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Effectively capturing the user experience. Jenny Craven Research Associate, CERLIM j.craven@mmu.ac.uk. “…you sighted people just go click,click, click, and there’s the answer …. While I’m still looking for the first ‘! @ **!!’ link. It’s very frustrating” (Quote from 2003).
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Effectively capturing the user experience Jenny Craven Research Associate, CERLIM j.craven@mmu.ac.uk
“…you sighted people just go click,click, click, and there’s the answer …. While I’m still looking for the first ‘!@**!!’ link. It’s very frustrating” (Quote from 2003)
Are websites becoming more accessible? • 81% of websites audited failed to meet minimum requirements (WCAG A) (DRC, 2004) • Automated testing revealed that only a small number of websites (3%) met the WCAG accessibility level AA (City University, 2004). • 3% of the 436 online websites assessed achieved the most basic level of WCAG (Cabinet Office, 2005) • 75 percent of businesses in the FTSE 100 list of companies failed to meet the minimum requirements for website accessibility (Nomensa, 2006)
Are websites becoming more accessible? • 81% of websites audited failed to meet minimum requirements (WCAG A) (DRC, 2004) • Automated testing revealed that only a small number of websites (3%) met the WCAG accessibility level AA (City University, 2004). • 3% of the 436 online websites assessed achieved the most basic level of WCAG (Cabinet Office, 2005) • 75 percent of businesses in the FTSE 100 list of companies failed to meet the minimum requirements for website accessibility (Nomensa, 2006)……..What’s the solution?
Different approaches implementing and understanding web accessibility • Standards • Guidelines • User testing • User profiles • User models
Different approaches implementing and understanding web accessibility • Standards • Guidelines • User testing • User profiles • User models
Different approaches implementing and understanding web accessibility • Standards • Guidelines • User testing • User profiles • User models
User Testing:Key points to consider • Objectives of the user testing • Number and type of participants • Time for recruiting participants • Pilot testing • Ethical issues
User Testing Methods • Card sorting exercises • Focus groups • Online questionnaires • Observation • Semi-structured interviews
User Testing Methods • Expert evaluation • Cognitive walkthrough • Heuristic evaluation • Free searching/browsing • Task-based evaluation • Observation • Think aloud (simultaneous and retrospective) • On-screen data capture • Pre- and post-task interviews
User Testing Methods • Expert evaluation • Cognitive walkthrough • Heuristic evaluation • Free searching/browsing • Task-based evaluation • Observation • Think aloud (simultaneous and retrospective) • On-screen data capture • Pre- and post-task interviews
Task-based User Testing • Face-to-Face • Pros: very rich data; avoids misunderstanding and misinterpretation - explains the why as well as the what and how; • Cons: time consuming; recruitment difficulties; sample size is often small; a testing environment can have an impact • Remote • Pros: enables a larger sample size; often easier to recruit; participants can undertake testing using their own technology and at a time and place convenient to them • Cons: lacks the richness of face-to-face; responses may be very brief; responses can be misinterpreted – may require follow-up interviews
Case Studies • Case Study One: Non-visual Access to the Digital Library (NoVA) • Case Study Two: European Internet Accessibility Observatory (EIAO)
Case Study One: To compare information seeking of visually impaired and sighted users • 20 sighted, 20 visually impaired users • Four web-based resources • Face-to-Face task-based approach • Search process logged • time, keystrokes, mouse clicks etc • Think aloud protocol • Pre- and post-task questions • Aim: to inform the design of accessible websites and widen access to web-based resources
Analysing the data • Observation data and On-screen data capture: keystrokes and mouse click comparisons, mapping the search and browsing process • Think aloud: Comments and feelings while undertaking the task • Pre- and post-task questions: Further insight into perceptions of the site and user experience whilst undertaking the task
Case Study Two: To identify and rank web accessibility barriers • 25 users: visual, mobility, hearing, and cognitive disabilities • 16 web-based resources; 2 iterations • Remote task-based approach • Pre- and Post Task questions • Ranking of accessibility; comments • Aim: to provide a richer picture of the user experience when accessing and interacting with websites
Task based approach Provision of a title for each frame • Task Purpose: to test the accessibility of frames • Web page selected: the WCAG recommend providing a title for each frame to facilitate frame identification and navigation. The web page which was tested did not conform to this recommendation • Task: participants were asked to complete two tasks using a web page with two frames, firstly to find information displayed in the right-hand frame, then to find a link to contents displayed in the left-hand frame • Evaluation: following the task, participants were asked to complete an online evaluation form
Analysing the data • Ranked responses relating to the evaluation of the website tested • User friendly • Ease of use • Problems experienced • Open comments field to expand on the ranked responses given
The Results Results from both studies provided recommendations for: • Web page design • Assistive technology • Staff training/User training • Universal design • Digital approaches • Further research
Reporting the Results • Graphs • Quotes • Illustrations e.g. video recordings • Scenarios/Vignettes • User models
Reporting the Results • Graphs • Quotes • Illustrations e.g. video recordings • Scenarios/Vignettes • User models
User Models • Dervin’s ‘sense making approach’ (Dillon and Watson, 1996) • Kuhlthau’s model of the information search process (Kuhlthau, 1993) • Ellis’ Model of Information Seeking (Wilson, 2000) • Search Process Model (SPM) developed by Logan and Driscoll-Eagan (1998) • Barrier Walkthrough Method (Brajnik, 2006)
User Models • Dervin’s ‘sense making approach’ (Dillon and Watson, 1996) • Kuhlthau’s model of the information search process (Kuhlthau, 1993) • Ellis’ Model of Information Seeking (Wilson, 2000) • Search Process Model (SPM) developed by Logan and Driscoll-Eagan (1998) • Barrier Walkthrough Method (Brajnik, 2006)
Conclusions • User testing helps identify accessibility and usability issues experienced - beyond technical guidelines and checkpoints. • User models provide clear illustrations of user behaviour and accessibility issues. • Greater awareness and understanding of the need to consider a more flexible, pragmatic and holistic approach to the design of websites.
Thank you! Any questions? j.craven@mmu.ac.uk