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If your users are struggling to complete important tasks on your website or app, poor IA could be the cause, but you should be able to fix the problem. So, in this video, we will talk about how to improve specific functions and processes by applying IA best practices.
New terms:
- Usability test - a test used to determine the usability of a website or app design; test users try to complete a common task and results may show how the average user makes decisions and is able to interpret the information and interface they encounter.
Website Examples:
- Speedtest: https://www.speedtest.net/
- Mailchimp Knowledge Base: https://kb.mailchimp.com/
- Physician’s Medical Group of Santa Cruz: https://www.pmgscc.com/
Further reading:
Rocket Surgery Made Easy: The Do-It-Yourself Guide to Finding and Fixing Usability Problems, by Steve Krug
UX for the Masses, A step by step guide to scenario mapping
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
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