Nottingham Insurance Site Analysis. Prepared for Dr. Katie Leonard By Laurie Bennett IDC 6180 June 24, 2012

Transcription

1 Prepared for Dr. Katie Leonard By Laurie Bennett IDC 6180 June 24, 2012

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS Executive Summary... 3 Introduction... 4 Content Inventory... 5 Findings... 5 Heuristic Evaluation... 6 Approach... 6 Findings... 6 Recommendations... 7 Card Sort... 9 Participants... 9 Findings... 9 Analysis Content Inventory Heuristic Evaluation Card Sort Overarching Themes Continue positive initiatives Address underperforming areas Conclusions Appendix A Content Inventory Appendix B Heuristic Evaluation Details Appendix C Card Sort Results References... 56

3 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Websites act as organization ambassadors. They are influential and, often times, deliver the first and only interaction with potential customers. Users form sweeping opinions about an organization based solely on the website experience. For those reasons, websites should conform to user expectations regarding content organization, navigation, labeling, as well as the look and feel. Simultaneously, websites, created at the expense of the business, must meet their needs and objectives as well as the users'. To determine if the Nottingham Insurance website delivers value for the users and for the business, the website, has been evaluated. Three distinctly different tools were used to inform the analysis. A content inventory identified the existing content and structure; a heuristic evaluation identified gaps existing between the website and industry expert guidelines; and a card sort queried users for a perspective on how they would expect to see information organized and labeled on the Nottingham Insurance site. The analysis resulted in the following overarching themes: Continue positive initiatives The text is user-centered. There is minimal jargon, which conveys genuine concern for the readers. This is highly valuable and new text should be modeled after it. The navigation attempts to answer user questions. Address underperforming areas Branded and inaccurate labels, content organization, and navigation make finding information difficult. The existing organization deviates from how users expect to find content on websites. Lower-level page content is not consistent with higher levels providing no payoff for users willing to drill down to lower-level pages, e.g., Voluntary Benefits page. The information design (e.g., hierarchy, page titles, margins, navigation placement) and graphic design (e.g., images, alignment) do not conform to best practices. The following redesign initiatives will remedy the underperforming areas: 1. Reorganize content to conform with user mental models and to emphasize business offerings. 2. Re-label links to increase visibility of branded content. 3. Reorganize navigation to conform to usability best practices. 4. Implement improved information and visual design. 5. Reorganize or recommend content to increase the value of each page, particularly lower-level pages. By implementing website improvements, the Nottingham Insurance users will likely spend more time on the site resulting in higher prospective customer conversion rates. Additionally, turnkey benefits and payroll service offerings as well as the influential NJNLA reference will be more visible to benefits administrators shopping for a new vendor. Finally, all site visitors will find an online presence reflective of the high-quality professionalism that Yardley, PA, and Hamilton, NJ have come to expect from the reputable Nottingham Insurance Agency. Laurie Bennett June 24,

4 INTRODUCTION As a follow up to the competitive benchmarking performed recently, a site analysis was performed on the Nottingham Insurance website. The findings confirm and clarify the need for a site redesign, by highlighting both the positive and negative aspects of the site as well as the initiatives that will help maximum the website investment. This document reports on that evaluation, provides an analysis of the findings, and concludes with recommended initiatives that can maximize the website usefulness. Three evaluations have been performed: a content inventory, heuristic evaluation, and card sort. A brief summary and associated findings exist for each evaluation. The detailed results of each evaluation are found in Appendix A, B, and C. Following the evaluation sections is the Analysis section that synthesizes the results. The Conclusion section discusses redesign initiatives and the manner in which they will remedy underperforming areas. Laurie Bennett June 24,

5 CONTENT INVENTORY The content inventory provides an accounting of each page found on the Nottingham Insurance website. Appendix A provides the detailed inventory. For each page, the content, links, content type, and format are identified. Performing an inventory details the content currently available to users (and to the redesign team), provides an understanding of the site organization, and the amount of content provided at the lower level pages (Halvorson, 2010). FINDINGS As users will not be interviewed during the redesign process, no ratings were applied to each page to evaluate its usefulness; however, it was easy to see that lower-level pages provided less content and detail than upper-level pages. For example, the Personal Auto Insurance page provided a full description of auto coverage in general and factors customers should consider when purchasing auto insurance. However, the Voluntary Benefits page stated simply that AFLAC is the current carrier. The Voluntary Benefits page could be significantly more useful to prospective customers by providing the same level of detail as that found on the Auto page. The other significant discovery was that the site has a fairly balanced breadth and depth, which means that the content is equilaterally distributed across the number of navigation options and the subpages accessible below them. The only exception is the What We Offer page, which is expected since that is where the primary content resides. Laurie Bennett June 24,

