Website Usability Evaluation

for

Student IT website
www.its.otago.ac.nz/students

conducted by

Scott Evangelou, MEntr

www.usable.co.nz

Wednesday, 5 November 2008

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Table of Contents
Introduction............................................................................................................3
Summary of Findings.............................................................................................4
Strengths...........................................................................................................4
Areas for improvement......................................................................................4
Following conventions...........................................................................................5
Detailed findings....................................................................................................6
Navigation.........................................................................................................7
Functionality......................................................................................................9
Functionality is satisfactory................................................................................9
Control...............................................................................................................9
Help and Support............................................................................................10
Language.........................................................................................................11
Feedback.........................................................................................................11
Consistency.....................................................................................................12
Error handling..................................................................................................12
Workflow Support............................................................................................13
Visual Clarity...................................................................................................13
Other...............................................................................................................15
Webpage speed report........................................................................................16
Analysis and Recommendations.....................................................................18
Recommended 5 minute readings.......................................................................20
“Usability 101 - Introduction to Usability” ....................................................20
“Key Research Findings Related to User-Centered Design“ ......................20
“Usability evaluation versus usability testing”..............................................20

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Introduction
This document presents the findings of an expert usability review of the Student
IT website interface conducted by Scott Evangelou (user experience specialist).

This sort of review is formally referred to as a heuristic evaluation, which involves

one or more usability experts examining the interface to judge its compliance with
recognised usability principles (the "heuristics").

This review considered the following standard set of criteria (heuristics):

- Navigation
- Functionality
- Control
- Help and Support
- Language
- Feedback
- Consistency
- Error Handling
- Workflow Support
- Visual Clarity

Results were then analysed and collated. The usability issues identified are
presented in this document, with specific recommendations for remediation of the
issues, where possible.

The review was conducted between 3-4 November 2008. The reviewer used
Mozilla Firefox 3 on a Windows XP Professional operating system. Screen
resolution was 1024x768 pixels. Internet connection type was a www.wic.co.nz
wireless connection at 3936 kbps (about 70 times faster than a dial-up modem).

The primary purpose of a heuristic evaluation is to allow the website editor(s) to

recognise common usability strengths and weaknesses with the ultimate aim of
improving ease-of-use for the website customer. However, a scientifically-
designed usability test - with real representative website users performing real
tasks - is the only method of objectively observing website visitor behaviour;
assessing for website task efficiency, effectiveness and customer satisfaction.
Thus, a full usability study is recommended as a follow-on to this website
usability evaluation.

NB: a usability evaluation will commonly identify 87% of usability issues; usability testing: 54%
with an overlap of 41% between the two methods. However, a usability review will not accurately
identify customer satisfaction issues; whereas usability testing will. See “Usability evaluation
versus usability testing” - www.humanfactors.com/downloads/sep03.asp#kath

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Summary of Findings
The www.its.otago.ac.nz/students website is generally easy to use.

Strengths
✔ site structure is simple
✔ a search function is available
✔ access is provided from the homepage to major parts of the website
✔ features and functions that a visitor is likely to require are provided
✔ functionality is clearly labeled; sufficient white space is used
✔ no unnecessary plug-ins are required; animation is avoided
✔ alternatives to graphic links are provided
✔ all popular browsers are supported
✔ on-line help is available

Areas for improvement

11 usability issues have been identified, which range from low to high in severity.
Correcting these issues will improve the website ease-of-use.

Detailed findings are listed below; and informally discussed in a Video Report of
Recommendations included as part of this report.

NB: the video includes bonus material not covered in this report!

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Following conventions
Over 80% of websites follow the same design conventions. Thus, the majority of
website visitors expect standard elements to operate in a predictible way. An
average website visitor will spend less than 30 seconds on a webpage. Would
you rather they spent that time finding their way around an unconventional
layout, or focusing on achieving their task(s)?

We recommend your website follow these conventions:

1. make top-left logo clickable back to the Student IT homepage

2. create a “Home” or “Student IT home” link at the top of the navigation
menu and top level of the breadcrumb trail (rather than “ITS” which is
confusing)
3. modify the “Page Not Found” error message for conciseness yet provide
additional options to save the user from remaining lost
4. eliminate unecessary imagery; optimise necessary images
5. reduce webpage download time from 56 seconds to under 20 seconds
6. meet usability criteria as outlined in the following detailed findings

Illustration 1: Subject of evaluation: Otago Student IT website

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Detailed findings
This review assigns a severity rating to each issue. The severity rating is based
on a simple matrix that considers the frequency (how often will the problem
arise?) and impact (how much will it affect the visitor?).

