Register by Friday, February 10, 2012, and they’ll give you a free UserTesting.com study.

Free mini-usability study details:

• Watch users search Google for what you offer
• Watch users perform common tasks-such as placing an order-on your website
• Watch users naturally search the Internet to research your company’s credibility

What UserTesting.com will provide you:

• We’ll set up and run a 3-user test of your site.
• We’ll give you the complete videos of these three sessions.
• We’ll annotate the videos, make clips of the highlights, and write a summary of the key findings.
• And it’s free

To take advantage, simply register for the workshop by February 10th.  After you register we’ll ask you for the URL you want tested.  Then we’ll get to work.

Share on Facebook

Home screen gets cluttered quickly 
The Kindle Fire shows users all the apps, web pages, and books they’ve recently accessed on the home screen on a sliding icon carousal a la iPod album covers.

This can quickly become messy with various media, as items are not organized by type.

Be careful not to leave your Kindle Fire lying around the house if you want privacy, as anything you’ve downloaded recently will automatically appear first in the slide.

Navigation challenges amplified by screen sensitivity issues 
There is no home button on the Kindle Fire found on all Apple mobile products, making the Fire require a bit of adjusting for those accustom to iOS devices.

The user in the video above wants to find the page she bookmarked. To do this, she tries to activate the menu by tapping on the screen. Unfortunately the finger tapping motion also can trigger a page turn. She finally succeeds, but is frustrated stating, “I don’t feel like I did anything different” from her first attempt to her last. She suggests there should be a hot spot on the screen to activate the menu, since there is no external command button, to avoid unintentionally highlighting text or turning the page.

Browsing the web takes 2 fingers and a handful of patience
Simply put, it’s harder to navigate full websites on a 7″ screen. Browsing the web on the Kindle Fire requires heavy use of the two-finger activated zoom function. Reading navigation menu links without zooming in can be straining, and users face the fat finger problem of clicking on the wrong link.  In the user video below, it took some maneuvering around the page to identify the “find a store” button on Target.com’s menu.  (Note: Target.com did not redirect to a mobile site.  Read our usability study on Target’s redesign.)

Text field unresponsive on regular retail web site
Moreover, the user experienced difficulty activating text forms on the Fire. When the user tried to enter a location to find a Target store, she has to tap multiple times in the text box before the cursor activated.

Mom still shops on the big screen
While mobile html sites are on the rise, the majority of the web is not optimized for the smaller screen. The Kindle is sufficient if you are shopping on Amazon or downloaded an Android app.  Zappos pads its menu items with extra space for better mobile usability.

Many retailers still lag behind the mobile trend.  Yet even with the best mobile optimized site, my mom insists she must see the item (clothes, furniture) on her 18 inch computer screen before she buys.  

The Kindle Fire makes it simple to purchase digital content from Amazon, but for stores without a mobile optimized site or Android app — it’s easier to go back to your computer to shop.

Dad doesn’t need the Cloud to read a book
Amazon Cloud Drive is great for computer owners to store documents, pictures, and mP3s as a back-up (the files are hosted on servers at various datacenters – not in the sky). My dad brushed off the “Cloud” vs “Device” option on the Kindle Fire.

Here’s why:
- His old e-book purchases from his lost Kindle had transfered as Amazon had a record of them
- The device had plenty of storage
- He wasn’t going to read or purchase an e-book on another device

If users wanted to clear Amazon e-books on their Kindle Fire to make more room on their device, a “purchase history” feature could enable them to be downloaded again for free.  It feels like Amazon is trying to push the term “Cloud” to be more ubiquitous for all our storage needs, even when we don’t need it.

Get what you pay for
The Kindle Fire is a great deal. It makes an excellent e-reader and its tablet functionality (the ability to browse the web, stream videos, and use rich mobile apps that require internet connection) — while no iPad 2 — is probably worth the $100 more than the regular Kindle and its basic text based browser.

If you have a computer and an iPhone/Android phone already, its harder to make the case for the Fire.

Fact: My dad so far has only used his Kindle Fire as an e-reader.

It is difficult to identify the marginal benefit of getting a Kindle Fire over a regular Kindle (which lets you read, check your email, and play Scrabble to your hearts desire) for multi-device owners other than how it made my sisters and I appear less stingy than if we had gotten our dad the cheaper plain version.

Verdict: Save more money, and consider getting the regular Kindle
Unlike the Fire, the regular Kindle famously does not reflect light for those holidays in the sun.

But if you’re able to afford the pricier iPad 2, go for it — or you can win one from us by submitting your best UserTesting.com clip to krugclipcontest@usertesting.com.

Share on Facebook

UserTesting.com sat down with Murat Konar, user interface designer for Marionette, Pixar’s in-house animation software. He started out as a software developer working on pioneering multimedia software including Flash and SoundEdit and earned a Masters in Interaction Design from the Royal College of London.

