Tell the following to the volunteer in your own words:A couple of years ago we tested our current site and found many problems with navigation and being able to find information. So we are in the process of redesigning the whole thing. (Show our current/old home page).
We’ve already involved some students in helping us come up with the new categories for organizing information. We’ve hired a graphic design firm to create a new look and feel.
What you’ll see today is an early preview of the site. (show the new home page) It’s very much a work in progress and not all of the pages have been created yet. So you may find some dead links and some links to our old site. (Show them our current home page and explain that if they see that color scheme or the Mondrian box anywhere, they are back on our old site).
What we’re testing today is the basic structure and navigation of the new site, so that we can adjust things to make it as easy as possible for people to find information.
We’ll be asking you to find the answers to 10 questions on our site. We would like you to THINK OUT LOUD (emphasize this a lot), about what you are clicking on and why. We are especially interested in WHY you make the choices you make.
We can’t help you find things during the test, but at the end of the test we can answer any questions you have about where the information was if you couldn’t find something. We will also ask you for your comments and opinions at the end of the test.
One thing to be aware of is that the site index and the search engine are not available yet. (show where these 2 links are on the home page). So you will have to rely on browsing around the site to find things.
Another thing to be aware of is that the colors will be adjusted slightly in the near future, since we know already that it’s a little too dark on some computers. So this isn’t the final version of the color scheme.
Whatever we learn from this week’s tests will be used to improve the site. In a few weeks we will be conducting more tests with different volunteers. We hope to release the new site this summer sometime.
Remember, we are NOT TESTING YOU, we’re testing the web site.
Do you have any questions?---------------------
Reminders:
• Remind them to think out loud if they aren’t saying much. Ask them from time to time WHY they clicked on something, especially if they are having trouble finding something.
• ALWAYS start over on the home page before each question. (Especially since they may end up on our old site right now).
Bookmark the new home page to make this easy.
http://libraries.mit.edu:100/
• Stop them after about 3 minutes if they aren’t finding it. Move on to the next question.
• Use the printed list of questions in large type – put it on the table near them. Cover the list, so the next question doesn’t show yet.
• Take notes on what they say and what they do. Finish the notes later when the test is over, while it’s still fresh in your mind.
• Don’t help them find anything during the test. At the end of the test, feel free to explain things.---------------------
After the test, thank them and give them the coupon for Toscanini's ice cream.