User Testing Report

User Testing Report – TWU Web Site

April 11, 2005

Summary:

·  Five users completed tests.

·  Four users said they use the TWU Web site very often (3-4 times per week); one said only rarely (one time or less per semester).

·  Average completion time was 9.4 minutes.

·  Average task completion was 4.2 tasks (out of 5 possible).

Issues raised during test:

·  Financial aid applications should include a link and/or information about application deadlines.

·  Academic departments have inconsistent levels of admissions information. Many people had trouble finding whether the Biology department requires GRE scores for graduate admission. This could be solved by including a link on all academic Web sites pointing to Admissions information about admissions requirements, or including this information on their Web sites.

·  Most Student Life sites do not link the TWU logo back to the homepage.

·  We need a better system for giving information about faculty members. Students frequently look for a professor’s research interests in the Faculty/Staff Directory or on the Faculty/Staff resource page.

·  One student logged into the Portal before doing anything else, and could not find much during the test because the Portal does not link back to specific information on the TWU Internet site.

·  Some students looked for application deadlines in the schedules area.

Follow-up items from testing:

·  Suggest adding deadlines links to Financial Aid applications.

·  E-mail academic department chairs and Webspinners with suggestion for creating links to Admissions requirements for their programs and/or adding their requirements for their programs.

·  Suggest Student Life sites link back to TWU homepage with the TWU logo on each page of their sites.

·  Discuss how to resolve content stratification between Internet and Intranet.

Useful content areas

Users were asked to indicate what content areas are useful on the TWU Web site. Those circled:

Named by four students (80%):

·  Academic calendar: 4

Named by three students (60%):

·  Class schedules: 3

Named by two students (40%):

·  Financial aid: 2

·  Library (e.g., databases): 2

·  Tuition & fees: 2

·  Help Desk: 2

·  Catalogs: 2

·  Academic programs information: 2

Named by one student (20%):

·  Maps of campus: 1

·  Student life: 1

·  Apply online: 1

·  Transcript requests: 1

·  Calendar of events: 1

·  Faculty contact information: 1

·  Quality of a specific program (rankings): 1

·  Phone numbers & e-mail addresses: 1

·  Paying your bill: 1

·  Forms (degree plans, etc.): 1

Optional feedback

Users were asked to provide optional feedback on a variety of questions. A summary follows:

1. As a student in Denton, how well do you feel the TWU Web site serves your needs?

·  Relatively well. I have to dig for some information.

·  Very well; I use it often.

·  More information than I thought would be available.

2. How well do you think the TWU Web site is organized?

·  Mostly user friendly.

·  Well.

·  Lots of information.

3. Are you generally able to find what you’re looking for on the TWU Web site?

·  Yes, with some searching.

·  Most of the time; if not, I use the phone directory and call.

·  Yes.

4. What other things would you like to see at www.twu.edu?

·  Ability to add initial funds to Pioneer card.

5. Do you have other suggestions for improving www.twu.edu?

·  I’d like to see Portal and Blackboard options in the top menu rather than at the left.