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Summary: in this article, Mariel Molina, Senior Manager at Rockbridge, discusses the benefits and steps for structured usability testing, including the merits of both in-person and online approaches.
Online retail sales are not only growing, they are becoming a major economic force despite the economic downturn. For instance, online sales for retailers in the computer hardware and software category account for 45% of overall sales.1 Even in categories where the online space has not traditionally been as important, online sales are growing. Williams-Sonoma’s online sales account for more than 30% of total sales. And this trend will continue with the U.S. Census Bureau projecting a 40% growth in online retail sales by the end of 2012.
 What’s driving consumers and businesses to make purchases online? Among other factors:
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Familiarity with the process – 83% of U.S. adults who are online made a purchase on the web of $10 to $100 in 2008 2
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Convenience – nearly instant gratification with the popularity of cost effective or free express and overnight shipping
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Broad selection – online stores now have many more SKUs available than retail outlets
How is your company capitalizing on this trend? Is your website driving online transactions? What have you done to ensure your website is meeting the needs of your customers?
Now is the time to make sure your web channel is having as much impact as possible. If it is not, you could be losing sales to your competitors. In these economic times, aligning the online revenue channel to the expectations of users will make your business stronger.
How do you ensure your site is user-friendly and motivates sales? Conduct website usability testing. Some companies will try to conduct this research with small convenience samples (e.g., employees or “friends and family”) in order to save money. To ensure meaningful results, you need a formal, structured process that gathers input from actual customers and prospects to get a complete, unbiased picture of their perceptions and expectations. New online methods that save time and money eliminate any excuse to relying on “friends and family” who are almost always too close to the topic to give objective feedback.
Typically, website usability testing is a qualitative process where individual, in-depth interviews are conducted with a variety of user categories (customers, prospects, etc.). Individual usability interviews (as opposed to group interviews) are appropriate when the goal is to assess users’ understanding of specific elements of the site and to identify navigation challenges. For example, in a typical usability interview, users perform a series of tasks (e.g., signing up for an account, navigation through shopping pages, checking out, or searching for information) and record their success using a “talk aloud” format. A formal evaluation process provides concrete action steps you can implement to improve your website.
An organization can conduct website usability testing online or in-person. Both have their advantages, although there is a trend towards conducting all research online. Online qualitative research provides a significant costs savings as facility rentals and travel are unnecessary. Conducting usability tests online will also provide a virtually unlimited geographic reach along with greater customer anonymity, a necessity if sensitive topics such as finances are discussed. With the proper technology setup, users can be given complete control of a site while the usability interviewer asks questions through a voice or chat mode. Clients can monitor the interviews from their offices and communicate with the interviewer.
In-person usability testing is appropriate for the same types of usability testing that can be conducted online. The in-person format provides the same ability to probe on topics but can be more useful if there are complex issues that need to be delved into. In these situations, the ability to interact face to face and work on one computer with the user testing the site can facilitate the research effort.
Case Study:
A provider of financial information to high net-worth consumers needed to know how website changes would impact current and potential users of its website. The site’s wide geographic relevance and unique user profile called for a test group that accurately reflected the user population. Rockbridge conducted online usability tests with a set of users and likely users to understand their general expectations of the website given previous experiences as well as their perceptions of the new or updated site elements. Based on the client’s objectives, Rockbridge had users complete a set of tasks and evaluate specific aspects of the site. Our client learned several important things:
- What site updates worked the way users expected
- What about the updates made them a positive or negative for users and potential users
- Which updates made the biggest difference in the user’s experience
In order to capitalize on consumers’ and businesses’ increasing tendency to conduct business online, your company’s website must be operating efficiently and effectively. If you have never conducted website usability, or if it has been more than two years since your last test, don’t delay. A website not living up to its full potential is negatively affecting your bottom line.
For more information about conducting usability testing for your website, contact Gina Woodall, SVP at 703-757-5213 ext. 11 or gwoodall@rockresearch.com, or Charles Colby, President, at 703.757.5213 ext. 12 or ccolby@rockresearch.com.
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1 The 2009 Statistical Abstract, U.S. Census Bureau
2 The 2008 National Technology Readiness Survey, Rockbridge Associates, Inc.
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