Avon and Somerset Constabulary – Usability Testing

• The brief
• How we responded to the brief
• What we did
• The outcomes
• Timing

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The Brief

Avon and Somerset Constabulary (A&SC) had recently launched a new website and wished to obtain a user perspective on the site.

The objectives of the research were to assess:

• Users’ attitudes to the website – what goals did they want to achieve, what were their perceptions of the A&SC
• Usability – the ease and intuitiveness of the site – how easily users could get to their goals
• The effectiveness of the personalised content on the site – users could look at information about crime and policing in their area

How we responded to the brief

We proposed a project in 4 parts: Because A&SC wanted quick, cost effective feedback to identify the major usability issues we proposed usability testing with three testers.

In order to ensure buy-in to the research results, we felt it important that key A&SC stakeholders gained a shared understanding of the issues through active observation of users on the site. By following this with a facilitated discussion it would allow the observers to identify the key issues and agree actions in a single day.

What we did

We recruited 3 testers who lived within the A&SC area: 1 low-usage internet user, 1 user over 60 years of age and 1 user under 20.

We conducted the testing in Bristol city centre using our mobile usability equipment (i.e. a lap top with web cam, microphone and Techsmith Morae to enable picture in picture recording). A&SC web development staff discreetly observed the testing process (the research was undertaken in an adjacent room and the development team could observe the session ‘live’ via a video link). The team captured issues arising during the session on post-it notes, which were subsequently used to map the issues that had emerged. A facilitated discussion then identified the priority issues.

The outcomes

The research identified over 40 usability and content issues. During the facilitated discussion A&SC staff gained a shared understanding of these issues, and actions were identified that could be implemented within the project scope. As a result, A&SC was able to act quickly to improve the site.

Avon & Somerset Constabulary were pleased enough with the results to commission WUP to carry out a usability study for the A&SC intranet.

“We found the usability testing process an invaluable experience, a real eye opener in fact. A highly recommended process to go through” Scott Fulton – Internet and Multimedia Manager

Timing

The project was conducted in spring 2006, over a 2 week period.

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