UT: What’s it like designing tools for internal users? How is it different from the consumer products you’d worked on before?

MK: Our user base is small, so we have really spiky user requirements. Sometimes you need to accommodate the peccadilloes of a single person because he can’t or won’t change the way he works. The challenges of designing for a small user base were a big surprise to me.

You’d think that being in the same organization–really close to your users–would be a dream situation, but it’s a double-edged sword. Users who only see their own small part of the puzzle will request that you design a feature the way they want. It’s a challenge to maintain design integrity that might not matter to particular users but is critical to the long term viability of our system.

Since we’re replacing a system that already exists, people already have ways of doing things. We often want to improve the way they do things, but sometimes people don’t like change.

Another thing that’s not obvious: organizations who make software for the general public have self-selecting users. When you make a design change, users who are unhappy with the change drop off and new users replace them. (Hopefully you have more new users than lost users.)

But our user base is captive. They don’t have the option of using anything else. We have to satisfy everybody.

UT: You’ve been at Pixar 6 years. Does the fact that employees stay a long time affect your work?

MK: Yes. There’s a culture that has grown up around the use of our old tools. some in use for nearly 20 years. It’s natural for people to resent having their old culture usurped, even if the replacement is better.

On the other hand, we’re constantly challenged to do new things that haven’t been done before. There’s not a sense of settling down. It keeps things from getting stale.

Every new film has its challenges. Features are driven by content, so you can’t anticipate how folks are going to use your tools.

Case study on creating realistic food for “Ratatouille.” 

Another consequence of long-time users is that training isn’t a big issue. Software that is instantly approachable is not as big a win in the long run as software that has user efficiency and productivity as a goal.

UT: How do you prototype your designs?

MK: Pixar is an intensely collaborative place; we run designs by a lot of people. Being able to communicate a design effectively is really, really important. Something I can actually demo is great way to communicate a design.

Early on, we focused on super-detailed design documents, but these wound up becoming negotiating instruments between production and engineering, and work wouldn’t start until everybody was happy with the document. Over time we realized that it wasn’t worth the effort to work out every last detail once implementation started. Unanticipated problems would pop up, and the final result was often quite different than what the design document called for.

So these days we’re working faster and looser, embedding designers in teams, doing some design up front to set the direction, but more importantly staying looped in during implementation to deal with the inevitable curves that come your way. It’s been working quite well.

UT: How do you validate your designs?

MK: We’ve identified people who are good at giving feedback. And of course we’re right down the hall. So if a design isn’t working, we hear about it. It does mean that the initial implementation of a feature is really a prototype, but the close proximity between our users and ourselves makes this not as expensive as it would be in more conventional settings.

I think an unmet need is how to identify tasks that are candidates for streamlining. User testing as usually formulated tries to identify aspects of the design that prevent a user from understanding how to use a site (app, whatever). That approach isn’t as good at surfacing tasks that are done 100 times a day versus tasks that are done once a week.

We also have a bug and suggestion reporting system integrated in the apps, so we get a lot of “sugs.”

UT: How has the world changed since you started designing software 20 years ago?

MK: In the old days (before the web) we used to use the same five or so apps over and over. Maybe just two. We used to live in those apps. Now we use lots of apps for short periods of time. On the web, every site is a different “app”, unique in some way from every other site.

There’s also a higher baseline of computer savvy-ness these days. Hardly anyone has never used a computer before.

UT: What has the Apple/Pixar way taught you about quality and user satisfaction?

MK: It’s not enough to value “good design.” You have to privilege it. It’s an organizational orientation.

That’s why Apple consistently puts out things people love, but other companies can only do it in spurts (or not at all). It’s not complicated. Focus on user satisfaction, and you will get satisfied users.

Lego Buzz and Woody welcome you to Pixar Headquarters in Emeryville

Share on Facebook

1.  Headphones by Dr. Dre that give back (~$195)
The usability geek has quality taste and an empathetic heart. Monster Cable’s sharp new (Product) Red Beats by Dre Solo HD headphones can get you in the zone, blocking out distraction.  And it’s all for a good cause.

A portion of the profits goes to the Global Fund to fight AIDS.  The product includes a built-in mic, playback controls of your iPod or iPhone, and folds nicely for efficient packing. Regular Apple earbuds easily fall out of your ear, but these babies snug comfortably around your ears while you’re perfecting those mock-ups in the office — or watching UserTesting.com video results late at night.

2.  Coffee heater that plugs into your computer (~$8)
The Mr. Coffee mug warmer conveniently plugs into your laptop’s USB port.  Verdict: The perfect gift for the caffeinated user researcher who must stay focused and alert.

3. Special gloves for mobile device owners (~$45)
These wool gloves have slits at the thumbs and forefingers — ideal for using mobile devices on the go. This gift combines style with functionality every San Franciscan or British UX designer would appreciate on cold mornings.

