|
Lou Storiale has conducted user-testing in a one-on-one capacity for several high-content websites including organizations such as Hudson Institute (3,000 pages), Association of Legal Administrators (10,000+ pages), Heartland Institute (5,000+ pages), Sagamore Institute (100+ pages), and many more.
Lou Storiale not only has a library of usability material, but has also trained with the Nielsen Norman Group, specifically with Bruce Tognazzini, usability engineer formally with Apple and WebMD.
Website Usability Services:
One on One User-Testing
This is the core usability methodology. A respondent and moderator sit together at a computer for a structured 60 minute hands-on review of the site. The usability specialist observes either through a one way mirror or sits directly behind the user.
The interview combines unstructured site exploration, structured tasks (e.g., making a purchase, signing up for a newsletter, finding product literature), and interaction with specific site elements (e.g., icons, menus, multimedia content, etc.).
Areas that need improvement are noted, user comments are taken into consideration and then changes are made accordingly. This method is the common format when conducting user-testing. There is nothing that can be compared to being able to see how a person ACTUALLY uses the site. Henry Ford said once, "if I can given people what they wanted, I would have built better horses." Such is the same with usability studies. People often say they want something or like a particular navigation format, but nothing proves how well a person can use a website like actually watching them, listening to them comment and making changes based on real-world visitor activity.
User-Testing Online
User-testing can be conducted online as well. The online methodology uses citrix-type software like "go to meeting.com" so the user does not necessarily have to be in the same room or in the same building as the usability engineers. This method has several advantages.
- Lowers the overall cost of the project (saves on travel and facility costs)
- Easy recording of each usability sesson
- Allows clients from any location to view the interviews either in real-time or offline
- Able to recruit participants from anywhere in the world
Task Completion
Can visitors easily complete basic tasks? This is the fundamental question of usability research. Some sites are intuitive, while others create obstacles when visitors try to make a purchase, sign up for a newsletter, look for product literature, or contact a local sales rep. Where do your users get hung-up or abandon the site? What can you do to make the site more user friendly?
Ecommerce Website Usability
Discover how to improve profits by testing your site using your target audience. Benefits of usability testing are immediately received on e-commerce sites. Poor usability on a site's product page and shopping cart is the biggest reason for site abandonment. Lose a potential customer at the checkout stage and you may lose them for life.
Navigation and Information Architecture
How do visitors navigate your site? The typical website has multiple navigation aides; which tools are being used and which are being ignored. Do users rely on the top menu or the left hand menu? Are they looking for content down the right hand channel or do they disregard that area as advertising? When do they use the search box and when do they navigate through the site?
Content Evaluation
Does your site have the information your customers need? Is the content adding value or just filling up space? The harder it is the find the right information, the higher the rate of abandonment. In addition, the content must be intuitively organized and written in language that is consistent with the reader's level of technical sophistication.
Competitive Review
Are you keeping up with the Jones's? Shoppers visit multiple sites before they buy. It's important to know how your site compares with your competitors. Do they have a better way to configure a product? Is their site easier to navigate? Have they organized their product support materials in a more user driven structure?
User-testing is the most economical way to improve your company's site, increase profits and receive greater traffic. Call today for a free consultation at 773.614.2854 |
