Usability Report 1

Working Title: Single Flower Sangha
Report Author: Peter Ash
Date: November 21, 2002

Brief Profile of Users

Three friends took part in the formal usability tests. None was familiar with the Single Flower Sangha (SFS) and all had little acquaintance with Zen.

I also sent the URL to eight members of the SFS, and received comments from four.

Think Aloud task

I asked participants to answer three questions using the Web site. The answer to the first was located on the home page. The answers to the second and third questions were found on different third-level pages.

Summary of Think Aloud

The first two tests and the comments from an SFS member uncovered significant usability issues. Therefore, I modified the Web site before the third test.

The problems:

1. The line-length on some pages was too long on the Netscape browser.
2. Users sometimes clicked on the "History" or "Teacher" link when they should have clicked on "Zen", since the link names do not indicate that "History" and "Teacher" links apply to the SFS, not to Zen.
3. The Heart Sutra page was confusing. It was very unclear that the first paragraph was about the Heart Sutra and not part of it, or where the sutra begins.

An e-mail from an SFS member helped with the second problem. She said the site needed to focus more on the SFS, not Zen in general.

Summary of Posttest

People liked the look of the site, especially the logo and the color scheme.

Some people mentioned the edge of the logo not looking quite right.

The first two testers mentioned that there was not much on the site that tells you it is about the SFS, rather than Zen in general.

The first two testers didn't like the long lines in the Netscape browser. One tester (the software engineer) said he would prefer allowing lines to wrap to accommodate whatever browser width he chose. An SFS member (a technical writer) agreed.

Findings to be Implemented

Most findings have already been implemented, and were tested by the third tester. The third test went very smoothly, with no real problems.

I've fixed the Netscape line-length problem. I put basic information about the SFS on the home page and moved off general Zen information. I buried the link for general information about Zen where it will still be available for those interested. I made the Heart Sutra page clearer.

I am considering changing the "History" and "Teacher" labels to make the nature of the links clear.

Findings that will not be implemented

I may not fix the logo boundary problem. It seems minor and I think it would take me a long time to do it.

I plan not to accept the suggestion about allowing line wrapping. This seems to be something that techies expect, but I still think that ordinary Web users prefer a page where the line lengths have been well selected by a designer.