4. Classic sketch book (~$25)
While there is the Evernote app for notes & reminders and services like Axure to build wireframes — creativity often starts with a pencil and paper. There is something about the old world charm of a Moleskine notebook that makes this item a must have for every hip designer.

 5.  Tricks of the trade from UX forefather (~$21)
We recommend putting Rocket Surgery Made Easy by world-renowned usability expert, Steve Krug, on your list. Available on the Kindle, Nook, and paperback this do-it-yourself guide to finding and fixing usability problems is the gift that keeps on giving.

Steve Krug will be judging our limited time iPad giveaway challenge for those who submit their best UserTesting.com video clip. Only 2 more weeks to enter, and you could earn the iPad 2 for yourself. Second and third prize winners also receive free user test bundles.

We thank Steve for his participation and are very honored he supports our remote usability testing service. His groundbreaking first book Don’t Make Me Think is an inspirational, informative read.

6. Sharpen your craft (starting at $25)
Don’t need any more socks? Ask for the gift of knowledge by requesting a kick-start monthly gift subscription to Lynda.com.  Their plethora of educational videos help you hone your tech and design skills at your own pace.  Master Photoshop, learn HTML5, or take a class on prototyping — improving your skills will make you more adept at solving usability issues.

The passionate people who work at Lynda.com couldn’t be any nicer, which is another reason to love them!

7.  Useless twofer makes for great stocking stuffer (~$17)
A beer hammer bottle opener: it sounds quite genius.  A usability professional, however, understands that humans who are drinking beer are unlikely to be also installing shelves. This crafty, yet impractical tool will give usability geeks a good laugh.

Verdict: Fun knick-knack to bring to a holiday party for a Secret Santa gift exchange or White Elephant game.

8. Personal is powerful (rings ~$250 and up)
Usability pros know that personalization increases conversion.  Personalized gifts likewise elicit a more positive response than commodity items. Gemvara takes the headache out of building customized jewelry.

We interviewed the amazing folks at Gemvara in a recent post about their service and experience with UserTesting.com.  While the website is extremely fun for women shopping for themselves, they make it simple for men to chose something special.

9.  Power cord harmony (~$25)
Hairdryer plugs and iPhone adapters no longer have to compete for socket space. The Pivot Power strip by Quirky has 6 adjustable outlets which can snake around furniture. This sleek gadget adds functionality to your home office.

10.  Clip-on camera is handy and fun ($79)
The Kogeto Dot snap-on camera, which comes with the free Looker app, lets your iPhone 4 or 4s capture panoramic video and share it friends on Facebook and Twitter. At $79, it is cheaper than most cameras, and easily fits in your purse or pocket.

The project raised over $120,000 to date on KickStarter by 1,023 fans, surpassing its goal of $20,000 on June 3. Verdict: Great gift for arty, adventurous tech geeks.

***

We would love to hear your input on our list as well as any other gift suggestions.

Do not forget:

• Enter our iPad Giveway challenge (most insightful UserTesting.com video clip wins!)
• Get free bonus usability tests from buying *anything* from Sitepoint’s Christmas Countdown sale.
• “Mock it up before you fock it up” – Daniel Stillman,  and test before you release to save time and money.

From all of us at UserTesting.com, have a safe and happy holidays!

Share on Facebook

How does Etsy approach this in their user interface? Through a variety of browsing and search methods, some traditional, others innovative and experimental.

The test
We asked users on our panel to think of someone they needed to buy a gift for and a budget. All testers were new to Etsy.com.

We then directed them to try several approaches to finding gifts. These included browsing the home page, using search, using category filters, shop local, and shopping for Facebook friends. We asked users to find reviews and drill down to the details page and then comment on overall impressions.

All users were experienced online shoppers and computer users. The tasks didn’t have any dependencies, so there were not many obvious roadblocks.

Still, the panel and our staff found opportunities for better showcasing Etsy products, and selling more products. We also invited Etsy to respond to the feedback and recommendations.

The positives
High quality one-of-a-kind products.  All the users in our panel found interesting gifts without much trouble. Products are front and center, and users were engaged by the uniqueness and the quality. Their products are the message.

“I would definitely buy from etsy.com. There is so much cool art on this site.”

Variety. Since our test users weren’t shopping for anything specific, if they didn’t find one item (for example, a bowling-ball themed gift), they quickly found something else. Most praised the variety of products offered.

Transparency. Users liked the detailed product descriptions. They appreciated that Etsy stores included shipping costs upfront in the product descriptions without requiring an additional click, and that shipping was typically reasonably priced.

Usability takeaways from a one-of-a-kind shopping site
Direct feedback from users and our analysis.

