April 6, 2016 Alex Chapin, Executive Divecio CLAS Office of Academic Technt jes. Barnard 237 University of North Carolina at Charlotte 9201 University City Blvd Charlotte, NC 28223-0001 Re: Usability Tests of “ge Pages Interface ‘We would first like To express our thanks to the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences (CLAS) staff for allowing us to aid them in achieving theig-goal of making the UNC Charlatte Pages interface as efficient and user-friendly as possible information they pr fen allowed us to better understand their goals for the int which helped designing our usability test. “aS by Associate English Professor Dr. Gregory Wickliff in our ENGL 4181, Writing User Documents class. The primary goal of the assignment was to perform a series of usability tests on the UNC Charlotte Pages interface, analyze the results, and present our findings to the CLAS Office of Academic Technologies staff. findings include: ~ When attempting to delete posts, users experienced some slight difficulty - One user found the site a bit too cluttered, making it difficult to find buttons for the first, time. As indicated in these findings, we believe that there are opportunities for improvement the site. By following our recommendations, we believe that the site can be making the user experience less frustrating and more enjoyable Sincerely, ‘Cody Dennard & Nicholas Alea Authors, ce: e ais Gas Professor of EnglishSummary of Comments on Garcia_Marked Draft 1-Project D.pdf Page: 1 TNumbert Author Owner Subject Stcly Note Date 4/23/2016 84501 Pd ould tis beta bold? oNumber2 Author Owner Subject Stity Note ___Date: 4/20/2016 80959 PM Should there Bean opening ere? Tawhom K may concern) Number: 3____Author:Owner Subject Sticly Note __Date: 4/22/2016 705: PM Sciences aca and staf for the opportunity to help Them SHEVS Tel goal of mang he ‘ge Number.4____Author: Owner Subject: Sticky Note ___Date: 4/22/2016 7.0845 PM ‘vary road datement- when did they provide Wbeor, nthe Ginn ec eNumbers Author: Omer Subject Stiky Note Date: 4/22/20167.0811 PM ubHONSTY Number. Author: Owner __ Subject Highlight _Date:4/22/2016 70754 PM Number: 7___Author:Owner subject Sticy Note ___Date:4/22/2016 709-40 PM projector war assigned by w)Number8 Author: Onmer Subject Hightght ate: 4/22/2016 7.0812 PM \eMumber:9 Author: Owner Subject: Sty Note ___ Date: 4/23/2016 42047 PM cefficentiy? ‘Number 10___Author: Owner _Subjec: Sticky Note _Date: 4/23/2016 41546 PM ‘acest swjNumbec 1___Author:Owmer Subject Highlight _Date: 4/29/2016 41:29 PM Number12 Author: Owner __Subjct Highlight _Date: 4/23/2016 4:20:37 PM “goNumbec 13 Author: Owner_Subjec: Sticky Note___Date: 4/23/2016 4:21:23 PM bath qjNumber 14 Author: Owner__ Subject: Highight Date:4/23/2016 42113 PM Number:15 Author: Owner _ Subject Highght_Date: 4/23/2016 42444 PM encountered ‘gNumbec 16___Author: Owner Subject: Sticky Note_ Date: 4/23/2016 4.2849 PM However, he Yet esuls Rave been aelully examined and we ae prepared to offer some recommendans Tat we DaTevE Wil WafrOVE The website swNumbec17 Author: Owner Subject Mightght Date: 4/22/2016 42651 PM goNunbec 18 Author: Owner Date 4/23/2016 43057 8M swjNumber 19 __AuthorOwner Subject Mightght Date: 4/22/2016 42051 PM Number 20____futhor: Owner Subject: ightight_Date:4/23/2016 43145 PM Tuer improved eNumber 21___Author: Owner SubectStty Note __Date: 4/23/2016 84422 PM Shou the names en BOUT eNumber 22 Author: Owner Subject Sticky Note ___Date: 4/22/2016 84438 PM Should the tex bet bola Comments from page 1 continued on next pageApril 6, 2016 Alex Chapin, Executive Directo{ CLAS Office of Academic Tasik Barnard 237 University of North Carolina at Charlotte 9201 University City Blvd Charlotte, NC 28223-0001 Re: Usability Tests of "E Charlotte Pages Interface We would first like f0 express our thanks to the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences (CLAS) staff for allowing us to aid them in achieving their goal of making