Impact Low Medium High

Frequency
Low Low Medium Medium
Medium Medium Medium High
High Medium High High

Table 1: Severity rating matrix

For example, using the table above an issue with a Medium impact and a Low
frequency is rated as having a Medium severity.

Assigning severity ratings can be somewhat subjective. Ratings should be

considered as an aid to decision-making only.

Within each of the following sections, the most important issues are listed first
(red items indicate issues and green are proposed solutions).

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Navigation
Navigation refers to the ability to find your way around the website.

An effective navigational scheme provides the visitor with a clear indication of the
current location within the overall structure, as well as providing access to other
parts of the website.

Generally, navigation for the Student IT website is effective. Webpage addresses

match titles, menu items and breadcrumb trails.

Issue 1 – is there a clear indication of your current location?

Severity: Medium
Sometimes, it is unclear what your current location is on the website.
Where this issue occurs
Sitewide

Recommendations
✔ Suggest a change in colour, background-colour and/or font-weight for the
Navigation menu item that indicates the webpage you are currently visiting
✔ Suggest a breadcrumbs trail with the full path of the webpage - indicating
your current location within the website.
E.g. Student IT homepage > Online Resources > Blackboard

Illustration 3: Am I on the ITS website?

Illustration 2: Where am I?

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Issue 2 – is there a clear and constant link to the homepage?
Severity: Medium
Link to the homepage is not clearly labeled.
Where this issue occurs
Sitewide

Upon first glance, the top level of the breadcrumbs indicate the homepage is
"ITS" which is confusing. Am I on the ITS website or the Student IT website or the
University of Otago website (as the top left click-able logo suggests)?

There is no link titled "home" in either the Navigation menu or anywhere else on
the website.

Conventions dictate the top left logo should be click-able to the homepage, but it
is not. Users clicking there are dropped on the Otago homepage, where they are
left, lost, without Student IT website navigation.

Recommendations
✔ Suggest the top left logo be clickable to the Student IT homepage, which
follows conventions
✔ Suggest the top of the Navigation menu contain a “Student IT homepage”
hyperlink, as this follows conventions
✔ Suggest “Student IT homepage” as the top level of the breadcrumb trail
rather than “ITS” - ITS is confusing as this is the Student IT website, not
the ITS website

Issue 3 – is a webpage sitemap provided?

Severity: Medium
A sitemap - commonly used for navigation - is not provided.
Where this issue occurs
Navigation menu(s)

Recommendation
Provide a sitemap webpage to aid visitors in navigating the website, as this
follows conventions.

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Functionality
Functionality is the extent to which those features and functions that a visitor is
likely to require are provided.

Functionality is satisfactory.

Control
Control refers to the relationship between the visitor and the website.
Where possible, the visitor should be in control of the interaction. For example,
the visitor should be able to cancel an operation if it is taking too long.

Control is removed if a website forces visitors down a particular path without due
regard to flexibility and natural workflow, or if it forces visitors to wait for events
that may take a long time.

A control issue exists for your website.

Issue 4 – is webpage size is less than 100kb?

Severity: Medium
Research shows that webpages should be sized less than 100kb and take less
than 20 seconds to download on a 56kbps modem.
Where this issue occurs
Sitewide.

Recommendation
✔ Your homepage is 264kb and takes 56 seconds to download on a dial-up
modem. This size should be reduced by optimising images and reducing
total objects on the webpages
✔ The results of a www.websiteoptimization.com/services/analyze download
analysis of your homepage are found on page 15 of this report. Suggest
you run this test for every webpage on your website and follow the report
recommendations

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Help and Support
Visitors should be able to get ready access to assistance – both online and
offline.

Help and support are satisfactory, but with one issue.

Issue 5 – is online help available?

Severity: Low
On-site help is only available in the left-hand navigation menu.
Were this issue occurs
Sitewide.

Help should also be supplemented with placement in other areas, such as part of
the “Page Not Found” message (shown below). Message should be more
concise and provide further options for the user to achieve their goal.

Illustration 4: "Page not found" error message

Recommendation
Alter the “Page Not Found” message to read as shown below.

Apologies! Please try the:

✔ Left-hand “Navigation” menu,
✔ Sitemap,
✔ Search function or
✔ Help section

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Language
Your website should speak the visitor's language. Terminology should be clear
and consistent. Jargon should be avoided.

Issue 6 – is language simple and jargon avoided?

