This piece presents a usability testing report on the Penny Juice website, conducted as part of a group project in my graduate-level Usability and User Experience (UX/UI) course. Using structured methodologies such as card sorting, think-aloud protocols, and heuristic evaluations, our team identified pain points in the website’s design and functionality and proposed actionable recommendations to improve navigation, visual design, and the ordering process.
Background
The goals of the project included:
- Identifying usability issues with the Penny Juice website’s navigation, design, and information architecture.
- Proposing solutions to enhance the website’s user experience for its target audience, which includes childcare providers and parents.
- Gaining practical experience in usability testing methodologies.
The deliverables were a usability report and supporting documentation, including raw data from user testing sessions and a research plan.
Objectives
The primary objectives of this project were:
- To evaluate the website using card sorting and think-aloud protocols to understand user expectations and pain points.
- To conduct heuristic evaluations and measure the website’s adherence to usability best practices.
- To deliver a comprehensive report with prioritized recommendations for website improvement.
Outcome
The project achieved the following results:
- Detailed findings that highlighted major usability issues, including poor navigation, lack of visual hierarchy, and an overly complex ordering process.
- Actionable recommendations, such as implementing a navigation menu, improving product descriptions, and redesigning the ordering process with a calculator and a shopping cart.
- A professional usability testing report demonstrating advanced technical communication skills.
Approach
The study began with a research plan to outline goals, recruitment criteria, and testing methodologies. Participants were recruited from target user groups, such as childcare providers and parents, and completed card-sorting exercises to identify intuitive navigation categories.
Think-aloud protocols were used to observe participants as they completed key tasks, such as finding nutritional information or ordering juice. Heuristic evaluations provided expert insights into systemic usability issues, such as lack of a consistent navigation system and poor information layout.
Key findings included:
- Users found the lack of navigation menus confusing and inconsistent with modern website standards.
- Product images were blurry and failed to provide critical details, making the ordering process frustrating.
- The website’s bright, child-focused design alienated adult users, the primary purchasers.
The report synthesized these findings into clear recommendations, including restructuring the information architecture, improving visual design, and simplifying the ordering process.
Final Deliverable
The final deliverable was a usability testing report and raw data in PDF and Word formats.