1. Users praised Etsy’s Shop Local feature, but the link was not easy to find
Test users loved Shop Local and the idea of patronizing small businesses close to home with reduced shipping costs. But the promotional link for this feature is hidden in the lower left of the navigation in small type, where users have to scroll to access it.

One user was hesitant about purchasing a vintage map after noticing the shipper was in Eastern Europe.

“I might be a little nervous about ordering something from overseas, so I’m going to choose something else.”

Recommendation: Move Shop Local higher on the home page and promote it actively.

2. Seller feedback feature was hard to locate on page
A lot of text on the page meant users sometimes had trouble spotting information and features that could assist them. One user stated:

“Only suggestion I have is to make the reviews more readily visible. That was my only frustration through the process.”

Recommendation: Higher variation in font sizes to promote features like feedback on Etsy shop owners. Users suggested a feedback format similar to eBay: big font, prominent, right up top, stars.

3. Users did not use search filters on the left side bar to their advantage 
Thus, they experienced an overwhelming amount of results.

Default search did not meet users’ needs.   Users bypassed the search filters, and initially typed something into the search bar to find their gift.  For an unfiltered search, Etsy states that it sorts by “Relevancy” in standard text size on the top right corner. Users felt overwhelmed by the amount of results and uncertainty as to whether they were seeing the best items or just “random things.”

“Just a bunch of random pictures of items here.”

“So many [results]…I need to narrow it down a little bit.”

Users never went beyond the first page in any of the tests that we ran. Users sought a “see all” button, but there is none. Two users wanted a way to display more thumbnails per page.

Users did not discover sub-category filters or use filters in combination with one another.  Etsy offers detailed hierarchical filters, as in this screenshot. But only one user navigated more than a layer deep in the categories.

On a regular catalog site with 25 results, this wouldn’t matter, but Etsy searches routinely returns 10,000+ results for a query. We observed there is no down arrow next to main categories to inform users there are sub-category filters.

Users did not filter by price.   (We sked them to shop on a budget.) This feature is somewhat buried at the bottom. We note that users are required to type in a minimum and maximum price range rather than select from a drop down menu.

Recommendations: More clearly state how items are automatically filtered in search (i.e., “Handmade items by closest keyword match”) in larger font. If there are thousands of results fitting the keyword, display grouped results by Local, Price, or Seller Rating.

Consider adding the ability to randomize results (which could be fun!). Enable users to view more results per page. And consider putting some key filters in the top navigation bar, as users missed them on the left side column.  

4. Unclear whether users fully understood the Etsy brand and the unique nature of products sold on the site
Users in our panel had heard of Etsy, but this was their first time shopping on the site. The top of the home page does have a filter that says Handmade and the word “unique” appears in a banner, but otherwise the site could be selling anything (like factory made items).

Did users realize items were one of a kind? No. Users were surprised they could not find product reviews. One user suggested they should put next to items:

“Only one available. Better get it now!”

Update 12/19: Etsy’s home page now displays a clearer message about their one-of-a-kind value.

5. Users would prefer Etsy’s clean site design to be more visually inspired
While Etsy’s simple layout and white background lets the products shine, shoppers felt the design was too bland. One user described the site as “plain” while another felt it was professional but generic.

“The site is very functional and user-friendly, but the overall look and feel of the site is somewhat boring. It isn’t distasteful, but it isn’t striking or aesthetically pleasing either.”

For this user, the site only filled half of her 17″ LCD.

Recommendation:  Consider bringing more of Etsy’s essense to the site theme and optimize layout for different screen sizes.

6. Home page could display more selection
Etsy didn’t refresh thumbnails on the home page even when users left and returned multiple times. The home page was the same for all of our users on Black Friday.

This is a missed opportunity, considering the hundreds of thousands of items that don’t end up among the 20 or so promoted or handpicked. Users also looked for a show all option within categories; they don’t really want to see 90,000 items, but they did want to see more of what Etsy has to offer than those that made it on the first page.

Recommendation: Mix it up. Auto-refresh thumbnails periodically and have an obvious way for users to do so. Detect more information about first-time shoppers to show them personalized products.

Sean Flannagan, Etsy Product Manager: Great feedback — we agree. A new set of handpicked items is featured on the homepage every 30 minutes, but we know there’s a lot more we can do to surface interesting items for new visitors. Working on it!

7. Site performance issues caused impatient users to press the back button
Shoppers on our panel clicked around rapidly and were generally not very patient. When a specialized page like Shop by Colors or Facebook friend recommendations loaded slowly, users quickly clicked the Back button.

An animated multicolor-dot progress indicator, as pictured below, was too subtle for these shoppers; one thought the page had crashed after less than 5 seconds because she didn’t see any text on screen.

Recommendation: Display text that says “loading.”