6 HEURISTIC EVALUATION Heuristics are a set of principles, used by experts to inspect a website interface in search of usability violations (Barnum, 2011). The principles used to conduct this evaluation came from the guidelines defined by usability experts Jakob Nielsen (1994) and Steve Krug (2006). Appendix B describes each heuristic and details the rankings, ratings, and recommendations. APPROACH Heuristic evaluations can be performed in a number of ways. For this evaluation, I combined the principles or guidelines set out by two experts, compared the site against each heuristic, then assigned a numerical rank and textual rating based on the following scale: 5. Positive Results in a beneficial effect on the user s ability to perform their given task 4. Cosmetic Issue Affects the appearance and should be fixed only if time permits 3. Minor Issue Hinders the user's ability to navigate and should be fixed when possible 2. Major Issue Frustrates or confuses users and requires repair as soon as possible 1. Catastrophic Issue Prohibits users from performing their given task and requires an immediate modification By assigning both a numerical and textual rating, we can summarize quantitative and qualitative results. The numerical scores will be averaged providing a benchmark for a snapshot assessment, future testing, and comparison to other websites. This number should be used when performing the identical evaluation on redesigned iterations of this site to evaluate improvements. It could also be used as a benchmark for evaluating competing sites. A mean score of three or higher indicates a need for attention when possible, less than three calls for a more urgent response. The textual ratings will result in quick identification of high priority issues helping to prioritize modifications or redesign efforts. As described, major and catastrophic issues require attention above all others. FINDINGS Overall, the site has many positive aspects, as evidenced by ranking a maximum score of 5 for 30% of the heuristics. The site provides immediate feedback when an error occurs, it does not force users to drill down many levels to find destination pages, and the ever-present banner and navigation framework clearly identify the site users are visiting. The overall score is 3.5, which indicates that although attention is needed, the urgency is minor. Table 1, Heuristic Evaluation Rankings and Ratings for Nottingham Insurance, highlights the scores for each heuristic. More pressing is the existence of major ratings. They represent issues currently frustrating users or creating a hindrance to accomplishing tasks on the site. Major issues should be corrected as soon as possible. No catastrophic issues exist that would prevent use of the site. Laurie Bennett June 24,

7 RECOMMENDATIONS The recommendations for the Nottingham Insurance website improvements are summarized in Table 2. Repairing major issues are highlighted as they present the most pressing hindrances to using the current website and should be tackled first. Minor issues should be addressed when possible. Several recommendations apply to multiple issues identified during the evaluation. Implementing those recommendations will make a big impact as they address several minor issues at one time. Table 1. Heuristic Evaluation Rankings and Ratings for Nottingham Insurance ID Heuristic Guidelines Rank Rating 1 Visibility of system status 3 Minor 2 Match between system and the real world 2 Major 3 User control and freedom 3 Minor 4 Consistency and standards 2 Major 5 Error prevention 5 Positive 6 Recognition rather than recall n/a n/a 7 Flexibility and efficiency of use 5 Positive 8 Aesthetic and minimalist design 2 Major 9 Help users recognize, diagnose, and recover from errors 3 Minor 10 Help and documentation 5 Positive 11 Trunk test-what site is this 5 Positive 12 Trunk test-what page am I on 4 Cosmetic 13 Trunk test-what are the major sections of this site 5 Positive 14 Trunk test-what are my options at this level 3 Minor 15 Trunk test-where am I in the scheme of things 3 Minor 16 How can I search 3 Minor 17 Laws of usability-1, Don't make me think-get rid of the question 2 Major marks 18 Laws of usability-2, It doesn't matter how many times I have to 5 Positive click as long as each click is a mindless, unambiguous choice 19 Laws of usability-3, c. Get rid of half the words on each page, then get rid of half of what's left 3 Minor Total mean score Positive Cosmetic Minor Major Catastrophic N/A 3.5 [63.00/18 scored heuristics] Laurie Bennett June 24,

