Website and User:
The Broward County Library is the biggest library system in Florida. Its website helps users not only find books, movies, and music they may wish to check out, but also provide information on events, online resources, and job opportunities. My user tested the Broward County Library website due to how resourceful it is. This was her first time using the website.
https://www.broward.org/Library/pages/default.aspx
User Actions:
She was interested in seeing if the library offered the use of a sewing machine and a Cricut machine. I expected her to search the Creation Station page first, as it would be the most relevant page for arts and crafts, but instead she started by using the search bar and did not notice that it was labeled “search catalog”. She thought it would provide her with information about what is offered, but instead she received a list of books on the subject(s) as a result. The books were not organized in any order. She then decided to search the Creation Station page hoping to find information regarding the devices. However, that page only had some categories listed under “Special features” and closest category she found in that list was “Arts & Crafts”. Nothing pointing specifically to a sewing or Cricut machine availability. She also did not find any links regarding any devices offered to the public. Some users who would be curious as to what certain Creation Stations of the library have to offer may end up disappointed due to the lack of information provided.
My test user when on to search for adult classes focusing on Microsoft Office. When she searched under “Education – Adult”, she first encountered online resources of different subjects. She was wanting an in-person class, but that was not one of the options listed. Another search led her to the event calendar, where she found a class for Microsoft outlook. This is a problem for people who want to choose the way the training is given. Also, nothing points specifically to a page that shows what classes are available, they are mixed in in with the library’s event/activities.
After finding the event calendar, she decided to test out the filters for ages and locations. When my user searched around the events even further, she forgot she set filters. What has been observed is that the event pages do not remind the user that filters have been set, which can be troubling if users are changing their searches. When she went back to the library’s homepage, she noticed that some upcoming events were listed toward the middle of the page. However, they were in a user-friendly format that included pictures and straight forward information as to the date, time, and location. On the events calendar the events are listed in list format and not as clear. She prefers the format of the events on the homepage.
Suggestions:
The Broward County Library website information is broad. Other than searching for books, it is hard to find specifics on all the library has to offer. This presents a problem for those who are not familiar with the library and/or their website. Specifically for events the website should at least be fixed to show when users apply filters. This way users can be reminded of what filter are being used for additional event searches, such as a certain location or a certain age group. The Creation Station is an essential part of the library but, the Broward County Library website does not show the devices that can be checked out nor does detail the vast activities the Creation Station provides. As someone who has been a frequent user of the Creation Station, there is no mention on their website as to gaming, musical instrumental, drawing aids, etc. The site should at least provide a general list of available tools for creation. It would be further informative if it identified items that could be checked out. Some easy improvements to the Broward County Library website could be the option to switch from a list format or a picture-type format. Also, having additional search options for education assistance, such as in-person, online classes, or personal tutoring.
Although the Broward County Library website holds a lot of information, it is not well organized. This presents a problem for any user, whether expert or novice. Its focus is on traditional library offering, such as books, movies, magazines, etc. but it lacks information on patron participatory events, such as classes, activities, and device availability. My user, who was a novice was easily frustrated and felt the website was unusable for her needs. An organized website is better suited for both new and experienced users to help them find what they desire.
Website and User:
CarGurus is an automotive research and shopping website that assists individuals / general public in comparing local listings for used and new cars, and contacting sellers. The company was founded in 2006 by Langley Steinert, a co-founder of TripAdvisor and has approximately 43 million website visits per month, with 95% of those views coming from individuals in the United States (per information found on similarweb).
The test user for this assignment is a female in her early 30s that is comfortable with using technology and does searches on the web frequently. She has never used CarGurus or any other automotive research / shopping website (e.g., AutoTrader / TrueCar), therefore, a true novice in this space.
URL: https://www.cargurus.com/
User Actions:
The tester utilized the CarGurus URL (https://www.cargurus.com/) on Google Chrome and was instructed to search for a vehicle of interest. The tester explored the landing page and the various tabs (Buy Used / Buy New / Certified Pre-Owned / SellMyCar / Financing). Some initial feedback was that the tester was confused by the ‘Financing’ tab, as it was a distraction from looking for a new vehicle. Additionally, the tester clicked on ‘Sell Your Car’ and was confused as to why they redirected to another page, not within expectations. The tester proceeded with the ‘Buy New’ tab and was able to successful select from the Make and Model dropdowns without issue. However, it was not clear to the tester what was meant by “Near Zip Code”. Further instructions were needed to clarify and it was recommended that CarGurus either have a pop-up with an explanation or change the verbiage to simply “Zip Code” to eliminate some of this confusion.
The tester then proceeded to populate all the required fields and proceeded by clicking on the “Search” button. The initial results provided only 2 vehicles within a 200-mile radius. The tester was NOT satisfied with these results and wanted to expand the search to Nationwide, which was done by utilizing the dropdown within the “Distance from Me” section. Some additional filters were used on the side of the “Results” page, such as color / fuel type (in this case a hybrid). The tester found a 2022 Lexus NX350h in red that she really liked. As such, the website did prove to the helpful overall!
Recommendations:
With regards to final thoughts, the tester rated CarGurus as a 7/10 for user experience and interface design. As she was not originally satisfied with 2 options within 200 miles and the fact that only stock photos were available for this model, she stated that she will look for other car buying sites (will search on Google to find different sites) to see if they can produce better results. Tester also did not like the pop-up for “Sell Your Car” while searching for a new car, which was a distraction and does not logically make sense in many cases, as the individual would be looking for car to buy not sell.
I visit CarGurus often and would be an “expert” with my level of comfort on the site. I would rate CarGurus as a 7.5/10, as I do like the fact that it tells you whether the price is “Good / Fair / Overpriced” for a particular vehicle you click on. This does not work very well for new cars in this current market, given the supply chain issues being experienced in the US. Additionally, I did note that the web version filtering differs, as it is on the side of the page, instead of a separate pop-up with the respective options to make for a cleaner design (on mobile devices). But both of us agree that the CarGurus website is overall effective and meets the needs of the user base.