Sean Flannagan, Etsy: Improving site performance and speed is one of our Engineering Team’s top priorities and the focus of a special initiative. Substantial progress has been made in the last few months — you can read more about it in our November Site Performance Report.

8. Facebook-powered Gift Finder is a work in progress
Few users in the test expressed privacy concerns about the Facebook feature, which lets shoppers authorize a connection between the apps. Etsy then makes recommendations based on the friend’s Facebook likes and interests.

Gift Finder feature could be more explicit.  The link is somewhat buried underneath the categories. Moreover, there is no indication that the feature leverages your social network. One user weighed in:

“I’d consider renaming it [from Gift Finder to] something like, ‘Facebook Gift Finder.’”

Recommendation:  Use a Facebook logo to indicate this feature and promote it actively with a clearer name.

Results not always perfect.  One user thought the functionality of the Facebook gift finder was interesting and potentially helpful, but needed to be “used with caution because it frequently won’t be accurate.” One was amused at the literal matches between Facebook likes and Etsy gifts:

“Of course it found the Black Keys, which is a band, but it matched it to black keys.”

Privacy concerns?  Overall, users from our small testing panel were fine about giving Etsy access to their Facebook data.

“First reaction: Creepy, like I feel whenever I learn how our data is used. On trying, I really liked it. Tested it on several friends … they wish. A very useful way to find unusual gifts for someone. Various assurances help dial down the creepy factor.”

But our past tests have shown that users aren’t always clear and are sometimes insecure about what information Facebook shares and to whom.  I personally wondered what specific information of mine on Facebook could be unlocked and shared by my friends who used this feature on Etsy.  Any privacy concerns could be assuaged by being able to see how I appear in this tool to my Facebook friends.

Recommendation: Etsy should add the ability to see what’s recommended for you so that users understand what information their friends can see. This could potentially lead to purchases for oneself and provide Etsy additional customer insight.

Etsy product manager weighed in:  UserTesting.com invited Etsy Product Manager Jay Bergesen to clarify how this integration works. Etsy is a UserTesting.com customer but was not involved in the design or administration of this test. Jay pointed us toward this help page. He also showed us the types of gift ideas Etsy presents for Facebook users who haven’t indicated likes and interests:

If you’re a Facebook user, try this feature out, and let us know what you think. You don’t need to create an Etsy account and you can de-authorize the Etsy app in your Facebook Settings after you’re finished.

***

Finally: The testers on our panel who responded were female except one man. One user wanted more ideas suggested for men so she could shop for her husband.

When it comes to shopping: men are hunters, women are explorers.  Our male tester spent considerably less time exploring the site and shopping for gifts for his parents. He seemed just as satisfied with the site and his experience. He appeared to be shopping to fulfill a goal (as directed) rather than exploring for the fun of it.

A trusted place to discover unique local crafts.  Etsy provides an innovative way to shop from small businesses and individual crafts makers, providing many interesting approaches to browsing and finding unique gifts. The testers in our study, all first-time users, were animated and engaged throughout.

“I love supporting local business owners. I think this site is a great idea to help those people get their names out and a place for them to sell their goods.”

All users in this test said they would return to Etsy and consider buying a gift, using words like “reputable” and “awesome.”

***

Sean and Jay at Etsy: Thanks for the great feedback and ideas!

Share on Facebook

The new Twitter redesign focuses on connection and discovery and improves usability. “We’ve done a lot of user testing, and it has proven to be much simpler,”  Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey stated (source: AFP).

The Twitter redesign leverages the fact that the social microblogging service has gone mainstream and attempts to make the @ and # symbol universally known. The new navigation is now structured into 4 categories: Home, Connect (@), Discover (#), and Me.

• Discover.  The new # feature, a main navigation option, takes users to a list of relevant stories Twitter’s algorithms suspect you might be interested in.  The # search field lets users search trending hashtag topics or general keywords.

• Connect. @Connect enables users to see all activity related to your username, filtered by all interactions and by @mentions. The @name search field feature lets you search any person on Twitter and tweet to them.  ”The @ symbol has become the new URL; the fastest way to connect with anyone in the world,” Dorsey stated.

 

Twitter is also expanding profile pages, to let users tell more about themselves and their brands.  To us, the overhauled iPhone Version 4.0 Twitter app looks awesome, though not without a couple minor issues.

More difficult to switch between accounts on mobile app
First things first.  Power users with multiple accounts must now go to “Me” to realize what account they are in, as Twitter automatically logs you into one without saying which on the home screen.

      

Who am I?  While the male portrait is an accepted universal symbol for Profile, having our UserTesting logo avatar with “Me” under it would have reassured me that I was in our company account and not my personal one.   For the record, the command central switch for multiple account owners is now located in the “Me” section, under “Switch accounts.”

Power users like @ktapps1 are not happy about the change.

