USER TESTING CASE STUDY
A Leading Group Events Business
User testing a new high-fidelity prototype and the current website.
The Challenge
To determine what is important to target customers considering booking a relevant event.
Observe and understand how customers naturally search for, find and choose an event online.
To assess customer reaction to the new clickable prototype and observe them finding and choosing a suitable event.
To obtain feedback on the current website and competitor websites and to understand what users value and what they don’t.
To gain feedback on the current logo.
Devices
This research was undertaken on laptop and desktop computers, reflecting the dominance of these devices using the current site.
Approach
These were remote, moderated user tests over Zoom. Each session lasted about 1 hour.
Participants
Six target customers who find and book relevant events for their organisation.
The Research Plan
Opening Discussion
Participants were encouraged to talk about their experiences arranging and booking events in the opening discussion.
To discover the factors participants consider when finding and booking an event and any pain points they have experienced.
We asked participants to write down specific details of their next planned event, helping participants into the right frame of mind for the research.
Naturalised Search Behaviour
We asked participants to search online for an event as if they were doing so at work.
We observed how participants searched, which search results and websites stood out, and which websites contained the most interesting and valuable information.
We simulated real-life customer acquisition by showing a PPC ad for the client. We explored participants' reactions and their resulting expectations.
New Prototype
Participants were sent a link to the homepage of the new prototype, and after a few seconds, we asked about their first impressions.
Participants were encouraged to browse as they would at home and to talk about their thoughts, including what they like and anything they don’t understand or think could be changed or improved.
Based on the criteria participants wrote down earlier in the session, we asked them to use the new prototype to find a suitable event.
The researcher probed on whether the prototype experience had all the information participants needed and asked how the prototype compared to similar websites they use.
We asked participants to undertake other specific tasks.
At every step, we worked to understand what was working well, what wasn’t and why.
Client Current Website
Next, participants were sent a link to the existing client website.
Again, we asked participants to search for a trip based on the criteria they wrote down earlier in the session.
The researcher closely observed every step and probed on the strengths and weaknesses of the current site and how this compared with the new prototype.
We sent participants a link to a specific competitor's website and encouraged participants to talk further about their preferences, likes and dislikes.
Closing Discussion
We asked participants to summarise their experience using the prototype and other websites, make further suggestions, and mention anything we had not covered during the session.
Selected Findings
Naturalised search and Client PPC ad
Improve specificity in search results: Consider including information about being a specialist company dedicated to the sector.
Google ads: Refine the language to avoid using meaningless words and provide clearer messaging.
Logo
Redesign the logo: Consider redesigning the logo.
Address associations with Sports Direct: Avoid using a logo style and colours that are associated with Sports Direct.
Address generic brand name: Consider rebranding to address the perception that the brand name is too generic and clarify the company's offering.
Address dated design: Modernise the logo to avoid the perception that it "looks like an American brand from 20 years ago".
Address corporate feel: Consider redesigning the logo to reflect the personal, people-orientated nature of the company and avoid a corporate feel.
Prototype Homepage
Use imagery showing people taking part in events: Emphasise imagery showing people taking part in events to avoid the perception that the company looks more like a travel company than an events company.
Improve messaging under the banner: Improve the messaging under the banner to ensure that all three points are equally persuasive and inspiring.
Use clear and accessible language: Use clear and accessible language to explain key terms under the "Accessible to everyone" heading to ensure that participants understand what the company does and why it is safe to use.
Increase the visibility of the home page video: Increase the visibility to ensure that participants do not miss it.
Clarify calls to action: Clarify calls to action on the home page to ensure that participants understand what actions they can take.
Use suitable search tool terminology: Use suitable search tool terminology that accommodates the different words participants use to describe events to improve accessibility and user experience.
Prototype Current Event Listing Pages
Improve location filter: Emphasise the location filter and ensure that it provides sufficient information for participants wishing to see how far away from home an event is. Consider adding a map feature on event listing pages to show event destinations and keep users on the website.
Add male-only gender filter: Consider adding a male-only option to the gender filter to cater to participant preferences.
Refine level filter: Refine the level filter to ensure that it is easy to determine and define. Consider using more descriptive terms or providing additional information to clarify levels.
Improve date filter: Emphasise the date filter and ensure that it caters to participants who like to plan or do not know their exact dates. Consider nesting months under years in the filter menu to enhance usability.
