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In this months' introduction to usability we consider the role of online usability tools as part of the usability practitioners' tool kit.
Traditional laboratory based usability testing (Usability Evaluation) Is still by far the most detailed and comprehensive method of identifying usability issues with websites. However the data captured in the lab can be supplemented and in some cases replaced with the use of online usability tools.
Online usability tools are designed to capture date from two sets of visitors: Real world users, and recruited participants. We will look at each.
Real world users visit the site and are asked to participate in the research. They have to 'opt in' in order to be included and having done so are presented with some questions. The best tools do not bombard the visitor with a mile long list of questions but are targeted at the key issues. For example, 4 questions may be presented that capture the demographic information, purpose/objective for visit, referral source and value placed on the online brand. On leaving they will be asked four more questions confirming whether they achieved their objective, if not why not, and a measure of how their online experience has impacted their perception of brand value. This type of online usability tool is ideal for identifying areas where lab based usability testing needs to be targeted.
Recruited participants, from a pool recruited either specifically for the usability research or on a retained basis are asked to complete tasks. A window appears on the page providing them with instruction but not interfering with their interaction with the website. On completing the task, or failing to do so, the participant is required to describe their experience and what they found difficult or unintuitive about the site.
Whilst this second type of online tool does not provide the level of granularity that lab based usability testing does, it has a number of advantages. For example one of the main barriers to carrying out large-scale usability projects with high numbers of participants has been the high associated cost. The costs come from recruitment, extended lab time and on occasions from travel if the participants need to be recruited from different geographic groups or regions. Online usability tools of the task type provide a cost effective method of capturing data from large group of participants.
The Usability Company has a number of online usability tools but our advice is that they form part of the overall solution and at present, cannot be considered the solution in themselves.
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