of the trouble and can help prevent it from happening again.

Scenario 3: Edit ProfileYou have used the NeighborhoodWatch application for a few weeks, and you would like to edit your profile.

Let’s start. You are at the home screen of the mobile application, (go to the home screen of the prototype), how do you proceed?

(Let participant walk you through each step with the application.)


III. Post Task Questions

Post task Questions for “Mobile Check-In” use case:What worked well/didn’t work well when executing this task?

Post task questions for “Add Location” use case:What worked well/didn’t work well when executing this task?

Post task questions for “Edit Profile” use case:What worked well/didn’t work well when executing this task?

IV. Post Test Questions

On a scale of 1 to 5 (1 being confusing and 5 being very clear), how would you rate the organization of information on the screens you viewed?

4

On a scale of 1 to 5 (1 being confusing and 5 being very clear), how would you rate the prompts for input on the screens you viewed?

5

On a scale of 1 to 5 (1 being confusing and 5 being very clear), how would you rate your overall experience with the mobile application?

4

What would you say you liked most about the application?User liked the idea of being aware of what was going on in his neighborhood. In general, the user felt that this app would be something he would reference frequently.

What would you do to improve this application?The user's two most consistent suggestions were to be able to sort by various elements (user, location, activity) and to be able to see his online activity in the activity feed.


V. Findings

Scenario 1: Mobile Check-in

Findings Recommendations

User assumes that prototype would store his username and password rather than having to enter it

The final product will remember the user on the mobile device or web browser, but not necessary for the prototype

User wonders whether if he has option to check-in to locations or how close he would have to be to the location to check-in

Will have to determine approximate distance from location that will enable users to check-in for next prototype

User would appreciate that his check-in activity appear in the activity feed

This is an important contribution, and one that needs to be in the next prototype iteration

Scenario 2: Add Location


User had trouble discerning the difference between flagging illegal activity/vandalism and flagging neighborhood activities. Didn't know that the app allowed for flagging both types of activity

This needs to be more clearly explained. Need to determine if prototype should allow posting of both types of activity OR not. If we do, we need to make the difference more clear

User wanted to be able to sort by his check-ins, other the check-ins of other users, or sort by location, sort by activity

This is key functionality. The ability to sort flagged activity by type, location, and user is going to be integral to the next prototype

User would appreciate that his Add Location activity appear in the activity feed

This is an important contribution, and one that needs to be in the next prototype iteration


Scenario 3: Edit Profile


User wanted to see his social badges on his profile

We should add this to the next prototype

User wanted to be able to see other member's user profiles

We should determine if we will turn this app into more of a social network where users can look at each other's profiles

User wondered whether user profiles would be anonymous or not

This is a key decision that must be determined in the next prototype

VI. Requirements

Use Case Use Case Description

Errors What Worked Well

What Didn't Work Well

Comments

Mobile Check-In

You have already established a user profile. After coming home from work, you are driving through your neighborhood and want to check-in to a flagged location that other members have concerns about.

1

"Needs better indication on what 'Checking-In' Does"

Lots of questions on how checking in works and what it actually does, wondering what it functionally does in the system, wondering how it effects rating

Add Location

You are walking around your neighborhood and you come across a garage door that has been vandalized with graffiti. You want to add a location to your neighborhood so that other members are aware of the trouble and can help prevent it from happening again.

0

"Seems similar to 'Checking-In'"

More questions on difference between checking in and adding location


Edit Profile

You have used the NeighborhoodWatch application for a few weeks, and you would like to edit your profile.

0"Seems to be a pretty standard profile screen."

Questions about what fields would be required and optional, security thoughts

Questions

Organization of Information

4

Prompts for Input 5

Overall Experience 4

Liked Most Overall concept, map as main navigation, user ratings

Improvements Somehow need to better define what checking in and adding locations is actually doing.

Neighborhood Watch mobile app (usability testing documentation)

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