the UNC Charlotte Pages interface as efficient and user-friendly as possib{{ fhe information the allowed us to better understand their goals for the inte hich helped en designing our usability test. T s by Associate English Professor Dr. Gregory Wickliff in our ENGL 4181, Writing User Documents class. The primary goal of the assignment was to perform a series of usability tests on the UNC Charlotte Pages interface, analyze the results, and present our findings to the CLAS Office of Academic Technologies staff. Our tests and subsep=snt analysis yielded some key findings. The test participant navigeted the interfac completed the tasks with ease. The interface works wa is ightforward and intuitive. When user difficulties, they were able to fi solutions quickly and easih findings include: - When attempting to delete posts, users experienced some slight difficulty. = One user found the site a bit too cluttered, making it difficult to find buttons for the first time As indicated in these findings, we believe that there are opportunities for pues t the site. By following our recommendations, we believe that the site can be making the user experience less frustrating and more enjoyable. Sincerely, Cody Dennard & Nicholas Alea] AuthorsWjNumber 23 __Author: Owner _ Subject Highlight Date: 4/23/2016 84426 PM.UNC Charlotte Pages: Usability Testing Reporte? ENGL 4181 April 6, 2016 ies By: Cody Dennard & Nicholas Alcalde j ig Professor of EnglishPage: 2 Humbert Author: Owner Subject Sticy Note Date 4/23/2016 64535 PA Should the ene Wiebe Bo se Number:2 Author: Owner Subject: Sticky Note Date: 4/23/2016 8:43:58 PM i the bold Tort necessary, should you ada the section # of the daas and the course ile Ge Number:3____Author: Owner _ Subject Sticky Note Date: 4/23/2016 8:43:14 PM Ie the bold text necessary Number:4 Author: Owner Subject Highlight_Date: 4/23/2016 843.04 PMExecutive Summa ‘The purpose of this study was; analyze user interaction UNC Charlotte Pages interface and report our findings to the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences (CLAS [fir In doing so, we hope that our findings can be used to improve the usability of the website interface For our usability tests we asked several faculty members with varying levels of experience wit{Ple UNC Charlotte Pages website to complete three tasks, ‘The fipesapk lwo. and publish a new post to their page. After successfully publishing a new post, they were then delete it. The second tas the header image of their page. Once this task_was completed, the third task Boies some form of new media to the webpage and, once again, Each test was monitored and recorded so that we could examine the tests in a more thorough and detailed manner. Once each participant had completed the test, we then asked them a series of follow-up questions in order to gain more insight ir experience with the interface. oS Each of ne BA ipa exhibited very few signs of frustration or difficulty in completing their assigned tasks. They all completed the tests easily and relatively quickly. They (@Sfherally seemed to be satisfied with the interface and the tools that it provided, With one said, there were some moments where the testers hesitated before taking action. After examining the recordings speaking with the icipants, we were able to determine that a couple of them experienced some minor difficulty when attempting to delete their frst post. Additionally sae user gy jeer amount of options available made it more difficult to find the option they were looking for. and Overall, the interface provided users with enough options to successfully and easily eqmplete_the tasks we provided noha. were several small problem areas identified by our participants, the site works well for its intended purposePage: 3 Dumber ‘author Owner Several parlcipanis were mentioned before -Tsuggest indicating how many fom the beginning and nat now (nd paragraph OF page) i 99 ng Subject Sticky Note Date 