Summative Evaluation
Upon conducting usability testing on our final prototype, we compiled some usability heuristics that we
would aim to address if we had more time.
- Lack of visibility of system status: Users had difficulty knowing when the system was processing
information or loading new pages. (Heuristic #3: "Visibility of system status")
- Inconsistent language: Users found the language and terminology used on the app to be inconsistent and
confusing. (Heuristic #9: "Match between system and the real world")
- Confusing navigation: Users had trouble finding specific pages on the app and had to spend more time
than they wanted to find what they were looking for. (Heuristic #2: "Match between system and the real
world" and Heuristic #6: "Recognition rather than recall")
- Lack of error messages: Users did not have enough error messages to guide them. (Heuristic #10: "Help
users recognize, diagnose, and recover from errors")
- Unnecessary complexity: Some users found certain features of the app to be overly complex, with too many
steps or options required to accomplish simple tasks. (Heuristic #4: "Consistency and standards" and
Heuristic #8: "Aesthetic and minimalist design")
Overall, the user tests suggest that the app has some positive features, such as the ability to organize and
see
profiles, have one-on-one conversations, and schedule meetings with friends. However, there are also areas
for
improvement, such as making the user flow clearer, highlighting profiles better, providing more explanation
of
terminology, and fixing bugs. Users also had varying levels of familiarity with social media and found some
features more intuitive than others. Despite these areas for improvement, some users indicated that they
would
be interested in using the app as an alternative to Facebook or LinkedIn for staying in touch with friends
or
alumni.