Challenge 3: Usability Evaluation and Site Redesign
Our third challenge for the Ironhack UI/UX Design Bootcamp was to evaluate the usability of a travel app and to redesign it in order to enhance the user experience. We chose a tourist attraction as a destination, user type, and an app to work with.
Usability tests and site redesign are what help create the best version of a product. It is important to keep the users’ needs in mind at all times to ensure higher return numbers. This means that interviews are vital to gather as much information on what the users need to make it a better functioning product for them. Targeting people in the specific user type you are redesigning the product for is very important.
For this challenge, we had to choose one of the following travel apps: Kayak, Skyscanner, Trip Advisor, and Hopper as well as the user type we would redesign it for.
I first chose my user type and went with one I can relate to the least, helping me stay objective and unbias during the process.
My top choices: Family with Kids and Elderly Couple
Finally, I decided on:
- Elder couple — 60–80 y/o (2) You and your partner want to visit one of the wonders now that you’re retired. Looking for a tour or package with some flexibility that would allow you to enjoy while not dealing with many processes and decisions on your own.
Research: Specifics of destination
The site destination would be the Colosseum in Rome. It is physically less demanding and has more transportation options and services.
Nearest airport / most convenient airport to the destination: Rome, Ciampino, or Fiumicino (depending on where the flight is from — Berlin only has Ryanair for direct flights — but the airline is cheap/uncomfortable. However, FIO requires a stopover…)
Currency and exchange from your own currency: Euro ( NZ Dollar 1–0,60 Euro cent / 1 Pound Sterling — 1,17 Euro)
Medical needs: vaccination, visa, etc.:
Visa requirements:
- EU Citizens: citizens of countries belonging to the Schengen Zone may visit Rome with just a passport or valid I.D. document.
- Australian and New Zealand citizens: New Zealanders do not require a visa to enter Italy and can spend up to three months in the country. However, they will need a return ticket and a passport with at least three-month validity from their planned departure date (source)
Required Vaccinations: Travellers are recommended to have vaccinations Hep. A, B, and Rabies
Wardrobe recommendations:
- Anti-theft clothes
- Comfortable clothing and shoes for walking
- Modesty is key
- Nicer clothes to eat out in Rome
Days needed to visit attraction: One day is needed, but as an elderly couple I would recommend 2–3 so that there is enough time for arrival in the city, relaxing and seeing the sight the next day. Additionally having an extra day to comfortably see other sights or prepare for the trip home.
Benchmarking
“Usability Heuristics evaluation of most appropriate app regarding user type (consider accessibility, value proposition, features, etc.)” — Ironhack
I reviewed Kayak, Skyscanner, and Trip Advisor. Hopper seemed inappropriate at first glance for my user type. I kept these few things in mind: type of travel, experience with technology, physical obstacles they might have (sight for example)
I did a review of each interface comparing it to the usability principles. You can find my research chart here.
I finally decided on Trip Advisor since it was deemed the most suitable for people who might not use apps much. It also had the option to book a tour to the Colosseum.
Testing
Time for the interviews! Yay!
I choose three people with very different backgrounds and experiences in traveling and using apps. They also all live in different parts of the world.
The first was “die gute” Angelika, 64 from Berlin, Germany. She mainly only traveled by car or campervan and had never used an online app for booking a holiday.
Second, my wonderful uncle Peter in Auckland, New Zealand. He is 65 and has traveled all over the world, using all kinds of transport. However, he has only used search engines for booking holidays on a desktop.
Last but not least, the lovely Wendy, 72 from Colchester, UK. She has also traveled a fair bit using different kinds of transport. Wendy has also booked trips online but again, only on a desktop.
We did two tests. One was the 5 Seconds test and the other was booking a trip to Rome.
For the 5 Second Test, the users would look at the interface of the metadata for 5 seconds only and then answer these three questions: What did you see? What can this tool do for you? Where would you search for a flight?
