Website UX Design
Navigation & Usability Testing With Personas
Challenge
A Canadian provincial government ministry contracted Insightrix to redesign, develop, test and execute a professional service website to service the labour market information for a regional municipality.
The cutting-edge website would feature the elements, functions and specifications that delivered the best possible user experience for provincial residents who are employed, unemployed or marginally employed, as well as individuals who find themselves in a state of transition. The information hub would help government client groups make important career and life management decisions.
To achieve the best user design possible, Insightrix employed a usability testing phase using developed wireframes, and tested the wireframes with the desired client groups (i.e., Persona 1, Persona 2, Persona 3). The tests were conducted across both Saskatchewan and Manitoba using our proprietary online community software.
Approach
In building a user-centric website, it is important to understand the journey and the needs of those who will access the website.
By understanding the features and functionalities that were desired by both the client and the target user groups (personas), the Insightrix team created two high-level wireframe designs for testing, using Insightrix online panels.
By utilizing both the ManitobaWatch® and SaskWatch Research® panels, Insightrix developed several screener scenarios in which the participants who qualified for the survey participated. The objective of this testing was to identify the best wireframe design to serve the target demographics identified in the persona development exercise.
Those who qualified were shown a hypothetical scenario based on the screener. The testing screener showcased more than eight separate screeners that broke down into five survey scenarios. Once qualified, each participant was subject to research exercises using screenshots of the navigation and the wireframe (layout) with the use of heat mapping.
For example:
Outcome
Using heatmaps, Insightrix created a website analysis that included a look at the target user groups and the development of the target personas, and working alongside the client, Insightrix chose the best design based on feedback from the desired client groups.
Because the wireframe designs tested well with the respondents, key takeaways from these tests allowed us to understand the following:
- Participants wanted a search engine function within the website that is accessible above the fold.
- The client desired important information on the right-hand side of the website rather than the left-hand side of the website.
- Directories for business listings were desired by the target client group.
- Website users clicked on the navigation heavily to receive specific indications, and based on the questions asked, more appropriate titles for specific pages were determined.
- A need to share pages, such as occupational profiles, was not desired by the client groups; therefore, this saved time on the overall website build.
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