 |
|
| Pushing the boundaries of communicationsm |
Web Usability: Listening Up Pays Off
Emily Rice, manager, APCO Online ®
John Douglass, junior user experience architect, APCO Online®
In an increasingly complicated online landscape, the ability to provide audiences with an easy online experience has never been more valuable. As technologies and online capacities evolve, usability testing provides organizations with data on how to invest modestly for substantial returns with those who matter most – their users.
The online sphere has evolved at an astonishing pace in recent years – advancing the capabilities of the Internet in ways that have changed how people find the information they seek.
The Progression of Online Needs
People's reactions 15 years ago were:
“Quick, we need a Web site!”
Eight years ago, they were:
“Okay, now that we have a Web site, how do we get people to go to it?”
Today, it is:
“Now that people are on our Web site, how do we engage them and get them to do what we want them to do?”
Web sites no longer serve as one-way communication tools; they now create a dialogue between the Web site owner and the user.
The concept of a “user” encompasses a range of people online who are as different and unique as the sites they frequent. They have varying needs and expectations and respond to stimuli accordingly. Understanding the targeted user is essential to securing effective online communication strategies. However, understanding the desired user groups can prove difficult, especially when trying to create a balance between messaging, company goals and user expectations; not only do organizations have to balance these key elements, they also have to do it quickly. In a recent study by Web usability expert Jakob Nielsen, Web users spent less than 25 seconds on a homepage, leaving sites little time to make an impression.
So how do organizations know what their users want and need?
Testing, Testing, Testing
Users are looking for simplicity and ease of use, no matter what type of user they are. The onus falls on the organization to provide that relevancy and ease to users who are inundated with information and accustomed to making quick decisions. But not enough sites are focused on the fundamentals of Web usability, which are:
- helping audiences find information
- conveying messages in a clear and succinct way
- making interactions seamless
Web usability testing evaluates an organization’s site based on these fundamentals, directs their goals and defines next steps for improvement.
Usability testing generally involves measuring how well a chosen set of users (based on site audiences) respond in four areas. For example, when APCO Online performs usability tests, they seek to measure:
- Task Time – how long it takes people to complete basic tasks
- Task Success/Failure – how many mistakes people make when looking for information
- Task Recall – how much the person remembers after visiting a site
- Emotional Response – how the person feels about the task (Frustrated? Confused? Successful? Would the user try it again or recommend to a friend?)
Measuring site tasks against these standards determines where the site is successful and where it fails, allowing APCO Online to drive communication strategy through research, message development and streamlined functionality. Providing solutions that meet users’ needs lets them connect with a site in a way that guarantees return visits and completed “actions,” and therefore provides the organization with a direct and successful channel to their target audience.
But is it Really Worth it?
The online landscape is fundamentally changing, but the principles of good design and fundamentals for communication practitioners are not. Investing in usability is a cost-saving measure that strengthens constituent relationships and improves campaign results beyond the Internet.
- For e-commerce sites, the return on investment comes from increased sales, making it easier for customers to find the product, understand the product and complete the checkout transaction.
- For advocacy sites, enhanced usability provides effective channels of action to build dynamic communities and mobilize supporters.
- For Intranets, returns come from increased employee productivity, making it faster for people to do their jobs.
- For issue-based sites, defining and understanding what drives key audiences leads to messaging that resonates with target audiences, influences public debate and shapes policy.
- For marketing-oriented sites, greater usability means prospects will view the company as being easier to do business with, thus potentially increasing sales.
- For social media, blogs are certainly proof of the basic argument of usability – streamlining sites increase traffic and value.
Does it Really Work?
Ford’s Theatre Society, Washington, D.C.’s, historic performing arts venue and museum, noticed that despite heavy Web site traffic month after month, their online donations were dramatically lower than expected. Ford’s Theatre asked APCO to explore the issue and determine why their target audiences were not using the Web site as a communication and action tool.
To address these issues, APCO reached out to a range of audiences: donors, patrons, history admirers and educators. We then conducted a series of one-on-one usability tests that guided users through some of the most prioritized elements of the site – the donate functionality, the teacher education tools, and the sales and promotional features.
As a result of the user feedback gathered, APCO determined the source of the lack of interaction and thus provided recommendations for streamlining these processes and increasing site performance.
Emily Rice, a manager with APCO Online based in APCO Worldwide's Washington, D.C., office, is an experienced information architect and senior lead for APCO Online's user experience team.
John Douglass, a junior user experience architect with APCO Worldwide's Online practice based in Washington, D.C., conceptualizes and evaluates online communication strategies.