Category — Remote Usability Tests

One interesting fact about Google’s encrypted search option is that users in China or other regimes characterized by internet surveillance will be able to search the web without the government knowing their search terms — assuming the original connection is not blocked. So there is a certain level of investigative freedom inherent in Google’s new privacy feature.

Drawbacks?

While the new search feature is safe and secure, Google acknowledges that it will also slow down the initial connection that the computer makes to the Google server.  In addition, the security features only apply directly to the search engine field; as soon as a user clicks on a link and relocates to a new site, the security features are no longer valid.  The encrypted search feature will not apply to any data stored on your computer and will not protect users from various internet scams or viruses.

In my opinion, the safe search option is a great step forward, especially in an age when online observation has become rampant. And to be honest, the clean, reductionist interface design without all the advanced menu options is a nice return to what used to be one of the simplest and most powerful interface designs in the world – and still continues to be.

After enduring strong criticism about its potentially misleading security features interface design, Facebook has decided to take action to quell the angry masses of users.  Several new features related to logins have been added to Facebook in order to infuse the user experience with more clarity, also changing or adding certain aspects of the interface design.

The first click to safety: login features

Facebook is now offering new login features to ensure the account safety of its users. These login features will identify and block suspicious logins, in addition to notifying the user of these occurrences.  Users will also be able to approve devices from which their account is accessed.  For example, users can register devices such as computers, iPhones, iPads etc.  Facebook will then notify users if someone is attempting to register their account using a non-approved device.  Facebook has also introduced a verification questions feature into their interface design: users can now set up safety questions to answer before they are allowed to login into their account.

These new login features are definitely a sign that Facebook took accusations of being a “confuser interface design” seriously, but are they enough?  Facebook is protecting users from people hacking into their accounts, but they still have not found a way to tackle the problem of user information being shared with various other websites and users due to rather vague directions in their interface design about how to opt-out of information sharing.  If Facebook really wants to clean up their interface design to provide users with instant cues pertaining to their safety options, they will have to make sure all features are easy and clear for each user to understand.  Time will tell if Facebook means to tend to all user complaints, but revamping the login features is certainly a click in the right direction.

Google Docs the imperfect: Downsides to the web interface design

Unfortunately, Google Docs is not heaven.  There are various aspects of Google Docs that decrease its usability, but the biggest pitfall of Google Docs is that its document and spreadsheet formatting features have performance limitations. This decreases the efficiency of use and can be a source of great frustration for users as the process of reformatting documents can be annoyingly time consuming. Google Docs also lacks the ability to perform simple functions such as copying and pasting images (you can insert them, but then you must reformat them) and users beware: if you want to find and replace text, don’t do it in Google Docs.  There is a find and replace function, but it is labeled as ‘experimental’ and using it will replace all instances, because you do not get to choose what to replace.

In terms of error frequency and efficiency of use, Google Docs may be at a disadvantage still: Users who expect the Google Docs interface design to behave exactly like the quasi standard Microsoft’s Office are sure to be disappointed.  Not only do documents uploaded onto Google Docs from Office usually not retain their original format. The user interface design – despite some broad resemblance – differs in its details substantially from desktop-based MS Office. Some searching will be necessary. Another thing that in my opinion could be improved is the setting of text or cell colors. Unlike with MS Office applications, color settings are not preserved and thus need to be set anew each time.

Google Docs: A flawed bastion of usability

Google Docs may be imperfect, but overall it remains a bastion of usability in the arena of online office suites. Yes, it fails to provide many of the useful and detailed formatting features that are familiar from Microsoft Office, but this does not harm its overall usability. What Google Docs lacks in design detail, it makes up for in practical accessibility.  Google Docs’ main usability strengths are its dynamic approach to real-time collaboration and its ability to meet the needs of diverse groups of users, providing them with instant access to their documents and co-workers from any location.  Overall, Google Docs is an application that merits mention as a good example of a user-friendly piece of software.

How do the new enterprise features improve usability?

One of the ways the new OS uses enhanced enterprise functionality to increase usability is by allowing users to distribute apps “wirelessly” without having to rely on iTunes for synching. This is good news for enterprises (especially large ones) as iTunes is designed and optimized for use by a singular Joe Public in mind. Businesses that apply iPhones can now cut out the middle man and directly supply their workforce with the necessary in-house apps.

How will the new Game Center improve user experience?

The iPhone has been heralded as a milestone in mobile gaming. The new OS will now offer a platform for gamers to connect in order to play with and against each other by using the Game Center “social gaming network” as an interface. Unlike the PS3 and Xbox 360, the iPhone has never had a centralized social gaming network with a number of 3rd party networks springing up all with their own sign-up and login processes and their own user interface designs. By introducing Game Center, a consistency will be achieved, improving on user experience.

How do Folders improve usability?

