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Transcript of Usability & the google generation access2010
Usability Testing & The Google
Generation
Presented to Access 2010, October 14th, 2010Library Technologies ConferenceLisa Fast [email protected]
2Copyright 2010 Neo Insight Inc.
What is this Talk About?
1.We are all the Google Generation
2.Google Expectations and Behaviours observed in many Usability Tests
3.Google Scholar versus Navigation in a usability test
4.Approaches to Usability Testing
3Copyright 2010 Neo Insight Inc.
We are all the Google Generation
4Copyright 2010 Neo Insight Inc.
The ‘Google Generation’ Broadly used to refer people born after 1993
“a generation whose first port of call for knowledge is the internet & a search engine”
Stereotype may be fairly accurate: 2% of students start their information search on
a library site - 89% use a search engine From the Perceptions of Libraries & Information Resources report
2005 http://www.oclc.org/reports/2005perceptions.htm
Are the rest of us that different?
5Copyright 2010 Neo Insight Inc.
78% of U.S. adult Internet users perform online research before a product purchase.
No difference across age groups except for those 65 & overn=2,065, Sept 2010
http://www.pewinternet.org/Reports/2010/Online-Product-Research/Findings.aspx
6Copyright 2010 Neo Insight Inc.
“…research-behaviour traits that are commonly associated with younger users – impatience in search and navigation, and zero tolerance for any delay in satisfying their information needs – are now the norm for all age-groups, from younger pupils and undergraduates through to professors.
Information Behaviour of the Researcher of the Future, January 2008.
http://www.jisc.ac.uk/whatwedo/programmes/resourcediscovery/googlegen.aspx
7Copyright 2010 Neo Insight Inc.
More than 15 billion Google searches per
month in the U.S.
8Copyright 2010 Neo Insight Inc.
The average person spends 2 hours per month on Google
9Copyright 2010 Neo Insight Inc.
Our brains like to build on existing knowledge. It helps us conserve our limited attention
resources for our tasks.
10Copyright 2010 Neo Insight Inc.
Google Expectations & Behaviour Patterns
Trends observed in 150+ hours of
Neo Insight Usability Test Sessions
For more details, see: http://www.neoinsight.com/newsletter/1009.html#iexpectations
11Copyright 2010 Neo Insight Inc.
Expectation 1: If a field is labeled Keyword or Search, it will work just like
Google.
12Copyright 2010 Neo Insight Inc.
13Copyright 2010 Neo Insight Inc.
Recommendations for Field LabelsDon’t use broad labels like Keyword or
Full Text if the search is scoped by other fields or is restricted in any way.The label should clearly define the scope.
Don’t use sub-instructions in small font.
Don’t use a Search button for a scoped advanced search.Google labels their button Advanced Search
14Copyright 2010 Neo Insight Inc.
Expectation 2: All search fields will correct my spelling, like Google does.
15Copyright 2010 Neo Insight Inc.
16Copyright 2010 Neo Insight Inc.
It’s More Than Spelling People focus on their task, not spelling
Hyphens and spaces cause problems
Synonyms cause problemsOn the example site above, synonyms are
supported, but only if you get the hyphen and space right!
Missing a space = No Results No Space – The Right Results
17Copyright 2010 Neo Insight Inc.
Recommendations
Ensure your search engine supports spelling correction and plural versions.And synonyms for top tasks
Better yet, provide type-ahead – people like it because they know it helps them to avoid errors.
18Copyright 2010 Neo Insight Inc.
Expectation 3: The search results
will appear as quickly as Google.
19Copyright 2010 Neo Insight Inc.
“Zero Tolerance for Delay” What we see in tests: people abandon library and
site search if it’s too slow to respond.
Google found that delays as short as 400 milliseconds caused a significant reduction in the number of subsequent searches people made. The study also suggests that it’s better to delay showing the
page completely than to show some of it and then have a delay
Recommendation: Google is setting the pace. If your search results aren’t presented quickly, they’ll leave and go to Google.
http://code.google.com/speed/files/delayexp.pdf
20Copyright 2010 Neo Insight Inc.
Expectation 4: If I can’t complete my task easily &
quickly on the site, I’ll google instead.
21Copyright 2010 Neo Insight Inc.
22Copyright 2010 Neo Insight Inc.
Recommendations Improve so people won’t feel compelled to leave
Optimize your top task paths –start the task on Home. Ensure your site search is quick and google-like
Make the best of it – make it easy for people to use Google and then return to your site
Make sure that people can copy & paste into fields in wizards or search mechanisms.
For deep sites, make sure page contents are available to search engines, so people can arrive directly at their desired content.
http://www.neoinsight.com/newsletter/1009.html#iexpectations
23Copyright 2010 Neo Insight Inc.
Comparing Google Scholar to
Hierarchical Navigation
24Copyright 2010 Neo Insight Inc.
