Wen's+test+result

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Group members involved: All group members Test used: Wen's Test Script 1 & 2 Testing Time: Mar, 2, 2010, After Class


 * We showed the participant the website we designed. Overall she thought it is much better than the current York website.
 * She has problem with Mac operation system, therefore, she has to be helped with the way to use Mac. However, group members didn't help her to go through the testing process.
 * The way the participant reacted matches a few of our discussions that are still under debate.
 * After the test, we asked her about the overall feeling towards this website.
 * No specific challenge.

Group members involved: Brenda, Wen Test used: Test Scripts from all group members. Testing Time: Mar.3, 2010, 4:30p.m


 * This person is quite familiar with Mac operation system. She requested to go through the website herself before we start our testing.
 * She provided a lot of useful opinions when she's doing the testing. She failed one task which we will seriously consider to re-design that part.
 * We spent more time on talking about the possible improvements and expectations after the testing. It was very helpful.
 * We found a lot of things that we though to be "normal" causing trouble.

Group members involved: Wen Test used: Wen's test scripts. Testing Time: Mar.8, 2010, 4:30p.m


 * This person use English as a Second Language. In the process, she told me she usually doesn't read the body, only the headlines.
 * She failed both of the tests because she can't find the expected headlines.

Group members involved: All group members Test used: Wen's Test Script 1 & 2 Testing Time: Mar, 2, 2010, After Class

__**Testing Reactions:**__ With the instructions on Mac OS, she starts her browsing slowly. __Test 1:__ __Test 2:__ __**Free Discussion:**__
 * Under future students: She clicked the pictures but not getting anywhere. She though if the pictures were clicked, it should take her to the program page.
 * The confusion of application center.
 * When she was looking for student gallery, she went to "Current Students". She found it is not there, then she started to look for "portfolio". She went through the hotlinks, however, she didn't notice the "student gallery" heading.
 * She did find the "contact information" in the hotlinks section. She said the contact information is usually supposed to be there.
 * Overall, she didn't pay a lot of attention to the visual and didn't notice the animation effect on the main page.
 * When we asked about News and Events, she thought it is not necessary.
 * She likes the gallery and facilities effect, she thought it is a good idea to keep everything on the same page.
 * In regards to the overall layout, she suggested it is better to keep it simple. She likes the white background.
 * However, she said it is boring to read over.
 * For the contact information, she said the direction is not clear enough. She doesn't know where to call because the department is not specified.
 * She did not notice the hotlink section and bottom link section.
 * Do not use black, it affects mood.

Group members involved: Brenda, Wen Test used: Test Scripts from all group members. Testing Time: Mar.8, 2010, 4:30p.m

__**Testing Reactions:**__ The participant requested to take a few minutes to get familiar with the website. __Test 1:__ __Test 2:__ __**Free Discussion:**__
 * When we asked about finding the application process, the participant firstly went to hotlink section, then faculty, then finally future student.
 * She suggested changing the people pictures into something related.
 * The confusion of application center.
 * The confusion of "faculty" and "facilities".
 * She clicked the "facilities" title on each page because they have the same color coding as all the other links.
 * She suggested if we could catalog the students works somehow, and makes the course link to the course timetable,etc.
 * She likes the interaction at all.
 * It is the awarded artwork that get the student into the program she's taking right now. Therefore, she said it is important for the website to show it.
 * In regards to news and events, she doesn't really care. Future students do not know much about the campus.
 * She showed us a website that arrange the gallery works into different scales of shapes which added a few hierarchy.
 * She suggested the facilities should go under the courses instead of being showed individually.
 * In other tests, she can't find the portfolio page at all and finally gave up. She expected an individual link that give the students portfolio and interview tips.
 * Contact information doesn't give enough information to direct the students where to go.
 * Maybe some color for the front background, but gallery is enough.

Group members involved: Wen Test used: Wen's Test Scripts. Testing Time: Mar.8, 2010, 4:30p.m

__**Testing Reactions:**__ The participant couldn't follow both of the test scripts because she didn't find the expected headlines. According the the participant's personal experiences, she doesn't pay a lot of attention to the text body. Therefore, she expect there are something individual that leads the future student directly to the information. __**Free Discussion:**__
 * Gallery should go under future student
 * News and Events are not necessary. News might be, but not events. They are for current students.
 * Admission and application office is confusing.

Reflection
I think these two testing are really helpful for us to redefine our ideas. As a designer, we are constantly affected by the relationship we build among our own works. Through testing, it makes us to think of the works more critically. There are similar problems that occurred among both of the participants.

__**Problems:**__

 * The confusion of the link "application center" mislead both participants. Instead of looking through the sidelink bar, they go to application process.
 * Contact information needs to specify, add detail to the function of departments.
 * The headings "student gallery" and "portfolio" are mixed up
 * The headings "faculty" and "facilities" look too much the same
 * The side bar needs more attention.
 * The hot link section needs more attention.
 * Re-phrase "resources". It is too wide right now, people find everything under resources, however, it's only for research.
 * Gallery thumbnails needs to be cataloged or give hints before clicking everyone of them.
 * In terms of second language, the headings need to be more clear.

__**Main things that need to develop:**__

 * Specify the contact page, tell users the number they should call if they have specific problems.
 * Increase hot link hierarchy, people spending time looking for hotlinks.
 * Put individual portfolio page link under future students as portfolio and interview tips.
 * The heading color in facilities page. Right now it has the same color as links, therefore misunderstood.
 * Reduce the hierarchy of news and events, or put them into pictures. So that the side bar can come out.

__**Additional things that need to develop:**__

 * Organize gallery thumbnails, make them even random and with more hierarchy, add links to courses
 * Add awarded work under future student as an attraction
 * Put facilities link also under each course, or somehow link to courses.
 * Bottom link needs to be bigger. or set fixed, so that it has attention.