Discover:  Must still dig for the pound sign
We faced a second issue, this one relevant to all Twitter users.  To take advantage of the Discover feature, which bequests users to enter a #hashtag, iPhone users still have to click through four steps to dig up the # sign buried in their keyboard.

It would be nice if there was a one-click way to type in a # without having to go through the layers of your mobile keyboard.

#NewNewTwitter emphasizes action and streamlines connecting
We put Twitter to the test a couple months ago with UserTesting.com panelists, and noted that the formerly decentralized features confused users. Previously, users were confused by the “@mention” feature and searching for other users sent them in zig-zags.  The new layout makes it more clear that users can tweet to any user and ties this functionality to people search under the new category called “Connect.”

Additionally, when users search for a popular person’s name, the “Top account” shows first in the results with a feed of that person’s name appearing in tweets below.  We found this very convenient.

Twitter recently rolled out “Top people” and “Top news” to its web client, as seen below.

Direct message envelope icon gone and ‘Write’ tweet icon improved
Users in our study of the old Twitter expressed a lot of confusion between sending a direct message and sending a public tweet to a person (a mistake that cost Anthony Weiner his career).  Twitter scrapped the DM envelope icon that once appeared. Clicking the portrait icon in a follower profile now brings up a menu with “Send Direct Message” as an option.

         

The direct message looks like a private text message.  Don’t be fooled, you’re still capped at 140!

Stroke of genius. The icon to compose a tweet was formerly a pencil in a square.  The new write tweet icon, a quill feather in the square, is clever and fitting.

Overall, the UserTesting.com team is loving this streamlined look.

Do you like the #newlook?

Twitter is asking users for feedback on their blog, using the hashtag #newlook in tweets. Twitter has more info about the changes at http://fly.twitter.com/. The revamp is currently a trending topic under #NewNewTwitter.

@Jack said user testing helped them improve their product. If you have a mobile app or mobile site that could benefit from having real people test it, check out our mobile usability testing service.

Share on Facebook

Most insightful clip wins!

For the month of December we are hosting a contest to find the most insightful video clips from user tests. Steve Krug, author of Don’t Make Me Think, will choose his three favorites.

How to enter

You can submit a clip you’ve already created or make a new one. The clip can be of your site, a competitor’s site, your app or a mobile site!  Send the clip to Krugclipcontest@usertesting.com.

Win an iPad 2 and free tests

Contestants with the best clips will win awesome prizes:

• 1st place: 64GB iPad 2 and 10 free UserTesting.com tests

• 2nd place: 10 free UserTesting.com tests

• 3rd place: 5 free UserTesting.com tests

All participants may have the opportunity to have their clips showcased on the UserTesting.com site and blog.

What are you waiting for? Log into your account and create a clip today!

Read the full contest terms and conditions here.

 Not a customer yet?

Share on Facebook

But based on the rapid response from the Times’ erudite readers, we have to wonder if they tested this release before it went live.

The biggest issue was the length of text displayed before viewers had to click a Read More… button. It was no longer than a tweet–2 1/3 very short lines.

Remarkably, the Times fixed this within a day, but not before enraging hundreds of vocal, loyal readers: commenters.

Congratulations to the Times for responding to feedback and removing this button. We can’t help but wonder if usability testing would have raised the issues before launch.

Share on Facebook

7. No convenient way to add a document title
We like how Google Docs gets you right in there creating content without first having to name the document or save it somewhere. However, there should be a place along the way where a user can conveniently add a title other than in editing mode.

Three out of four testers left the document Untitled. While this is probably because we did not explicitly ask them to, there could be more than one place to input the title.

Why not include a place to update the document title from the Sharing dialog? At the point of share, users may want to name or rename the document so recipients knew exactly what they’re getting. From that point on, if you clicked the “Share” button again, seeing the title listed would confirm which document you were sharing.

Ideas To Make Sharing Easier (Click here to see before)

8. Users expressed uncertainty about whether edits were saved
Whenever a user starts to type, the document reads “Saving…” in light grey text on top. However, not all users made the correlation and felt it just saved sporadically. Users admitted they “assumed” everything auto-saves, but still did not feel 100% assured.

While some may prefer an actual “Save” button to feel more in control, we acknowledge this may be superfluous since Google is doing the job in real-time (think back to the famous WSJ piece on dummy thermostats). Google could simply make it clear they had it covered. It’s not Google to blame here for our irrational fears, moreso the scarred memories from Christmas Past of final exam papers mysteriously vanishing from our hard drives the night before they were due. (Can we not use that excuse anymore?)

To more clearly reassure users that Google saves everything, it could state in blue “Saving… (Every change you make is automatically saved).” This additional information in parenthesis does appear if you mouse over “Saving…” but is important enough to include right there on the page.

9. Users lacked confidence knowing if their updates were pushed to others who had access
Users were not sure if others sharing the document had real-time access to the latest version. They weren’t sure if they had to click “Share” or not.

