Usability Issues and User Experience Evaluation of Surveys

Jennifer Romano Bergstrom, Ricardo Carvalho, Sarah Keaton, Jonathan Mendelson

User Focus 2012

2

Introduction

Usability.gov/guidelinesKrug: Don’t Make Me Think

• Panel members• Usability principles for surveys• Surveys as a method or as an analysis

tool

3

Usability Issue 1

Usability Guidelines

1. Page Layout– Structure for easy comparison: Users should

be able to compare two pages easily

2. Labels– Use unique and descriptive headers: Headers

should conceptually relate to the items in the section

– Highlight critical data: Visually distinguish important page items that require user attention

Usability.gov/guidelinesKrug: Don’t Make Me Think

J

I

H

G

F

E

D

C

B

A

1.0%

0.9%

0.9%

1.0%

0.9%

0.9%

0.9%

2.9%

0.8%

0.7%

Refusals by Item

Usability Issue 2

Usability Guidelines

1. Page Layout– Visually align page elements: Users can scan

items easier– Choose appropriate line lengths: Readers read

faster (skim) when line lengths are long

Usability.gov/guidelines

Usability Issue 3

7

Negative Positive

Negative

Positive

Usability Guidelines

1. Organize Information Clearly– Clear and logical structure should be apparent

to users

2. Consistency– Be consistent throughout: Users should not

have to think

Usability.gov/guidelinesKrug: Don’t Make Me Think

Usability Issues and User Experience Evaluation of Surveys

Jennifer Romano Bergstrom, Ricardo Carvalho, Sarah Keaton, Jonathan Mendelson

User Focus 2012