4/23/2016 4529 PM amNumber:2____ Author: Owner _Subjact: Highlight_Date: 4/23/2016 4:81:57 PM g-Number:3___Author: Owner __ subject sticky Note Date: 4/23/2016 434:33 PM onfwithin am Number: 4 ‘Author: Owner _ Subject Highlight _Date: 4/23/2016 4:34:26 PM, Number:$___Author: Owner _ Subject Sticky Note Date: 4/23/2016 435:25 PM Faculty and stat geNumber:6 ___Author Owner _ Subject: Sticky Note Date: 4/23/2016 449:15 PM ‘comma before and after generally Number: 7 Author: Owner Subject: Sticky Note Date: 4/23/2016 455355 PM that ap Number.8_ Author: Owner __Subject: Highlight_Date: 4/23/2016 456:39 PM ‘Number: 9 Author: Owner Subject: Sticky Note Date: 4/23/2016 437:17 PM se Number 10 Author: Owner __ Subject: Sticy Note Date: 4/23/2016 437:44 PM delete Number:11___ Author: Owner Number:12___Author: Owner onsisted of creating and publishing Number:13 Author: Owner Number:14 Author: Owner ‘mentionad/epecifed how the sheer ap Number 15 Author: Owner ‘ge Number:16 ___ Author: Owner ‘ntaled changing Subject: Highlight Date: 4/23/2016 43737 PM Subject: Sticky Note Date: 4/23/2016 438:35 PM Subject: Highlight _Date: 4/23/2016 4:38:21 PM. Subject: Sticky Note Date 4/23/2016 45809 PM Subject: Highlight Date: 4/23/2016 457-46 PM. Subject Sticky Note Date: 4/23/2016 43909 PM jNumbec.17 Author: Owner _Subject:Highlight_Date:4/23/2016 43853 PM geNumber:18 Author: Owner _ Subject: Sticky Note Date: 4/23/2016 4:40:15 PM invloled uploading Number: 19 Author: Owner__Subject: Highlight Date: 4/23/2016 4:40: PM ajNumber: 20 Author: Owner_Subject: Highlight Date: 4/23/2016 44045 PM. Number: 21 Author: Owner Subject: sticky Note Date: 4/23/2016 4:41.00 PM deleting it after being posted ee Number:22 Author: Owner Subject: Sticky Note Date: 4/23/2016 459:36 PM ‘ath geNumber:23 Author: Owner __ Subject Sticky Note Date: 4/23/2016 45945 PM Comments from page 3 continued on next pageExecutive Summary The purpose of this study was taest and analyze user interaction UNC Charlotte Pages interface and report our findings to the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences (CLAS[@hff. In doing so, we hope that our findings can be used to improve the usability of the website interface. For our usability tests we asked several faculty members with varying levels of experience wit{Jhe UNC Charlotte Pages website to complete three tasks The ip Seca ite and publish a new post to their page. After successfully publishing a new post, they were then to delete it The second st Gites the header image of their page. Once this task was completed, the third task load some form of new media to the webpage and, once ce Each test was monitored and recorded so that we could examine the tests in a more thorough and detailed manner. ‘Once each participant had completed the test, we then asked them a series of follow-up questionsin order to gain mote ise HERSEY experience with the interface Each of the BE Pisin exhibited very few signs of frustration or difficulty in completing their assigned tasks. They all completed the tests easily and relatively quickly. They (5pnerally seemed to be satisfied with the interface and the tools that it provided With @if@eing said, there were some moments where the testers hesitated before taking action. After examining the recordings speaking with the participants, we were able to determine that a couple of them experienced some minor difficulty when attempting to delete their first post. Additional] Ie user jeer amount of options available made it more difficult to find the option they were looking for. and Overall, the interface provided users with enough options to successfully and easily_complete_the tasks we provided thefAithoug{Dlere were several small problem areas identified by our participants, the site works well for its intended purposeseMumber:24_Authr Owner _ Sujet Sty Note Date: 4/23/2016 4:41:34 PM Number 25 Author: Owner Subject: Highlight_Date: 4/23/2016 41:28 PMTable of Contents Executive Summary.................0000ccssssssssseesseeeeeeeeeaed ii Introduction..............0000ccccccccsseceececeesseeeeeeeeesesaeeee 1 Procedure... Key Findings. 