Include location information on event listing pages: Include location information, such as coastal or city-based, on event listing pages to provide helpful information for participants.
Prototype Event Information Pages
Improve event information: Emphasise event information to give participants more details than they could see. Add comprehensive "What's included" and "What's not included" sections to event pages to help participants make informed decisions.
Improve page navigation: Improve page navigation to prevent endless scrolling. Display links to relevant sections at the top of the page to help users find what they need easily.
Provide more detailed event information: Provide more detailed event information to help participants make decisions. Consider adding the level of detail needed to decide on attending an event and clarifying confusing information such as how many days events run.
Provide comprehensive accommodation information: Provide comprehensive accommodation information to help participants make informed decisions. Include details such as car parking, bus parking, disabled parking, public transport options, pet-friendliness, room options and numbers, on-site restaurants/cafes/bars, and food package availability for added charges.
Ensure sufficient accommodation: Ensure sufficient accommodation is available for the number of people going on the trip and the type of rooms required.
Provide more information about event staff, on-site activities, and food options: Emphasise information about event staff, on-site activities, and food options on event pages to give participants a more comprehensive understanding of what they can expect.
Prototype Contact Us
Enquiry form: Ideally, customers want to book their entire event online. To meet their needs, the website should have an online booking form to allow customers to reserve a space for their group at an event. The "Contact us to book" form did not meet the needs of those who wished to book online as it was still only an enquiry form.
Prototype How It Works Page
Page content: Participants were unsure what this page would do, with most expecting "About Us" or "What we do" type content. Therefore, the client should consider renaming the page "How to book."
International event focus: It was not always clear that some of the events were international. The client should ensure that it is clear from the page that the events are international.
Prototype About Us Page
Location: Participants did not expect the "About Us" page to be in the "Resources" section. It would be easier to find if it were a top-level heading in the main menu.
Content: The current "About Us" page is text-heavy and could benefit from being broken up by imagery. Including some photos and background information on event-focused employees would help. Also, "About Us" could be a great place to demonstrate a genuine passion for events by the company and its employees.
Prototype International Events Page
Page focus: Participants felt that even though they may be doing a more comprehensive range of activities on an international tour, the event they are involved with would still be the trip's focus. The focus of the international bespoke tours page should align with this expectation.
Pricing: Participants would like some indication of pricing on the International Tour page.
Prototype Policies and Procedures
Location: Participants could not readily find the necessary policies and safeguarding information. For example, policies and safeguarding information should be easier to find by including a link in the footer or in the "Helpful Documents" and "About Us" sections.
Prototype Contact Us Form
Live chat: A couple of participants wanted a live chat to be available on the contact us form.
Prototype FAQs
Parking, transfers, and safeguarding information: As it was hard to find information about parking, transfers, and safeguarding elsewhere on the website, participants persisted in the FAQ section to find this information.
Prototype Pricing Page
Pricing information: Pricing information should be easier to find, for example, by displaying it near the top of the event information page.
"What's included" information: The "What's included" information was helpful when participants were trying to understand pricing, but its position below the accommodation information made it hard to find.
Event formats: Providing more information about event formats would make it easier for participants to predict attending costs.
Prototype Event Availability Page:
Limited availability: The "Limited availability" text was insufficient for participants. Participants wanted to know how many spaces were left available.
Prototype Trust
Trustworthiness: The client should do more to prove to the customer that they can trust the company with their booking, for example, by including reviews, using Trustpilot, linking to accommodation on Trip Advisor, and displaying affiliations and accreditations.
Current Live Website
Homepage: Showing multiple event types could improve the homepage imagery.
Social media: A couple of participants praised the high visibility of social media icons on the live website, indicating that social media is an important promotional medium in these communities.
Event information tabs: The visibility of event information tabs on the live website's event information pages helped participants find relevant information.
Misaligned table: The misaligned table on the live website was confusing and difficult to understand.
Contact form: Participants were confused by the address field on the live website contact form. It was unclear to participants viewing the contact form if the address requested was theirs or their organisation's.
Project Deliverables
Full session recordings uploaded for you to view immediately after each session.
A findings and recommendations report including selected video examples.
A video call to answer any questions.
Ongoing support and advice where required.