An online investment company wanted to assess its site’s information architecture in an effort to improve website navigation and make the site more user-friendly for its visitors. The client had heard anecdotally that it was difficult to find certain information on the site, and the search features were not intuitive. To provide more conclusive insights, the client wanted to conduct usability testing with a random selection of potential site visitors.
Rockbridge conducted a total of 16 one-on-one interviews with potential site visitors in a virtual environment to meet the objectives of the study. Two alternatives to the site architecture were presented, the current site and an alternative designed to address the potential navigational issues. The designs were rotated during the interviews and the line of questioning was designed to determine which was more user-friendly for visitors using detailed probing by the moderator.
The technology used to conduct the usability testing allowed the respondent and moderator to converse by phone while reviewing the designs online, which provided rich detail without the burden of going in-person to a central location. The virtual method also allowed Rockbridge to recruit participants nationwide, which is representative of the client’s audience. At pre-determined points during the interview, the interviewing methodology allowed for respondents to take control of the screen and using a talk-aloud format review the site and complete various tasks to assess the ease of navigation.
At the conclusion of the interview sessions, Rockbridge compiled and analyzed the data to provide a clear picture of potential site visitors’ reactions to the information architectures. We provided a report that illustrated our findings through screen shots of various elements of the two designs supported by quotes from the interviews to bring to life the findings, including issues users had when navigating each version.
In the end, Rockbridge was able to provide clear recommendations for changes to the information architecture to make it easier for visitors to use the site which will increase visitor retention.