Heuristic Evaluation
We began the project by conducting a heuristic evaluation, applying established usability principles (such as Nielsen’s 10 Usability Heuristics)
to identify potential usability issues within the site. This initial step allowed us to pinpoint broad usability concerns that needed further
exploration in usability testing.
User Personas
To ensure that our research was aligned with the needs of CATA’s diverse user base, we created user personas representing key target users
(e.g. students, commuters, tourists, and people with disabilities). These personas helped to guide our testing and ensure that we were evaluating
the website from the perspective of typical CATA users.
Usability Testing Plan
With our personas in mind, we developed a usability test plan, which included defining tasks for participants to complete on the CATA mobile website.
These tasks were designed to test key functionalities of the website, including search, navigation, and address lookup features. Participants were selected
and recruited based on criteria that reflected CATA’s real user demographics.
Usability Interviews & Data Collection
We conducted usability testing interviews, where participants were asked to perform tasks on the CATA website while we observed their actions. Throughout
the testing process, we collected both quantitative data (such as task completion time) and qualitative data (user feedback, comments, and struggles during tasks).
Data Analysis & Reporting
After gathering all data, we analyzed the results to identify key usability issues. We categorized these issues based on their impact on effectiveness, efficiency,
and satisfaction, providing us with clear areas for improvement. We then prepared a comprehensive report, detailing our findings and presenting recommendations to CATA stakeholders.
Conclusion & Reflections
This usability evaluation was an invaluable experience in applying UX research methods to a real-world project. The ability to
identify user pain points through testing and provide actionable, data-driven recommendations was incredibly rewarding. Working with a
team and engaging with stakeholders from CATA provided me with a deeper understanding of how to balance user needs with business
goals, which is essential in creating truly effective and user-centered designs.
This project further solidified my passion for
user-centered design and reinforced my commitment to using research and testing to improve digital experiences.