1. When attempting to delete new posts, users experienced minor difficult 2. The amount of options on screen at one time can be overwhelming to users. Conclusion and Recommendations....................:::+00:0 3 (ADDOOGMCS 4 TA Ucshliey Tate 4 References..............ccccccccecceeeeseeeeeeeeseeeee cones aeeeeeaee 5 List of Figures Figure 1: Publish Panel..................00:ccccccccssseeeeeeeeeeee 3UNC Charlotte Pages: Usability Testing Report Introduction The UNC Charlotte Pages website is an instance of WordPress that is provided to faculty members by the CLAS Office of Academic Technologies. This tool is designed to host a variety of sites, which can include those used for faculty profiles, projects, research, and blogs Dr. Gregory Wickliff, Assoc. Professor of English at UNC Charlotte has giv group the task of performing a series of usability tests gay the UNC Charlotte Pages intertacdle order to find ways of further improving the site, Our researc group for this project ose: aE? (Gfidergradtiate /SWAERIS Cody Dennard and Nicholas Alcalde. A. total of three faculty members participated in studies. Each participant had less than five hours of experience with the website and completed each task in the test relatively quickly and easily. our The following report will detail their and difficulties with the interface, as well as their thoughts immediately following the tests. successes By analyzing these results, we hope { improve the site, so that its users have a more pleasurable experience. Procedure (521 We designed the usability vests Bea to allow us to observe user interaction with the interface, ‘The test participants were given three distinct tasks that we felt new users would be likely to attempt when creating their pages We planned for each test to take a maximum of thirty minutes. Before cach test, we asked participants a series of questions in order to gain some preliminary information about their prior experience with the interface During the tests, we encouraged_the participants to “ a a When the tests were completed, we asked them a second series of questions to leam more about their experience during the tests Each test was recorded via screen capture and audio so thaf-shey could be further analyzed Bal report itself was compiled in Microsoft Word.Page: 5 Fionbert ‘author: Owner Subject Sticy Note Date: 4/23/2016 53632 PM Spacing “goNumber:2 ‘Author: Owner __ Subject Sticky Note Date: 4/23/2016 8:42:22 PM ould you place Procedure on completely ferent page “oe Number: 3 Author: Owner Subject: Sticky Note Date: 4/23/2016 607.26 PM delete pNumber:4 ‘Author: Qumer Subject Highlight _Date: 4/23/2016 607.09 PM. ‘ge Number: 5 Author: Owner Subject: Sticky Note Date: 4/23/2016 552:47 PM assigned “Number: 6 Author: Owner Subject: Sticky Note Date 4/23/2016 55406 PM aelete njNumber:7 Author: Owner Subject Highlight_Date 4/23/2016 5:53:56 PM Number: 8 Author: Owner Subject: Sticky Note Date: 4/23/2016 5:56:24 PM of two UNCC undergraduate students, Cody and Nicholas Number: Author Owner Subject Highlight_Date: 4/23/2016 55447 PM Number:10 Author: Owner__ Subject: Highlight _Date: 4/23/2016 6:14:48 PM. ‘and to only communicate with us when necessary se Number: Author: Owner __ Subject: sticky Note Date: 4/23/2016 6:17:14 PM delete make Tito wo separate sentences pjNumber:12 Author: Owner_Subject: Highlight _Date: 4/23/2016 6317.01 PM,Key Findings 1, When attempting to delete new posts, users experienced minor ifficulty. On for put ones OO “Which task was the most difficult to complete”. When responding to this question, two participants expressed that they thought Bh@ Task 1 was the most difficult for them, This task involved having participants create, publish, and subsequently delete a post. While reviewing the recordings of these particular tests, we