That Random Website

Why the User Interface matters.

The User Interface (U.I.) is the mean by which the user and a computer system interact, in particular the use of input devices and software. Thus, it is very crucial to make the U.I. comprehensive and easy to use for the user.

Different users have different styles and preferences. The U.I. should encompass at least the general and conventional designs of web pages while not jeopardizing their uniqueness and artistic distinction.

This article is a report done by a student in his Human-Computer Interaction class about the effects of web pages’ User Interfaces to the behavior of the persons using them.

For the main guideline of this report, please check this.

THE TEST USERS

1. DR Ben

• 20 years of age.
• Graduate of BS Marine Transportation.
• Youngest of 5.
• Fact: He loves gadgets and surfing the internet.

2. M Mac

• 19 years of age.
• She is currently taking her Bachelor’s degree in Development Communication.
• Eldest of 2.
• Fact: Features Editor at thePillars Publication.

3. RR Ibo

• 15 years of age.
• He is in his senior year of High School.
• 3rd child of 4.
• Fact: He has a fair addiction to computer games, specifically MMORPGs.

METHODOLOGY

The proponent of this report believes that the right assignment of a site to each one of these test users is a key in soliciting relevant and important results for the experiment.

For DR Ben — http://highnoonholsters.com/ DR Ben’s is accustomed to visiting websites with competent interface. This can be a factor for his behavior when he visits this website.

For M Mac — http://createwhatmattersmost.blogspot.ca/ being an Editor, M MAC is used to absorbing multiple texts and letters in just the glance of an eye. This website would test her reaction when bombarded with these many information in just a page.

For RR Ibo — http://sundaymorning.ekwc.nl/ as an avid online gamer, RR Ibo is keen on his visual-motor coordination skills. This site utilizes javaScript for increase fascination in their interface.

The proponent would ask each user to visit the website and explore it. He would then note the conversations with the test user and his expression upon exploration, then integrate them to the report.

The experiment for each user would last for 15 minutes maximum or unless he/she decides to stop exploring the site.

EXPERIMENT PROPER

RR Ben (10:06 AM — 10:15 AM) [ http://highnoonholsters.com/]

RR Ben started exploring the website in its home page. He noticeably scrolled the mouse wheel a couple of times after reaching the abrupt end of the web page.

He cracked a small laugh and said to me: “Ang dark naman ng font color, garu pang Halloween (laugh).”

He decided to click and visit the different links in the navigation tab located at the upper left hand of the interface. I have noticed that he took the time to read each and every entry of the tab. He even leaned his head a bit closer to the monitor when his mouse cursor pointed to the “turnaround times” entry.

He clicked the “Red Nicholas” tab and was referred to its page. His left eyebrow raised a sign that connotes maybe confusion or repulse upon the presentation of the page. He scrolled down the page and just like what he did on the home page, re-scrolled the page after reaching the end.

Upon seeing the silhouette drawings of ladies in explicit positions, he joked “Abe, parang porn site ata ito, (laugh) hindi gun-case selling site.”

He proceeded to click the remaining links in the navigation tab of the site. Now only glancing for a second in each page then swiftly clicking the next link.

Afterwards, He asked me the reason for me introducing him the site. I decided to come clean and tell him the experiment after noticing his boredom and how uninterested he became in exploring the site.

I asked him how he felt and what went through his head when he was exploring the site. He said that first, the colors were dark and uninviting, much like in a horror movie. He then pointed out the wrong choice of the size and style of the fonts used. Secondly, he did not know what to do with the site and what the site was all about at first.

M Mac (11:29 AM — 11:44 AM) [http://createwhatmattersmost.blogspot.ca/]

M Mac opened the page and instantly asked me what the site was all about, I told her to just explore the site and tell me all about it afterwards.

She pointed the cursor at one of the flip cards and observed how it “flipped” and revealed a small detail of the card. She continued to do this to 5 other flip cards displayed on the page.

She then commented, “(chuckle) Ang cute!”

M Mac proceeded to scroll the page downward and waited for the other flip cards to load. She continued to do this until she reached the bottom of the page then scrolled the page back up again.