Severity: Medium
Language is simple but wordy and jargon is common.
Were this issue occurs
Sitewide.

Descriptions are unnecessarily wordy. Jargon may be difficult for beginner

computing students.

Recommendations
✔ create a webpage containing a definition of all jargon terms used, and/or
✔ use a mouseover function that explains a jargon term in a pop-up tool-tip,
and/or
✔ integrate jargon definitions into a 'Frequently asked questions' webpage
(also a benefit to search engine optimisation efforts)
✔ Undergo a complete edit of all webpages for conciseness, consistency
and jargon-freedom

Feedback
The visitor should be kept informed of what is going on at any time. This applies
not only to the actual use of the website, but to ongoing interactions.

No feedback issues exist.

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Consistency
Website should be internally consistent. Global elements (such as 'search' fields
and navigation) should be in the same position throughout the website.

Websites should also follow conventions, so that the visitor does not have to
learn a new interface or interaction style to use the website.

Issue 6 – is only one word or term used to describe an item?

Severity: Medium
Where this issue occurs
Sitewide.

Multiple words are used to describe the same items.

Recommendation
Perform a macro-edit of all webpages for terminology consistency.

Issue 7 – are standard colours used for visited links?

Severity: Low
Where this issue occurs
Navigation menus.

Recommendation
✔ style left-hand menu item to change colour, background-colour and/or
weight when visitor resides on that webpage
✔ style left-hand menu item to change colour after the webpage is visited

Error handling
Where possible, websites should prevent errors from occurring by being clear,
unambiguous and simple.

When errors do occur, they should be explained in simple language. The visitor
should be informed of what happened and why, and how to rectify the problem.
An escalation process should be available if the visitor cannot resolve the
problem.

See Issue 5 page 10.

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Workflow Support
The system should enable visitors to carry out procedures in a way that suits
their preferred work patterns and sequences.

No workflow support issues exist.

Visual Clarity
The website should be clear and uncluttered. The purpose and function of each
visual element should be apparent. Fonts should be of a suitable size and
contract.

Issue 8 – is sufficient white space used?

Severity: Medium
Screens should not be filled with text; white space should be sufficient to support
clear layout.
Where this issue occurs
Sitewide

Recommendations
✔ Some webpages have significant text. Suggest a website-wide, (objective
party) edit for conciseness. Conciseness editing typically can eliminate
70% of wording, thus encouraging more efficient use of the website; and
avoiding unnecessary scrolling
✔ Some of your target users may have visual impairments – rather common
amongst the older generations – thus your body font-size should be
adjustable

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Issue 9 – do all images have an 'alt' attribute
Severity: Low
Icons aside of each Student IT notice lack an “alt” attribute and are confusing.
What are their meanings?
Where this issue occurs
Notices page

An 'alt' (alternate) attribute is useful for those with visual impairments. 'Alt'
attributes should precisely describe the images they are attached to.

Recommendations
✔ avoid unnecessary use of imagery
✔ eliminate the icons, or use a legend to explain their significance
✔ revise all image alternate attributes to precisely describe their graphics

Illustration 5: What is the meaning of each of these icons?

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 Illustration 6: Banner on "University computing" webpage

Illustration 7: Alternate text describing the banner

For example, this alternate text should read:

“Photograph of a Student IT advisor assisting students in the Central Library
Electronic Resource Area (ERA)”

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Other
Two of the issues identified did not fit within the predefined categories.

Issue 10 – is website findable?

Severity: High
Student IT website is not findable from a google search nor from within the Otago
University website search function.
Where this issue occurs
Web-wide and Otago University website-wide

Recommendations
✔ consider seach engine optimisation (SEO) conventions by including a
properly constructed meta description in the header of every webpage
✔ ask for configuration of the Otago University search to pickup the Student
IT website within its top results for that keyphrase
✔ ask for the Student IT website to be updated in the Otago University XML
sitemap schema and pushed out to google via their sitemap acceptance
function (or other similar manner)
✔ use a redirect from the old SCS website to the new Student IT website;
maintaining the old SCS is confusing, unecessary and damaging to search
engine optimisation efforts for the new website
✔ delete the old SCS website

Issue 11- must website visitors scroll?

Severity: Medium
Research shows that website visitors do not like to scroll.
Where this issue occurs
Sitewide

A recent USA study showed that only 23% of website visitors will scroll a
hompage on the first visit. In our own usability studies, the majority of participants
either refused to scroll a webpage or reluctantly scrolled - with complaints –
because they were forced to scroll in order to complete a task.