noticed that each of these participants hesitated when trying to delete their post. We believe that they were simply having trouble locating the option button FAC Hete the post itself, One user didn’t notice the “Move to Trash” button on the right side of the “Edit Post” page, while the other spent some unnecessary time trying to delete their post while on the “View Post” page. On the other hand, when answering the post-test question, “Which task was the easiest to complete?”, these same participants stated that Task 3 was the easiest for them. Task 3 in our test was to upload a media file and, again, delete it afterwards, While there are some slight differences, the process for this and Task 1 are mostly the same, particularly with respect to deletion fl This leads us to believe that there is something to be said about the leaming curve involved in these tasks. Once the participants learned how to delete their posts, they were able to transfer this knowledge to the process of media deletion With this being sai€fe believe that some changes should be made to the placement and/or appearance of the “Delete” buttons, so that pagqare more obvious to les rs, 2. The amount of options Jn) In be overwhelming to users. Whild22Is second finding goes hand-in- hand with the first, we felt that it was worth noting separately. This is due to the fact that one tester articulated their problem a bit differently than the others. One —participant’s overall task completion time was higher than the others’. When this user responded to the post-test question, “/fyou could improve one aspect of the interface, what would it be?”, they stated that they, “...had to stop and look around for a second..." in order to find their desired option. From this, we can infer that this user just had to take a few moments to scan the interface for the correct optionPage: 6 DNumbert TRuthor Owner Subject Sticky Note Date 4/23/2016 6:17.29 PM ‘spacing “gp Number:2 ‘Author Owner __ Subject Sticky Note Date: 4/23/2016 6:17:55 PM asked a) Numbee: 3 ‘Author: Owner Subject Highlight _Date: 4/23/2016 6217:49 PM ‘gp Number:4 Author Owner __ Subject Sticky Note Date: 4/23/2016 6:26.02 PM ‘sed this previously - you can consider come variety by wing having sid that aj Number: 5 ‘Author Owner Subject Highlight _Date: 4/23/2016 6:18:17 PM That Number: Author: Owner __ Subject: Sticky Note Date: 4/23/2016 62638 PM experienced Number: 7 ‘Author: Owner __ Subject Highlight _Date: 4/23/2016 6:2627 PM cpNumber'8 Author: Owner_Subject: Highlight Date: 4/23/2016 627:12 PM. geNumber:9 Author: Owner _ Subject: Sticky Note Date 4/23/2016 6:27:26 PM displayed on he screen at once geNumber:10___Author Owner Subject: Sticky Note Date: 4/23/2016 62958 PM ‘elete amNumber:11 Author: Owner _ Subject: Highlight_Date: 4/23/2016 629550 PM Number:12 Author Qwner__ Subject: Sticky Note Date: 4/23/2016 6:70:49 PM that deletes smNumber 13 Author: Owner _Subjact: Highlight_Date: 4/23/2016 620:39 PMConclusions and Recommendation>" In conelusion, the UNC Charlotte Pages interface works Flel{frhe web site provides users with a lot of great tools, allowing them to customize their pages to a high degree. Though all of our test we believe there improvemenbed During participants had some minor difficulties when attempting to delete their newly published posts. Our recommendation for mitigating any confusion during this our usability tests, two process would be to change the appearance of the “Move to Trash” option so that it catches user attention more effectively, Currently this option Publish Preview Changes Status: Published Edit © Visibility: Public Edit | Published on: Mar 28, 2016 @ 16:27 Figure 1—Publsh Panel feo Es Move to Trash We believe that if this option looked more similar to the “Update” button, it would attract more attention than it currently does. The red coloring works well, so we recommend that the button be red, rather than green, as is the case with the “Update” button. Additionally, one user expressed that they felt slightly overwhelmed by the number of options on screen during their test, While they didn’t provide a specific instance of this, they stated that they had to stop and search for their desired option ot When gomg back and reviewing the recording of this participant’s test, we found that this was the case jen a number of times. It is our recommendation that some of the less frequently used options be placed into collapsible panels, These panels could be and collapsed by default, allowing the user to expand them if necessary. While this may not be necessary for more experienced users, we feel that newer users would benefit from a reduction of visible options in some cases.Page: 7 PNumbert Author Owner Subject Sticky Note Date: 4/23/2016 6-41:29 PM Mate al tile Tonts the same siz - see headings above Number: 2 ‘Author: Quner Subject: Highlight _Date: 4/23/2016 82854 PM. geNumber:3____Author: Owner _ Subject: Sticky Note Date: 4/23/2016 829.04 PM cently Number: 4 ‘Author: Owner Subject Highlight _Date: 4/23/2016 830359 PM. goNumber:$___Author: Owner _ subject Sticky Note Date: 4/23/2016 8:20:52 PM comma before and afer eNumber.6____Author: Owner _Subjac: Sticky Note ate 4/23/2016 8:31:23 PM navigated and completed each task successfully Number:7____ Author: Owner_ Subject: Highlight _Date: 4/23/2016 831.44 PM, © Gelete sp Number 8 Author: Owner _ Subject: Highlight_Date: 4/23/2016 832226 PM Author: Owner Subject: Highlight_Date: 4/23/2016 83200 PM Number 10___Author: Owner _Subject: Highlight_Date: 4/23/2016 83251 PM ‘late geNumber:11___ Author. Owner _ Subject Sticky Note Date: 4/23/2016 8:35:57 PM the apNumber 12 Author: Owner Subject Highlight_Date: 4/23/2016 824:16 PM apNumber 13 __Author: Owner __SubjoctHighlight_Date: 4/23/2016 837-22 EM ‘American Engiah prefers labeled se Number 14 Author: Owner __Subject: Sticly Note Date: 4/23/2016 839:34 PM Ts there away Toadd more color and examples ofthe iesvesfor Ree cis micas Tas Description [publish it to the site, land then delete it 1 [Publish New Post [Create anew post, [1:41 [Yes [Missed several opportunities to delete [Summary / Issues post. [Change Header Image [Change the header jimage of the webpage. sas [Yes oF |Upload ik [Publish New Post [Upload new media to the webpage, then delete it [Create a new post, publish it to the site, land then delete it 1:24 [Yes sis ]¥es Paused momentarily before finding the I*Move to Trash” button. Change Header Image [Change the header image of the webpage. 37 |Yes Initially attempted to use “Profile” tab to Jcomplete task [Upload Media [3 [Publish New Post [Upload new media to the webpage, then delete it [Create a new post, Jpublish it to the site, land then delete it 1:43 [Yes 1:52 [Yes Also failed to see the “Trash” button the frst time it appeared. Navigated to the “View Post” page to attempt to delete post initially. (Change Header Image [Change the header image of the hwebpage, 0.58 [Yes [Upload Media [Upload new media to the webpage, then delete it YesPage: 8 Subject Sticky Note Date 4/23/2016 841.00 PMA Subject Sticky Nate Date: 4/23/2016 837:59 PM Subject Sticky Note Date: 4/23/2016 823:57 PM Subject Sticky Nate Date: 4/23/2016 823:35 PM Number Author Omer it \dd a title for Appendices Number? Author: Owner Center eT etumber:3 Author Owner ining es etumber-4 Author: Owner ag ber embers Author Owner Subject Sticky Note Date: 4/23/2016 84015 PM ‘Are all the SGtsTor summary supposed tobe illeg? Or only Tan ave occurredReferences © Supporting Document: © Daniel Jackson & Robert Famham, “Discover WorldCat with Faculty Scientists A usability analysis of the discovery interface for the J. Murrey Atkins Library, March 12, 2014”Page: 9 Piunbert ‘Author mgarcBt Subject Sticky Note Date: 5/11/2016 12401 PME Tellow APA syle Tor reference page center teferences’, no bold necessary or underlining hanging indent is necessary zo bullet necessary ‘omit supporting document’