Improving Functions and Processes

Throughout this course we've mentioned many times, that we need to understand our 0:00 users to properly create the information architecture of our website or app. 0:04 Well, a big way to know if we're succeeding or 0:09 not is to look at how succesful users are at completing important tasks. 0:12 So, in this video, we're gonna talk about how IA impacts the users ability 0:17 to work through the steps of a process and find the information they need. 0:22 Now, some website functions are ridiculously simple because of a focused 0:28 approach to information. 0:33 Why explain an entire process when you can drop the visitor 0:35 Right into the experience from the beginning. 0:38 Look at the simplicity of the Speed Test website. 0:41 They know the reason you're on the site is to do one thing, 0:44 check the speed of your Internet connection. 0:47 All you have to do when you arrive is hit the big Go button, 0:50 and the rest takes care of itself. 0:54 Another example of this is the Shazam app. 0:57 When you're listening to a song and you don't know the name, you bring up this app 0:59 and with one tap it tells you in seconds what the song is called and who sings it. 1:04 Both of these examples are cases where the interface and user experience are focused 1:09 on getting people started with a process, because the information is the goal. 1:14 How fast is my connection? 1:18 Or what is this song I'm listening to? 1:20 These are great examples of making the path to information as short and 1:22 as easy as possible. 1:28 Another way to shorten that path Information may be to offer them content 1:30 in a specific order. 1:34 I'm talking about grouping information sequentially. 1:36 Like when MailChimp provides support documents and information, and 1:40 the first category they list is called New to MailChimp? 1:44 Start here. 1:48 So when new users look within that content the information is sorted again, and 1:49 in order that follows the user's experience. 1:54 It begins with, before you start, walks the user through a logical path, 1:56 and ends with next steps, showing them the next logical place where they should go. 2:02 The lesson here is that when you can anticipate the order In which users will 2:07 need and look for 2:12 content, arranging it in that way will greatly improve their experience. 2:13 Plus, once they've found that solution, giving them the next logical 2:19 piece of content before they've even thought about it, keeps them engaged, and 2:24 on a path you can support. 2:28 But what if you've organized all your information and 2:31 tried to anticipate needs, but users are still having trouble? 2:34 In a case like this, 2:38 performing a usability test, can help you figure out where things are going wrong. 2:39 To perform a usability test, 2:45 you start by identifying a goal a user would normally try to complete. 2:46 On Netflix, for example, a common task is to find something to watch. 2:51 Or on the Bank of America app, it might be to check your account balance. 2:55 You give a test user a scenario and ask them to complete a task. 2:59 You watch what they do and where they go, and 3:04 if possible, ask them to think out loud, telling you 3:07 why they click one link instead of another, or why they chose a certain path. 3:10 By the end of a few tests, you should understand more about how the IA and 3:15 usability of your site has affected the user's ability to get things done. 3:20 For example, let's say you're a pediatrician's office in Santa Cruz, 3:26 California. 3:30 You've got a whole bunch of info on your website, but 3:31 people keep asking about how to call after hours. 3:34 Like when the office is closed, but they still need advice about their sick baby. 3:37 That falls under the category of info called urgent care. 3:42 So, you decide to post a link to details on your home page, but 3:46 to make sure people can find it you do a usability test. 3:50 So, you offer this scenario to a test user. 3:54 It's two in the morning and your baby is sick. 3:57 You wanna call and get advice from an after hours nurse. 4:00 So, go check our site and 4:03 look for the number to call, and then you watch them as they do it. 4:06 And maybe they go directly to the contact page, 4:10 but all they see are business hours and a contact form. 4:13 So, they go back to the homepage, and 4:17 after a little looking spot the urgent care link, and find the page they need. 4:20 The experience wasn't perfect, so you ask them why they chose their path. 4:25 You might discover that since the urgent care link wasn't noticeable, 4:30 they chose the next best thing. 4:34 And when that didn't work, they needed to look harder. 4:36 The takeaway here is that usability tests are better than making assumptions or 4:39 taking a guess as to why something isn't working. 4:44 When you're trying to organize information to help users complete tasks, 4:48 you have to ensure you're providing all the right signals in all the right places. 4:52 So, use tests like these, 4:56 to see how real people use your site to accomplish those important goals. 4:58 Ultimately, whether you get users to start a process immediately, 5:03 put information in a specific order, or use tests 5:08 to measure the effectiveness of your structure, success can come in many forms. 5:11 That success will hinge on your ability to anticipate how and 5:16 when users will need that information. 5:21