Recommendation
✔ Do not make your visitors scroll. Simply restructure website content to
appear above the fold: at the very least, on the homepage.
✔ Suggest a static homepage fitting above the scroll, and a separate
webpage exclusively for notices.

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Webpage speed report
Generated from websiteoptimization.com/services/analyze/
URL: http://www.its.otago.ac.nz/students
Title: Welcome to Student IT, Student IT, University of Otago, New Zealand
Date: Report run on Mon Nov 3 18:03:13EST2008

Diagnosis
Global Statistics
Total HTTP Requests: 22
Total Size: 264207 bytes

Object Size Totals

Object type Size (bytes) Download @ 56K (seconds) Download @ T1 (seconds)
HTML: 4691 1.13 0.22
HTML Images: 31739 8.13 1.97
CSS Images: 191608 39.59 2.42
Total Images: 223347 47.72 4.39
Javascript: 36024 7.78 0.79
CSS: 145 0.43 0.40
Multimedia: 0 0.00 0.00
Other: 0 0.00 0.00

External Objects
External Object QTY
Total HTML: 1
Total HTML Images: 9
Total CSS Images: 7
Total Images: 16
Total Scripts: 3
Total CSS imports: 2
Total Frames: 0
Total Iframes: 0

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Download Times
Connection Rate Download Time
14.4K 209.17 seconds
28.8K 106.79 seconds
33.6K 92.16 seconds
56K 57.06 seconds
ISDN 128K 20.53 seconds
T1 1.44Mbps 5.80 seconds

SIZE# TYPE URL COMMENTS

80962 CSS IMG www.its.otago.ac.nz ... /studentitheader_long.jpg Header size = 254 bytes
29807 CSS IMG www.its.otago.ac.nz ... 640/backrepeat_bottom.jpg Header size = 253 bytes
28588 CSS IMG www.its.otago.ac.nz ... 03/3639/rightcolumnh1.jpg Header size = 253 bytes
22594 CSS IMG www.its.otago.ac.nz ... /0016/3643/headingone.jpg Header size = 253 bytes
Header size = 265 bytes
17275 SCRIPT http://www.its.otago.ac.nz/__lib/js/edit.js Congratulations! This file was
compressed.
15420 CSS IMG www.its.otago.ac.nz ... 0016/3661/body_header.gif Header size = 252 bytes
13809 CSS IMG www.its.otago.ac.nz ... 0018/3636/rightcolumn.jpg Header size = 253 bytes
13177 IMG www.its.otago.ac.nz ... image/0015/3336/tutor.jpg Header size = 253 bytes
Header size = 265 bytes
11247 SCRIPT http://www.its.otago.ac.nz/__lib/js/general.js Congratulations! This file was
compressed.
7502 IMG www.its.otago.ac.nz ... stats_misc_tracker.js?... Header size = 264 bytes
Header size = 264 bytes
7502 SCRIPT www.its.otago.ac.nz ... s/awstats_misc_tracker.js Congratulations! This file was
compressed.
Header size = 599 bytes
Congratulations! This file was
4691 HTML http://www.its.otago.ac.nz/students compressed.
View a formatted version of this
HTML file
4115 IMG www.its.otago.ac.nz ... /3663/studentitheader.gif Header size = 251 bytes
2547 IMG www.its.otago.ac.nz ... 2/university_web_logo.gif Header size = 250 bytes
2257 CSS* www.its.otago.ac.nz ... gns/design_123/styles.css Header size = 583 bytes
1065 IMG http://www.its.otago.ac.nz/?a=3529 Header size = 566 bytes
1036 IMG http://www.its.otago.ac.nz/?a=3525 Header size = 564 bytes
1020 IMG http://www.its.otago.ac.nz/?a=3527 Header size = 567 bytes
679 IMG http://www.its.otago.ac.nz/?a=3531 Header size = 569 bytes
598 IMG http://www.its.otago.ac.nz/?a=3528 Header size = 570 bytes
428 CSS IMG www.its.otago.ac.nz ... searchmagnifyingglass.jpg Header size = 250 bytes
380 CSS* www.its.otago.ac.nz ... _file/0015/3570/print.css Header size = 273 bytes
Header size = 271 bytes
Congratulations! This file was
73 CSS www.its.otago.ac.nz ... xt_file/0016/3571/ie7.css compressed.
View a formatted version of this
CSS file
Header size = 271 bytes
Congratulations! This file was
72 CSS www.its.otago.ac.nz ... ext_file/0017/3572/ie.css compressed.
View a formatted version of this
CSS file
264207* Total (^unique objects)
#Congratulations. This site is using HTTP compression, otherwise called content encoding
using gzip. The sizes reported here are for compressed content sent from the server to the client.
* CSS alternate stylesheets may be referenced in the HTML but are not actually downloaded until
they are needed and are therefore not included in the total page size.

