PILOT TESTING
Briefing
The user is a student or alternatively recently graduated. New appartment (that will be the first appartment for the user) will be bought with a partner, so it should be a duplex (two room appartment).
Location of the new appartment should be in Helsinki and the budged for the purchase is 220 000 euros. Moving can happen withing months, no urgend need for the appartment.
2. guided, tell which sections to use (categories, search, etc.)
Testing
Person 1. will conduct free browsing with the method of "think aloud"
Start 10:51
The user chose "ASUNNOT" link form main page. She was confused about inconsistency, because the browsing section had a different layout than the main page.
As her next step, the user uses search: she first looks for all appartments, then enters price range, ponders and enters the area name "Uusimaa", after which she types Helsinki.
The user didn't type the minimum price, so she got an appartment with price of 251€ as the first item on the results list. There is no picture of the appartment, she tried to click the empty space in stead. Things seem to get confusing, the appartment is too cheap, the user has no trust for the private seller, the advertisement is too suspicious for this user.
The user realized these appartments can be anything so she decided that she must clarify the search criteria.
Pilot tester opened advanced search and chose the checkbox for 2 room appartments. She didn't add other search criteria. The search was fast as the user had spotted before.
The appartments seem too cheap, the user doesn't understand "asumisoikeusmaksu". She would need an explanation, but there is nothing in help section.
User got new search results, that were better for her.
map was first useless, but later appeared to be working
back, back, to search results
changed search criteria
after 30 seconds, found link to change search criteria -> added min/max price crit
found an apartment with lots of pictures -> is pleased
11:01 Details: Herttoniemi, porttimopolku 3b, blockhouse/apt building, 42m2, 152 000€, 2h+kk+kh, 10 minutes map still difficult to navigate and use. coordinates as php variables, back button hassle
person 2. controlled actions/methods (browse categories, search, use help) Browse through the apartments matching the size criteria (~few rooms, nothing big)
chose apartments on sale -> blockhouses -> found too many results -> must use search box and at least some criteria
Use search to find the apartment
added price and location criteria to the search boxes -> test1
Use advanced search to find the apartment
seems clear -> test1
link to help#search section
Check help on how to find apartments
opened help and checked instruction, found them easily -> test1
questions
person 1
what was difficult/confusing/irritating to use?
advanced search difficut to find after initial search
logo in front page irritating
inconsistency between front page and apartment section
where is the help??? (in bottom right)
grey text is dull
how was the search?
relatively easy
difficult to find the search criteria modification link
person 2
how is help?
help offers clear instructions on how to use search etc. but does not offer explanations on the terms appearing in the search results
advices that not all criteria need to be entered in the search