Enhancing User Experience: Teignbridge District Council’s Successful Website User Testing
Introduction:
In today’s digital age, a user-friendly and accessible website is crucial for any organisation to connect effectively with its audience. Recognising the importance of user experience, Teignbridge District Council (TDC) partnered with Smarter Digital Services (SDS) to conduct a comprehensive user testing project on their website, www.teignbridge.gov.uk.
The primary goal was to gain valuable insights into how customers interacted with the website and to identify areas for improvement to better meet users’ needs.
The project utilised online platforms like MS Teams and Zoom to facilitate testing, and feedback was gathered from 12 volunteers of diverse age groups and genders.
The Objectives:
The user testing aimed to achieve three key objectives:
Testing Usability and Design: The primary focus was to gauge the website’s usability and design elements from the perspective of its customers. Understanding how users navigate through the site and engage with its features was crucial to enhancing the overall experience.
User Experiences Analysis: The project sought to obtain a clear understanding of users’ experiences when accessing and completing various tasks on the TDC website. This involved evaluating the efficiency of completing tasks, locating information, and identifying any challenges encountered.
Identifying Areas for Improvement: The ultimate goal was to gather data that would help pinpoint areas where the website could be improved to better cater to users’ needs. Valuable feedback would be utilised to refine the website and optimise its functionality.
The User Testing Process:
To achieve these objectives, the user test was conducted with 12 volunteers, comprising individuals of different ages and genders. Participants were asked to complete a set of pre-prepared tasks while sharing their opinions and thoughts during the process. SDS ensured a holistic approach by testing a variety of scenarios, ranging from basic tasks like finding the council tax band to more complex ones, such as performing a planning search or reporting fly tipping.
The online setting, using platforms like MS Teams and Zoom, allowed for efficient data collection and remote participation. SDS closely observed participants’ interactions with the website, recorded any additional observations not explicitly expressed, and asked post-test questions to gather further feedback on their experience.
Results and Feedback:
The user testing yielded positive feedback, with most users able to complete the assigned tasks successfully. SDS provided detailed feedback to TDC, highlighting instances where users faced difficulties or failed to complete specific tasks. The comprehensive report presented positives, negatives, and valuable insights gathered from the users’ experiences.
The feedback from the participants was encouraging, with comments like:
“I couldn’t have done that any quicker!”
“The content on the My Account is really useful.”
“That was pretty easy to find and it’s self-explanatory.”
“Generally, I thought it was very good. Better than I expected. There are some nice touches.”
And useful feedback, such as:
“I would have liked to see a summary of what I had reported before I submit it.”
“I think the search engine needs to be a bit more effective. It should be looking for particular words rather than the full phrase you’ve typed in.”
Conclusion:
Teignbridge District Council’s collaboration with Smarter Digital Services for website user testing was a great success. The insights gathered from this project have proven invaluable in understanding user behaviour, locating potential issues, and identifying areas for improvement. By prioritising user experience and employing the feedback received, the Council can continue to enhance its website and better serve its community.
If your organisation seeks to optimise user experiences on your website, whether remotely or face-to-face, consider contacting us. Our expertise and user-centric approach can transform your website into a user-friendly platform that engages your audience.