One of the iPhone’s major usability flaws has been the home-screen user interface’s lack of management features. Downloaded apps randomly fall into place and remain forever that way until they are purged! Furthermore once you have reached the limit of apps (currently 180) that can be displayed on the Springboard any further apps are simply invisible and require search entry to locate it. What happens when you don’t remember its name? Tough luck, computer says no! OS 4 takes several steps to rectify these usability issues. For starters, up to 2,160 apps can be accommodated on the Springboard. Apps can also now be organized into folders of your choosing with drag and drop simplicity resulting in a much better user experience!

For developers the new OS offers many usability boosting tools such as automated testing through the new UIAutomation Instrument among others. Several of the new APIs include the ability to compose SMS messages from within apps thus streamlining usability. New Quick Look APIs now enable apps to present previews of documents without having to launch another app just to know what that photo looks like etc… Improvements like these serve to prop up the iPhone OS’ successful user interface design and improve its overall usability and user experience allowing you to develop great apps that users love to use! The only question that remains for me: Is the new OS also advantageous for using wireframe software applications like Pidoco?

Our conclusion of Rapid Digital Prototyping: It’s got the look and feel of pen and paper, but adds interactivity (making wireframes clickable) and accelerates developing speed through re-usable elements and layers. Many (real-time) collaboration features enable interface designers to new ways to work with higher efficiency, leaving more time for the creative process that really counts.

Our conclusion of pidoco°: It’s got the look and feel of pen and paper, but adds interactivity (making wireframes animated) and accelerates developing speed through re-usable elements and layers. Many (real-time) collaboration modules enable interface designers to new ways to work with higher efficiency, leaving more time for the creative process that really counts.

Through prefab stencils (e.g. radio buttons, links, navigation items, controls etc.) information architects can create clickable and animated web or software interfaces just in seconds. Without any programming skills, interface designers can focus on the web concept and use cases, site structures and the overall layout of the site, instead of getting lost in details that distract from the overall concept of the site.

Whatever the item a person or a company intends to produce, creating a prototype is a crucial step in the design process that cannot be glossed over. Why is prototyping important? There are several main reasons; testing and evaluating the design, clarifying production issues and costs, selling it to others, as well as making clear any patentable details.

Evaluating and Testing the Design

Unfortunately, ideas and drawings of a design can sometimes be a far cry from the real world in which the product will be used. By creating a prototype it is possible to sit down with a real version of the product and determine which aspects are worthwhile and which parts need to be revised, changed, or discarded. In the process, it may be possible to find glaring omissions that, on paper, weren’t noticeable.

Additionally, creating a prototype will allow the design team to not only evaluate, but also test the product before going into full production. Imagine ordering tens of thousands of units, only to discover one part isn’t as strong as it needs to be. If corporate giants can make mistakes, it is all the more important for smaller companies to not forget the importance of prototyping before beginning production.

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The pidoco° wireframe software consists of three main components which complement each other perfectly. They speed up the interface design process and optimize the general workflow in all stages of interactive web design.

Interactive wireframes are quickly sketched with the Prototype Creator (just by drag&drop) and can later easily be shared and reviewed by colleagues, test users or clients. If there is need for even more in-depth feedback on individual aspects of the use cases, just use the clickable wireframes to perform a one-on-one remote usability test where moderator and test user are connected remotely by a shared screen and an integrated phone. All modules are aimed to increase productivity of the interface design process and ease communication within the team.

Rapid Digital Prototyping (RDP)

Through prefab website elements (e.g. radio buttons, links, navigation items, controls etc.) GUI designers can create clickable and animated web or software interfaces in no time. Without any programming skills, interface designers can focus on the web concept and use cases, site structures and the overall layout of the site, instead of getting lost in details that distract from the overall concept of the site.

With these findings you go back to the drawing table (okay, let’s be it a computer) and re-design your prototype. Depending on time and budget you can repeat testing and re-designing your digital prototype (clickable wireframe) as long as you wish. But at some point you will start writing specs and giving it to the developers. Now, your digital prototype will again be to your assistance, showing the developers on a prototype, what you really want. Finally, with the site’s launch, the development phase in completed.

Iterative Web Design – Site Optimization Phase

When the site is online, the iterative optimization process starts all over, but with a different foundation and quite different technologies. As foundation, you have now the real web site instead of a wireframe prototype. Instead of just being able to test with a hand full of test users, you can now track and trace live user behavior with as many unique visitors coming to your website.

Instead of only qualitative user observation, you should install a web analytics tool (such as Google Analytics, Omniture or Webtrends) and define metrics to measure the success of your site. Moreover you should implement a solution for split testing, getting quantitative data on different versions of your pages.

And here it starts all over again. By testing different page designs (which could be created in an iterative process too) you will gather information about what content, design etc. your users prefer and with which elements your website perform best. The nice thing about that process is that the evaluation of these metrics happens more or less automated in the tracking tools. You only have to define the right metrics and relevant business goals for your website.

In other words, iterative web design is more than a once applied method for getting the user experience right, but a n ongoing optimization process which should be implemented in your marketing department.