Craiglist Usability Evaluation
Problem
Operating with a straightforward, text-based interface reminiscent of the 90s and early 2000s, Craigslist is a classified advertisements website that, from its beginning as a passion project by its founder Craig Newman, has risen in popularity across multiple regions across the US and other countries as well as encompassing multiple languages allowing for a wider reach in audience and dominating the classified ads sector.
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We aimed to assess the usability of Craigslist's desktop website, as well as understand its users in order to suggest design improvements.
Solution
My team utilized a variety of usability evaluation methods to assess Craiglist's website as a whole, identify issues, and recommend improvements based on the collected data.
We ultimately created and carried out a usability test plan, detailing our process in a final presentation and report.
We ultimately created and carried out a usability test plan, detailing our process in a final presentation and report.
My Role
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Conducted Preliminary Research
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Created a usability test plan
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Conducted usability test sessions
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Formulated results & takeaways for the final report/presentation
Timeline
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Overall: 12 weeks​
Tools
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Zoom
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G-suite(Docs, Sheets, Forms, Slides)
Evaluation Process
1. Research Questions
01
Are the users able to navigate through their path without errors? Does not having a back button cause issues for the users?
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Does the FAQ provide the information the users are looking for?
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What challenges did the user encounter along the way?
07
Would the user use Craigslist again?
02
Do the ways the buttons are labeled need to be clarified for the users?
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How does the user’s path vary from the “happy path”?
06
Was the user able to complete the task?
08
Would the user recommend Craigslist to their friends?
2. Heuristic Evaluation
An initial heuristics evaluation found the following guidelines to have the most instances of violations with consistency and user control being top issues.
Techniques: Heuristic Evaluation
Tools: Nielsen-Norman's 10 Usability Heuristics, Nielsen's Usability Severity Rating Scale
Outcome:
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61 total issues were documented.
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18 issues had severity ratings of 3 or 4.
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User control and freedom came up 8 times, with the most severe ratings.
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Consistency and Standards came up 18 times.
The full HE report can be accessed via the button below.
The full CW report can be accessed via the button below.
Jakob Nielsen and Robert L. Mack (Eds.). 1994. Usability Inspection Methods. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, NY, USA.
3. Cognitive Walkthrough
Our walkthrough found issues with completing tasks users were most likely to go through such as post creation, buying, apartment hunting, and hiring services.
Techniques: Cognitive Walkthrough
Tools: Google Sheets
Outcome: Of the four tasks, contacting customer service had the most issues, with 4 Action failures.
The full CW report can be accessed via the button below.
4. Usability Evaluation
Moderated Usability Evaluation
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With our initial evaluation complete, we created a test plan for moderated usability evaluation, facilitated our sessions with ten participants, and created a report of the results. We focused on four key tasks informed by our previous research and evaluation.
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Techniques: Usability Test Plan, Moderated Usability Evaluation
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Tools: Zoom, Pencil & Paper
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60% of participants were aged between 25-34, while 40% fell within the 18-24 age bracket.
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One participant rated their comfort level in reading and responding in English at 4, while four participants rated it at 5 on a scale of 1-5.
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All participants rated their comfortability in using and navigating websites in their daily lives at 5.
Usability session participant data table
Tasks​
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Create a posting to sublease an apartment. Participants were provided a fake address and apartment description.
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Find a 1-bedroom apartment to rent with a budget of $1,800/month and contact the landlord
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Find and contact a reliable plumber to hire
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Find an interesting event in the community and RSVP for the event
5. Results & Feedback
Participants found the site’s text-heavy interface overwhelming.
The interface posed issues due to an overwhelming design and confusing navigation.
“There should be more images on all pages. I feel like if there is an image or picture, I’m much more drawn to it or easier to track” - TT-4
Ineffective error messages and help documentation.
Users did not use the help information and errors were often overlooked or unclear.
“I would say not to go to Craigslist” - AK-2
Inconsistencies with posts.
Participants were unsure how to contact the post’s authors, whether it be via the reply button or a phone number in the description.
“It’s hard to navigate and not inviting.” - CP-3
Privacy and Trust.
To address privacy concerns, it's important to focus on trust-building features, user-friendly privacy settings, and secure communication channels.
“I like to go to the community to see what other people do. I don't trust the site, but I can build trust by seeing what other people have to say” - NP-1
6. Recommendations & Redesigns
Recommendations​​
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Improve the Information Architecture of the Home Screen by introducing a navigation or menu bar.
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Clarify button labels, particularly the "Reply" button, to enhance user understanding and reduce errors.
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Change the color of the "Reply" button to make it more noticeable and clickable.
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Ensure error messages and documentation provide accurate feedback to the user, highlighting errors in red.
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Include help icons on confusing pages to eliminate the need for separate FAQ pages.
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Incorporate more images on the home screen to reduce text overload.
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Ensure clicking the Craigslist logo navigates back to the home screen consistently.
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Provide clear instructions on the map screen for posting housing ads to eliminate confusion.
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Establish consistency in the presentation of key information in postings, such as address and contact details.
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Redesign the home screen to enhance visual appeal and create a more engaging experience.
Redesign
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Information Architecture Enhancement:
Issue: Text-heavy home screen.
Solution: Annotated design with a navigation bar for better organization.
Clarify Button Labels: Change the label of the "Reply" button to "Contact" or "Contact Seller" for better user understanding and reduced errors.
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Enhanced Button Visibility and Label Clarity:
Issue: Confusing and Inconspicuous "Reply" button.
Solution: Annotated design with clarified labels like "Contact" and a more noticeable colour.
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Accurate Error Feedback:
Issue: Inconsistent error messages.
Solution: Error messages are displayed in red or standardized error feedback, providing specific feedback on errors.
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On-Screen Help Icons:
Issue: Users navigating to FAQs.
Solution: On-screen help icons to eliminate trial and error
7. Conclusion
Comprehensive Understanding
Participants shared their diverse perspectives and identified areas that require improvement in the user experience.
User Suggestions
UI simplification, streamlined processes, user guidance, and ongoing education are critical. Regular updates and user feedback are essential.
Aesthetic Improvements
Recommendations include clarifying button labels, refining information architecture, and overall enhancing visual elements. Ensuring consistency in presenting key information is crucial.
Continuous Improvement
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Prioritize ongoing user education and feedback collection.
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Maintain a culture of adaptability and refinement to ensure Craigslist's relevance and reliability as an online marketplace.
Thank you for reading my case study!
If you'd like to read about this project in greater detail, see our presentation and final report.