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Analysis and Recommendations
• TOTAL_HTML - Congratulations, the total number of HTML files on this page
(including the main HTML file) is 1 which most browsers can multithread.
Minimizing HTTP requests is key for web site optimization.
• TOTAL_OBJECTS - Warning! The total number of objects on this page is 22
which by their number will dominate web page delay. Consider reducing this to a
more reasonable number. Above 20 objects per page the overhead from dealing
with the actual objects (description time and wait time) accounts for more than
80% of whole page latency. See Figure II-3: Relative distribution of latency
components showing that object overhead dominates web page latency in
Website Optimization Secrets for more details on how object overhead dominates
web page latency. Combine, refine, and optimize your external objects. Replace
graphic rollovers with CSS rollovers to speed display and minimize HTTP
requests. Consider using CSS sprites to help consolidate decorative images.
Using CSS techniques such as colored backgrounds, borders, or spacing instead
of graphic techniques can reduce HTTP requests. Replace graphic text headers
with CSS text headers to further reduce HTTP requests. Finally, consider
optimizing parallel downloads by using different hostnames or a CDN to reduce
object overhead.
• TOTAL_IMAGES - Caution. You have a moderate amount of images on this
page (16 ). Consider using fewer images on the site or try reusing the same
image in multiple pages to take advantage of caching. Using CSS techniques
such as colored backgrounds, borders, or spacing instead of graphic techniques
can help reduce HTTP requests.
• TOTAL_CSS - Congratulations, the total number of external CSS files on this
page is 2 . Because external CSS files must be in the HEAD of your HTML
document, they must load first before any BODY content displays. Although they
are cached, CSS files slow down the initial display of your page. Remember to
place CSS files in the HEAD and JavaScript files at the end of the BODY to
enable progressive display.
• TOTAL_SIZE - Warning! The total size of this page is 264207 bytes, which will
load in 57.06 seconds on a 56Kbps modem. Consider reducing total page size to
less than 100K to achieve sub 20 second response times on 56K connections.
Pages over 100K exceed most attention thresholds at 56Kbps, even with
feedback. Consider optimizing your site with Website Optimization Secrets,
Speed Up Your Site or contacting us about our optimization services.
• TOTAL_SCRIPT - Caution. The total number of external script files on this page
is 3 , consider reducing this to one or two. Combine, refactor, and minify to
optimize your JavaScript files. Ideally you should have one (or even embed
scripts for high-traffic pages) on your pages. Consider suturing JavaScript files
together at the server to minimize HTTP requests. Placing external JavaScript
files at the bottom of your BODY, and CSS files in the HEAD enables progressive
display in XHTML web pages.
• HTML_SIZE - Congratulations, the total size of this HTML file is 4691 bytes,
which less than 50K. Assuming that you specify the HEIGHT and WIDTH of your
images, this size allows your HTML to display content in under 10 seconds, the
average time users are willing to wait for a page to display without feedback.

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 • IMAGES_SIZE - Warning! The total size of your images is 223347 bytes, which
is over 100K. Consider switch graphic formats to achive smaller file sizes (from
JPEG to PNG for example). Finally, substitute CSS techniques for graphics
techniques to create colored borders, backgrounds, and spacing.
• SCRIPT_SIZE - Warning! The total size of external your scripts is 36024 bytes,
which is over 20K. Consider optimizing your JavaScript for size, combining them,
and using HTTP compression where appropriate for any scripts placed in the
HEAD of your documents. You can substitute CSS menus for JavaScript-based
menus to minimize or even eliminate the use of JavaScript.
• CSS_SIZE - Congratulations, the total size of your external CSS is 145 bytes,
which is less than 8K.
• MULTIM_SIZE - Congratulations, the total size of all your external multimedia
files is 0 bytes, which is less than 10K.

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Recommended 5 minute readings

“Usability 101 - Introduction to Usability”

www.useit.com/alertbox/20030825.html

“Key Research Findings Related to User-Centered Design“

www.humanfactors.com/downloads/dec03.asp

“Usability evaluation versus usability testing”

www.humanfactors.com/downloads/sep03.asp#kath

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