This user was unclear how to guarantee if the document updated to others, when she added more text to the document.

To this user, “Done” did not convey whether she was sharing the latest update or not. We asked if it was clear how to ensure another person would see changes they made to a document. Here is one user’s written response:

• No, I had no idea about the sharing. There was no guide or reference for knowing any of that. It wasn’t clear if I would have to “share” again, but I did, just to be sure. I wasn’t even sure it went through, as there was no confirmation.

When a user clicks the “Share” button, at the bottom of the Sharing pop-up dialog that opens, the confirmation button could say “Update and Share” instead of “Done” if there are multiple users. If the document owner is the only user, it could simply say “Save.”

10. Toolbar menu options should be more explicit
We admire the sleek look, but Office docs are not the best place to reinvent the wheel for standard buttons.

Toolbar menu hidden.  The toolbar options are only viewable after you click the check box on the left of one or more documents on the list. Unless a user knows this, he or she will not see the additional menu of possibilities to preview documents, delete them, or arrange in a “collection.”  For instance, one user incorrectly went to the “Sort” button (which appears permanently on the page), in her attempt to create a collection. Despite the artistic appeal of minimalism, Google could consider making key menu items present, to make the user aware of these features.

The upload icon is not obvious to users.  Two testers went to the upload icon, to create a document, which is a couple pixels to the right of the word “Create.”

Checking a box, then an eye icon, to preview document seemed unnatural to users.   Unlike Gmail, users cannot see message snippits at a glance in Google Documents.   This can pose a problem if many documents are left Untitled.   To see a preview of a document, users have to check the box on the left of the document, which activates the toolbar menu, and then click the “eye” icon.

To be honest, I (a daily user) initially had no idea what this cyclops eye was or even existed.   The user in the video, who had used Google documents several times before, said she was not aware of this feature.  When asked to complete the task, she felt the steps to preview a document were not what she had expected.

Google could consider spelling out words for buttons instead of vague icons.  Google’s push towards internationalization is likely a factor, as recoding the template to accomodate for different languages costs time and money.  The Add icon (man with a +) and Collections icon (folder) are pretty self-explanatory, but the Preview eye, Upload arrow, and Settings nut are not exactly “universally known.”

11. “Collections” should behave more like folders
A collection is a folder to keep your files; you can organize files into multiple collections similar to how “labels” work in Gmail.

Users cannot create a new collection in the process of adding items. Users cannot organize or drop documents into a folder that has not yet been created. We observed users initially check the documents, then either click Create > Collection or click the collection (folder) icon, which they wrongly thought would enable them to create and name the folder right there in the process and move those items into the folder. First, they must create the collection.

When a user checks a document then the clicks folder icon or Create > Collection, it should enable user to create a new folder right there and put the checked document in that folder. Collections don’t behave as this user expects them to, as she cannot create a folder “in-action”:

Users expect clicking on the name of a folder will open it (checking a box unnatural). Once the collection was eventually created, users went back to Home and checked the documents they wanted to put into the collection. They attempted to click on the name of the collection, to open it. Instead, only after, they realized that they had to check the box to the left of the collection name.

Collections should open by clicking their names, similar to how Windows & OS work for a more natural user experience.

12. Google could identify users without Google accounts from Sharing Dialog 
When one person in the group does not have a Gmail or Google apps account, having to resend the document as an attachment to that specific person is tedious. (AOL still gets 3.5 million people to pay for dial-up.)  Users want to easily share documents with people who do not have a Google account.

One user expressed this specific concern, in the written follow-up question, “Is there anything else feature-wise you would like to see included in Google Docs?”:

• I’ve wanted to share docs with others who don’t have a Google email account.  I did some research and told them they had to create a Google account.  It would be nice to be able to shared based on email address alone, if possible.

Potential Fix: Google could automatically recognize that a user did not have a Gmail or Google apps account at the point he or she is “Added” in the Sharing dialog. If at this point Google provided the option to send a document as an attachment to that specific person, it would be more efficient.

***

If a friend or loved one would benefit from some usability testing on their website or mobile app, consider purchasing them free test credits.  Contact us at support@usertesting.com.  Or you can treat yourself to a more usable site this holiday season.

Share on Facebook

We’ll save their driverless cars for later and start with Google Docs. Our findings range from cut-and-dry to more subjective, as we reveal specific usability issues four Gmail users faced building a Christmas list with Google Docs.

1. The “Getting Started” tool-tip distracted new users
Clicking “Get Started” doesn’t take you to create a document. Instead it asks whether you want “left to right” controls for Hebrew and Arabic documents.