During their task, I asked them to keep the following information in mind:
What kind of budget do they have — Budget is flexible. They have enough to not worry about finding the cheapest option but aren’t loaded to eat out and stay at the most expensive places.
How many and what kind of housing do they need: One hotel for the whole stay. 3 star minimum for maximum comfort. Well located for having short ways to site. Including Breakfast and option dinner (since they would eat out most nights). The hotel would offer plenty of services making life easy (Laundry service etc…)
How would they move around — walk, taxi, shuttle bus, tour bus, tour guide (private)
Do they have any time restrictions or is the schedule flexible? Schedule is flexible
Do they need special care/services (accessibility, day-care, etc.): No restrictions apart from reduced stamina to walk around much
Due to their distance, we set up a phone call or video chat while they searched on the app on a different phone.
Here are the results:
Angelika: “Not that I will end up with a trip to Rome! I don’t want to go to Rome!” — good old Berliner attitude.
Age: 63
Location: Berlin, Germany
Travel Experience: very little
Experience with apps: very little “Ick kann Technik nicht leiden! ( I can’t stand technology)”
5 Second test:
What did you see? — “ The “Where to” option”
What can this tool do for you? “ Help find a destination to go on holiday”
Where would you search for a flight? “At the very top”
Angelika seemed confused most of the time and mentioned that “this technology is not for us older people”
By the end of it, she said she would use a different provider.
Wendy:
Age: 72
Location: Colchester, UK
Travel Experience: moderate
Experience with apps: very little
What did you see?: 6 different booking options, shows in pictures
What can this tool do for you? help me book a holiday
Where would you search for a flight? in one of the 6 boxes
Wendy seemed pretty confident and didn’t get bothered by the app. She only wasn’t able to find some information and took a bit of time while finding some buttons.
Peter:
Age: 65
Location: Auckland, New Zealand
Travel Experience: Loads
Experience with apps: Mediocre
What did you see? “Activities, hotels, flights, things to do”
What can this tool do for you? “Help me book a flight, hotel, or activity”
Where would you search for a flight? “In the flight button on the top left”
Peter found the app pretty straightforward.
He seemed quite confident and didn’t get flustered at any point
Insights
Here are the main pain points I gathered from all of their feedback. I have highlighted the ones that mention the same one. The yellow highlighted comments are only made once but could be helpful for everyone.
From this, I noticed that the most important changes should be:
- making the “filters” button more visible
- making some buttons bigger in general
- Making a page where you can directly book the hotel without being re-directed
- Also, I will change the main button choices on the home page, so it shows an option to book a package holiday
I made some lo-fi sketches before getting to work on my mid-fi ( I definitely need to work on my sketching…hehe)
Finally, I got started on my hi-fi prototype. Changes I made are stated below:
My changes were mostly to make things more visible and simplified, keeping my user type in mind.
I found it very interesting working with people in their 60s and 70s. All of the interviews took longer than 20 mins as they were less familiar with the general setup of an app.
There is a lot of mistrust, insecurity, and anxiety when it comes to technology for people in this age range. Those who got started early have fewer issues (Peter didn't seem too flustered, but Angelika really didn't feel comfortable). One of my planned interviewees even stepped out because she didn't think she could do it.
There is a big gap in the market, and since there are many generations who didn’t grow up using apps, it would be good for them to be able to have access without feeling anxious. Many of them don’t even try because they are overwhelmed by it all. Making an “easy” version of all apps, reducing the page down to the most important information, would be a solution.
This Challenge was really was a challenge BUT!!! I really enjoyed it :) Mostly, it was just a lot of information, steps, and analysis. The reward of it all coming together, in the end, is wonderful though!
It was fun interviewing and seeing how others interact with something I have more experience with. It was also super cute to see my interviewees feel proud of themselves once they achieved their task :) I also had a moment of self-reflection when I noticed that all the things I had the same difficulties in using the app as those ages 60–80 O.O
…I think it's time I move out of Wilmersdorf and back to Friedrichshain.