Many young people do not find library-sponsored resources intuitive and therefore prefer to use Google or Yahoo instead: these offer a familiar, if simplistic solution, for their study needs.
Information Behaviour of the Researcher of the Future, January 2008.
http://www.jisc.ac.uk/whatwedo/programmes/resourcediscovery/googlegen.aspx
25Copyright 2010 Neo Insight Inc.
Google Scholar ComparisonParticipants were asked to find the same
article two ways:Could start at either Google Scholar or existing menuNo federated search in place at the time
Google Scholar improved performanceMedian time was reduced by 80%A Canada Research Chair faculty member dropped
from 198 seconds to 27 seconds to find his own articleSatisfaction improved by 50% (80% very satisfied)
All but one said “Next time, I’ll use Google Scholar”
26Copyright 2010 Neo Insight Inc.
Why Did They Prefer Google Scholar?
-Seeing results so quickly helps users refine their search, if necessary. With the Journals route, it can >6 clicks to see article titles. - It’s familiar – they know how to use it.
27Copyright 2010 Neo Insight Inc.
Make Federated Search your DefaultDon’t Do this (people won’t find it)
Do this!
28Copyright 2010 Neo Insight Inc.
No Federated Search Yet? Don’t Do This:
If the Selection menu is AFTER the search field, people will hit Enter after their search term, and miss it.
Do This: Put the menu BEFORE the search field, so that they
see it before they start their usual flow.
29Copyright 2010 Neo Insight Inc.
Approaches to Usability Testing
30Copyright 2010 Neo Insight Inc.
The Testing Process Site designers aren’t site visitors
Test the usability (effectiveness, efficiency and satisfaction) of top tasks for target audiences
Testing is qualitative it’s the WHAT & WHY not the HOW MANYTask design is key – the right task in the right way
Participants perform tasks on a screen-share with a facilitator & observers
Sessions are video-recorded, notes are synced
Identify symptoms & root causes of usability issues
Make design/redesign recommendations
31Copyright 2010 Neo Insight Inc.
Iterative Testing Will Find Most Problems
http://www.useit.com/alertbox/20000319.html
3 tests with 5 or more users will find most problems
Participants should perform your top tasks – E.g. Find a book/journal article/, Hours, Locations
32Copyright 2010 Neo Insight Inc.
Advantages of Using ProfessionalsExperience with task identification
methods results in the right tasks
Process is streamlined & well-definedStatistical expertise for quantitative analysis
Recommendations are based on: experience with many sites, knowledge of
conventions and latest techniques
Can apply different types of tests to fit the particular need of the site & team
33Copyright 2010 Neo Insight Inc.
Do It YourselfAny tests are better than none
except if you use the designers as participants!easier to do iterative testing & make changes
Scale of testing can range from:Complete set of testsTo mini-tests – sit beside the person, take
notes, screen snapshots
Recruit on your site to build a pool of participants for when you need them Follow your ethics guidelines!
34Copyright 2010 Neo Insight Inc.
Some Great Resources
35Copyright 2010 Neo Insight Inc.
New Quantitative Methods
36Copyright 2010 Neo Insight Inc.
New Options for Testing: UnmoderatedNew tools run the tests for you
Examples: Loop 11, UteTool, User ZoomReference book: Beyond the Usability Lab, by
Albert, Tullis and Tedesco
Tasks need very careful designRisk: Garbage in, garbage out!
Need lots of people - recruit on your site
Tells you What and How Many - combine with a few moderated tests to get the Why
37Copyright 2010 Neo Insight Inc.
Popular Option: A/B Testing Use Google’s Website Optimizer to test
two versions of a pageSee which page is more successful
Takes careful design Change just a few things to identify the issues
Need enough traffic
Use online resources to learn more http://www.google.com/intl/en/websiteoptimizer/tutorials.html Try tests at http://whichtestwon.com/
38Copyright 2010 Neo Insight Inc.
Learn From Other People’s Tests
Version AVersion B
Version A boosted Library newsletter sign-ups by 52.8%.
http://whichtestwon.com/email-newsletter-opt-in-test?pollid=73
39Copyright 2010 Neo Insight Inc.
Summary People use Google 2 hours per month
They will transfer that learning
You’re not Google but you can act like them or use their tools
Usability testing identifies problemsDo it! Hire professionals or do it yourselfFewer problem calls, better self-service
New testing methods answer more questions, with quantitative data
Contacts
Phone (613) 271-3001Email [email protected] Web www.neoinsight.com Mail Suite 374
300 Earl Grey DriveOttawa, OntarioCanada K2T 1C1
Gord Hopkins
Mike Atyeo
Scott Smith
Strategic design(613) [email protected]
User Experience Specialist(613) [email protected]
Competitive strategy(613) [email protected]
Lisa Fast
Experience Designer(613) [email protected]