Web Site Validation

Our team of 4 demonstrated our ability to analyze our major audiences, predict what these users desire from the Committee on Urban Environment (CUE) web site, and develop a plan for an effective usability test to determine how close our design obtained its goals and find any errors in the document.

Due to a lack of time and resources, our class was unable to perform any usability tests. However, the planning process itself aided us to increase the web site's effectiveness.

Purpose of Document:

The CUE website is meant to provide information on CUE and its committees and to show how it advocates and encourages activities that improve the face of Minneapolis. Ideally, the website will be comprehensive with photos showing improvements in Minneapolis and will encourage residents to participate in its programs and awards. Due to lack of manpower, our group will not be able to complete the entire website, but will create the "look" for the site, CUE's most important pages, and the structure of the navigation.

The primary audience targets are Minneapolis residents and those interested in competing for CUE's awards. A secondary audience could be people looking to move to Minneapolis.

Things I Want to Learn About the Document:

• If it conveys the look, feel and appearance desired

• That it's easy to navigate

• That it gets CUE's purpose & goals across clearly

• People like the website

Testing:

Tests to conduct:

• Formative verification testing.
  • Have users look through website & use hyperlinks

  • Observe users to see if they have difficulties using the website or have any negative/ positive reactions.

  • Have questionnaire completed.
• Subjects would be Minneapolis residents and people who are involved or interested in CUE awards.

• Test will be conducted when "draft" is completed with working links.

• Our group will be on the testing team.

Procedures:

• Have computer and website ready.

• Have user sit in from of the computer.

• Make sure site is open to home page (because it's not uploaded yet).

• Let subject navigate through website.

• Observe subject's behavior.

• When subject finishes, conduct an interview.

• Have subject complete a questionnaire.

What To Do With Data:

• Categorize problems into levels of importance.

• Make sure high-level problems are fixed.

• Make note of overall design, if subjects would prefer something else, for future design work. (Ex., if the subjects don't like Minneapolis's overall website "look."

• Make note of other recommendations, and consider changing those we consider important and have the time to change.

• Make note of design features the subjects liked the most.