UserTesting.com lets customers ask 4 written questions after the video test. One user specifically points out his issue with the “Get Started” tooltip in response to our first question “Is it easy to create a Word Document in Google Documents? List what could be improved:”

• Yes – right at the start – there was a dialog box called “Getting Started” that opened: 1) the outline of the box was so light I almost failed to realize it was tied to the create button so was unsure where to go next 2) even once I realized what the box was, I was unsure whether to click create or get started to start the process. Because of these 2 issues I’d recommend simplifying as follows: Getting started: (text only) Create document (pushbutton) Upload document (pushbutton)

Throughout the test, users X-ed out of the “Getting Started” dialog by clicking “Remind Me Later,” as it kept reappearing from the Documents homepage when they were deep in the process of using it.

2. When selecting text color, the background color box should not activate
We asked users to list three items they wanted for Christmas and change the text color to green. The user below correctly clicked the correct box. However, when she slid her mouse down to the right to select a text color, the cursor activated the background color box.

Another user almost made the same mistake but quickly corrected herself. The background box should not activate in hover when the text color box has been selected.

3. How to share a document should be blatantly obvious
It’s key to give user testers “just enough” information to complete the desired task without being too specific on how to get there. In our test, we explicitly asked users to “Share” their Christmas list with another user. Despite this, one user initially overlooked “Share” in the File menu and went for the “Email as an attachment” option.

“Email as an attachment” is a form of sharing, and seems like it could also be an option once a user clicks “Share.” For first-time users, both options plainly appearing on the File menu seemed to create uncertainty. Another user sought an “email option” and stalled once he arrived at the sharing dialog page.

In his response to our written follow-up question “What about sharing could be improved or be more useful?” he stated, “It was a little unclear that sharing could also mean emailing.”

Since the Share button on the top right is blue, the “Share” option from the File menu could also be the same color blue, to make it more apparent for new users that this is the way to collaborate on a document, who initially go to the File menu. (Specific ideas about how the sharing dialog page could be more useful to the task-at-hand are below.)

4. Options should be available when users need them– otherwise they confuse people

In the sharing pop-up dialog, one user initially clicked the “Change” link (shown above) to share with others, overlooking the “Add people” field above it. Watch her mistake in the video below.

The text: “Editors will be allowed to add people and change the permissions” and Change link should only be enabled after a user selects other editors. It seems obvious as the document creator you have the power to do this. Moreover, it takes attention away from “Add people” which is the primary goal of this page.

5. Users unclear how document recipients are notified
Users were not sure exactly how Google notified recipients of shared documents and what information was conveyed. Google does in fact send an email notification to recipients alerting them of the shared item, with a direct link to access it. But users were confused about this.

We asked our panelists to include a message with the document saying, “This is my Christmas List.” The user below seemed to believe that keeping the “Notify via email” box checked would notify the recipient twice had she wanted to include a message of her own with the document.

Only after the user unchecked “Notify people via email” and pressed “Save and share,” did she receive this message:

(Well, too late; the user above skipped it!) Further, it’s not clear from this message where the recipient would sign in. A first-time user could understandably imagine a secret Google Doc portal. We assume it’s not Facebook.

Perhaps a Learn more link next to “Notify people by email” would better explain the consequences on the original sharing page beforehand. The pop-up message when you click the link could read:

• “Google will send an email notification to recipients alerting them of the shared item, with a direct link to access it. You can include a personal message. (This would explain what they’re getting)
• If you uncheck this box, no email will be sent, and recipients will have to sign in to their Google account and go to Documents to see the item you shared.” (This would explain more clearly what happens if you uncheck it)

6. Easy to miss “Add message” option
“Add message” is only activated on the Sharing dialog by clicking a link that’s somewhat buried. The user in this video missed where she can add a message with the Christmas List she was trying to share, but succeeded on her third attempt. Hence I received three emails in my inbox from her.

Another tester felt strongly about Google making the “Add message” option more prominent and had this to say: “I just think that rarely does anyone send something in a blank message – it may just be a document they’ve agreed on prior to sending, but you still would say ‘here is the doc. we agreed on.’ Certainly that’s the case with all the people I communicate with!”

We then had a fifth member of our panel test this feature, who had previously used Google Docs multiple times, and she also completely missed it.

“Add message” could be a standard text box which is opened when users starts typing in the “Add people” field.

***

Google Docs has greatly improved our team’s productivity, and best of all it’s free. No design is perfect (Google admits this) and we suspect Google’s UX team is aware of many of these issues (engineering is likely working on them and the next best thing). However, we wanted to show how our remote panelists could provide meaningful insight into key usability issues, that if fixed, could help millions of others better use their product.

Best of all, you don’t have to wait until Christmas to get valuable insight. Get video results in as little as one hour of real people interacting with your website or mobile app.

Look for issues 7-12 in Part 2 of our post later this week, which exposes users’ insecurity about saving, points out confusing icons, and includes a mock with ideas to optimize sharing.

Share on Facebook