Measurement Overview
The data was analyzed to first understand the users, through the survey, and then to better understand their actual behavior through the card-sorting exercise. The participants represented multiple class ranks and different site-use frequency, which allowed for data segmentation.
These methods have helped to uncover insights, patterns and key findings, which have been translated into data-driven recommendations.
User research provides a thorough examination of the user’s perspective, helping us to understand the user’s goals they want to accomplish and what tasks they need to accomplish.
AREAS ANALYZED
Survey: Site visiting frequency, site content desired and site content pain points.
Card Sort: Category agreement, card agreement groupings (high, moderate and low), and card relationships, for the best-merge method.
RESEARCH SUMMARY
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SURVEY FINDINGS
SITE VISITING FREQUENCY
Based on the survey, the site is not highly trafficked by currently enrolled students, with 50% (10) of those surveyed citing visits are limited to once or twice a year; while 35% (7) of those surveyed visit a few times a semester, and only 15% (3) of those surveyed visit on a weekly basis. None reported visiting on a daily basis. First-year graduate students are visiting the site more frequently, representing 40% (8) of the combined “weekly” and “few times a semester” reported visits.
SITE CONTENT DESIRED
The top content the surveyed users are looking for is Programs/Curriculum Information (75%; 15), followed by Tuition and Financial Aid (10%; 2) and Scholarships (10%; 2). When combining the top ranked and second ranked content areas, Programs/Curriculum Information stands out ahead of the pack, as the primary content area desired by surveyed users. When examined by major concentration the three of the four majors responding to the survey, all reported Programs/Curriculum, as their top desired site content.
SITE CONTENT PAIN POINTS
iSchool site users surveyed are reporting trouble navigating and using the website in its current state. When visiting the iSchool website, the surveyed users noted navigation(menus) as their top pain point (35.3%; 12), followed by usability - ease of use (26.5%; 9). Surveyed users were allowed to select more than one item. Pain points appear to be consistent across class rank.
OPEN CARD-SORTING FINDINGS
CATEGORY AGREEMENT
Cards were grouped into categories named by the study participants. These categories were standardized to consolidate like names. For example: “About”, “About Us” and “Information” to avoid duplication and to better represent the card groupings by category.
There were seven categories derived from the card-sorting exercise. The following represents the content users grouped into the categories and their agreement rates for each item.
About
Academic Programs
Admissions & Aid
Careers & Internships
Faculty & Staff
Student Information & Resources
Research
The card groupings revealed that participants expected to see the iSchool majors under the academics section of the website, not the admissions section of the website, with all four receiving an 81% or higher category agreement rate.
CARD AGREEMENT
Cards were also analyzed with a similarity matrix, to help identify potential groupings beyond the category agreement. When reviewing the results of the card combinations through the card matrix, the results were broken down into three areas: high agreement, moderate agreement low agreement.
For the purposes of this study, due to the high quality of participants (enrolled iSchool students) the cut-off score levels for card agreement groupings is as follows: high agreement cards equate to an agreement range of 100% to 90% or 40/40 agreement to 36/40 agreement; moderate agreement equates to 87.5% to 75% or 35/40 agreement to 30/40 agreement; and low agreement equates to 72.5% to 62.5% or 29/40 agreement to 25/40 agreement.
HIGH AGREEMENT CARD GROUPINGS (90-100%)
The high-agreement card groupings from the similarity matrix also reiterated the findings in the card category groupings, conveying that academic programs be grouped together, not in the admissions section.
MODERATE AGREEMENT CARD GROUPINGS (75-87.5%)
Admissions, along with Tuition and Financial Aid were not included in the high agreement card grouping section. They appeared in the moderate agreement section, grouped together with a 77% similarity agreement. They were not grouped with any of the academic programs.
LOW AGREEMENT CARD GROUPINGS (62.5-72.5%)
The lower agreement similarity groupings reflected that of the previous two groupings, with the addition of a few cards, demonstrating consistency in agreement.
DENDROGRAM
The following dendrogram makes assumptions about larger clusters based on individual pair relationships, reflecting the best-merge method for the cards. This, too, groups the academic content for the programs together with 80% agreement, separate from the admissions content.
Key Findings
User research provided a thorough examination of the user’s perspective, helping us to understand the audience’s goals they want to accomplish and what tasks they need to accomplish.
Of those surveyed, first-year graduate students visit the iSchool site most frequently.
Since the site is not trafficked frequently by current users, familiarity with site content may be limited, thus, requiring a strong navigation for a positive user experience.
Surveyed users are primarily looking for programs/curriculum information, when visiting the site.
iSchool site users are reporting trouble navigating and using the website in its current state - reporting navigation and usability (ease of use) as their top pain points. Pain points appear to be consistent across class rank.
Seven categories were created by the participants in the card-sorting exercise.
The card groupings revealed that participants expected to see the iSchool programs (majors) under the academics section of the website, not the admissions section of the website, with all four programs receiving an 81% or higher category agreement rate.
The high-agreement card groupings from the similarity matrix and dendrogram also reiterated the findings in the card category groupings, conveying that academic programs be grouped together.
This sheds light into potential areas of opportunity, where further testing and improvements can be implemented to enhance the user experience.
Primary Recommendations
The user’s perspective provided insight into a more streamlined information architecture - prioritizing content, and identifying where there can be a reduction of content.
It is recommended that the iSchool academic programs no longer live under both the “Admissions” and “Academics” menus, and instead live under “Academics.” When making changes to the navigational structure of the iSchool website, it should be taken into account that the site visitors are most frequently first-year graduate students, and those visiting the site less frequently will need an intuitive, strong structure, due to non-repetitive use of the site. The high-agreement groupings, can help to guide the creation of the revised navigation, beyond the initial research questions. Consolidation and sub-groupings of the navigational structure can take place based on agreement levels as well.
Usability was listed as a pain point by users, behind navigation. Following the navigational adjustments, additional user testing should take place to validate the changes, and to test for any additional usability issues.