She pointed and clicked at one of the flip cards (Choose Happiness) and it displayed a content balloon in the center of the page. She began reading the article presented inside the balloon.

M Mac after reading a few lines then said, “Ah, so parang blog palan ini kang owner… para kasing pang blog yung style nung writing.”

She continued reading the article then afterwards, hit the exit button. She was then referred back to the hall of flip cards.

She then chose another flip card (Fear of Success?), clicked it, and continued to read the article in it.

After she said she was done exploring the site, I decided to tell her about the experiment then asked her how she felt and what went through her head when she was exploring the site:

M Mac said “Okay man lang su site. Cute baga. maka-nali yung flip cards (laugh) and adali lang mag select ng next article to read.” I asked her what part of the site did she liked the least. She said “Yung font kasi minsan maliit, and parang masyadong puno tingnan yung site. Plus the animation sometimes lags.”

RR Ibo (2:10 PM — 2:19 PM) [http://sundaymorning.ekwc.nl/]

After opening the site, I noticed that RR Ibo observed and focused on the moving lines and texts in the site for a considerable amount of time. He then moved the cursor on the topmost part of the webpage and began reading the texts as he scans the mouse cursor across it while the site highlights the text in black.

He asked me what the site was all about. I told him to just keep exploring it.

He proceeded to point the cursor at one of the moving text (now). A small line of details popped out below it as the whole block of texts moved. He did this with the other moving texts in the page.

After being satisfied with reading the moving texts, he clicked one (meet) and watched as the lines and words instantly scattered along the left and right edges of the page.

He chuckled and said, “Ma-orag man ay (laugh)!”

RR Ibo interacted with the map that appeared in the page for a time then diverted his attention to the other texts on the edges and began clicking on them.

I've noticed that he was quite intrigued with the javaScript animation for the lines and texts. He even clicked on the texts several times maybe just to see how the lines would behave rapidly.

A few minutes later, he said that he’s done exploring and that he now wanted to know why I let him explore the site.

I explained to him about the experiment and asked him about how he felt and what went through his head when he was exploring the site:

RR Ibo commented that the sites was “magian sa mata pati maka-enjuyon itong mga linya na nagiiro.”

Though when i asked him what the site was all about, he said he did not know then laughed.

ANALYSIS

For RR Ben and the site: highnoonholsters.com

RR Ben had been highly negative when it came to commenting about the site. He said that the colors and font was not that good. I've noted his small repulsive impulses (raised left eyebrow) when he explored the site, an indication of not being wanted to explore the site.

He also leaned a bit closer to the monitor when reading an entry on the navigation tab.

The site’s choice of font styles and colors (Gothic maybe?) was highly unpleasing to look at and might look creepy to other people, never even thinking that the site sells gun holsters.

The font sizes of some of the text entries in the site was small and unproportionate to each other, some where very minute while others where inconsistently large.

The placing of the elements were also off. One of the main reasons why RR Ben kept scrolling the page and likewise looking a bit lost and frustrated was because of the lack of proper page divisions.

For M Mac and the site: createwhatmattersmost.blogspot.ca

M Mac said she liked the site because of its “flip cards” but commented that some of the font were small and the animation sometimes lags.

She also said that the site looks full, pointing to the fact that the flip cards were tightly packed in the page.

On the other hand she praised the site’s animation for being “cute” for a blog page and its ease of navigation.

The site packs a lot of information in a page and the compressed formation of the flip cards makes it repulsive at first glance. Maybe this is the reason why M Mac said that the site looks “puno”.

The user, in the case of M Mac, would first interact with the flip cards before any links present on the web page.

For RR Ibo and the site: sundaymorning.ekwc.nl

RR Ibo was fascinated by the animation that this site presented. He noted that the site looked easy on the eyes and exclaimed that it was “Ma-Orag.”

RR Ibo significantly focused at the lines and texts that moved as he explored the site.

The simple yet fascinating interface of the website makes the user intrigued of the site and increases the chance of him/her to explore the site.

On the other hand, unlike other sites that need only a second upon visiting their home page to know what they are all about, sundaymorning.ekwc.nl needs further exploration before you find out that it’s a renowned ceramic work center.

This had became apparent when I asked RR Ibo what the website was all about and said he did not know.