"Being a benchmark of the quality of our website, the measurability of usability is an important factor for us. This is true, above all, if the results are reviewed over time and enriched with the qualitative findings of usability tests."
Torsten Nils Unger, Head of Mail and Online Marketing of R+V Versicherung
For R+V Versicherung AG we designed a User Experience Controlling test for the website that allows the determination of qualitative and quantitative results within one study. The aim was to render usability measurable and, at the same time, to obtain user feedback for the optimisation of the website's usability.
Qualitative results of usability testing are extremely useful for the development process of websites because they give indications that can be used to improve the design. However, because of the small number of participants, objective and repeatable measurements are impossible. By contrast, in quantitative tests usability indices are developed that are of significance in the planning and controlling process. Based on a "Mixed Methods" approach, the research goals of the two methods were combined.
For this purpose, the core functions of the website were determined and processed by the subjects in the test. The quantifiable data obtained by observation provided indications of the relevant dimensions of usability, utility, emotions, design and brand relation, and combined they finally form a User Experience Index. Further optimisation potential was derived from the results of a subsequent qualitative survey after each task.
Regular repetition of controlling permits a continuous comparison of the interface over time. At the same time, the effectiveness of the optimisation measures is checked and recorded, and further options for improvement are uncovered.
Usability method User Experience Controlling