8 Table 2. Heuristic Evaluation Recommendations for Nottingham Insurance ID Heuristic Evaluation Recommendations Rating 1 Incorporating tool tips will inform users where each link will take them; additional Minor text can make further explanations. 2 Identify and implement meaningful labels that will communicate Nottingham's Major association with Basic Guru and NJNLA to those unfamiliar with the brands. 3 Incorporate a hyperlink to the Home page into the Nottingham banner logo. Minor Move the Home and Back to Agency links to more visible positions. 4 Reorganize the content to be accessed through more meaningful, non-repetitive Major navigation options. Re-label the instant quote option to accurately reflect the function. Rename either the labels or page titles to make consistent. 5 none Positive 6 none n/a 7 The quick links should be repositioned and/or relabeled to reduce confusion for Positive others. 8 Add a title to the Home page. Major Reflect Nottingham's value proposition, tone, and voice of the company through meaningful graphic design. Add weight to the textual content through the use of a visual hierarchy-headers, subheads, scannable words, and sections. Replace the arrow bullets with simple, bullets that convey no additional meaning. 9 Add 404 custom error pages. Minor 10 This is a small site so investing time or money in a search function may not be Positive warranted. If the site grows, consider adding search to accommodate the different user approaches to finding information. 11 none Positive 12 Add a title to the Home page. Cosmetic 13 none Positive 14 Add a contextual menu when more than one option is available. Multiple options Minor exist, such as opening an accordion menu, displaying all the subpages, inside the existing left navigation panel. 15 Visually indicate the users' location in the site. Multiple options exist, e.g., highlight Minor the navigation button chosen to arrive at the page. Add breadcrumbs at the top of each interior page, i.e.: Home >Who We Are>Partner resumes. 16 none Minor 17 Identify and implement meaningful labels that will communicate Nottingham's Major association with Basic Guru and NJNLA to those unfamiliar with the brands. Reorganize the content to be accessed through more meaningful, non-repetitive navigation options. 18 Maintain a balance between breadth and depth of pages. Positive 19 Add weight to the textual content through the use of a visual hierarchy-headers, subheads, scannable words, and sections. Minor Laurie Bennett June 24,

9 CARD SORT An open card sort is an evaluation exercise used to gather user input on website labels and information groups (Morville & Rosenfeld, 2006). When the exercise is performed in person, the website content is listed individually on index cards and presented in random order to the test participants, who then sort the cards into their version of logical groups, hence the name, card sort. As in-person testing is not always possible or necessary, remote card sorts are delivered to participants via an online link. Although no actual index cards exist, each piece of content is still referred to as a card. Card sorts can be performed in-person, online with moderation, or completely remote, which is online with no moderator intervention. The card sort for this evaluation was delivered remotely via Optimal Workshop, an online usability testing suite. The participants accessed it via a link that was ed to them. The groups and labels created by the participants form categories that represent an organization and navigation that typical users would expect to see on the website. The findings are compared to the existing website organization and labels. Discrepancies between the card sort results and the actual website labels and organization in place identify opportunities for improvement. PARTICIPANTS To gather user perspective for Nottingham Insurance, participants were recruited from a pool of personal family and friends who are both old enough to shop for insurance and are active website users. Each test participant was given a brief background on the exercise and presented with 26 randomly listed cards derived from content currently available on the Nottingham Insurance website. They were asked to sort the cards into groups that belonged together, then to label each forming a category, which are translated into the basis for reorganizing content for real users of the website (Morville & Rosenfeld, 2006). Ten participants, ranging in age from 20 years old to 72 years old, participated in the card sort exercise. They received a brief background on terminology and task instructions, then sorted the cards into groups, and labeled the categories. Appendix C provides full instructions and the messages displayed to participants. FINDINGS The card sort revealed numerous mental models, i.e., how the participants thought content should be grouped. Appendix C provides the complete, detailed findings of the card sort. The 10 participants created an average 5.5 categories each and completed the exercise in an average of 15.7 minutes. They created a total of 20 different categories, which were further consolidated by combining similar categories. These standardized categories centered on the following combination of information and interactive processes: Agency information Contacting the agency and represented companies Personal, commercial, and life insurance products offered Employee benefits, payroll, and benefits management services offered Communicating with the agency regarding quotes and claims Instant information-getting an instant quote and viewing an emergency checklist Laurie Bennett June 24,

10 The clearest groupings that participants agreed upon are detailed in Figure 1. Figure 1. Card sort testing resulted in six standardized categories. Laurie Bennett June 24,

11 ANALYSIS This report discusses three tools used to assess the current state of the Nottingham Insurance website. The content inventory tells us what we can find on the site, the heuristic evaluation provides an examination based on industry expert guidelines, the card sort tells us how test-users would group the content that is currently available, as well as how they would label those groupings. CONTENT INVENTORY The content inventory reveals that a balanced breadth and depth of pages on the Nottingham Insurance delivers information similar to that found on competing sites. However, also obvious was that lower level pages do not deliver the same caliber of information as higher-level pages. The content should be re-assessed to ensure that each page delivers value. Invest in pages that users find helpful and validate the cost to the company of creating and maintaining a website. HEURISTIC EVALUATION The heuristic evaluation resulted in a 3.5 out of 5 overall score with a mix of qualitative ratings as follows: Positive - 6 Cosmetic - 1 Minor - 7 Major - 4 Catastrophic - 0 N/A 1 The quantitative score provides a benchmark for future comparisons, the qualitative ratings will help inform the initial redesign efforts. Nottingham Insurance fares well with six positive ratings. However, the seven minor and four major ratings are reason for concern. The major ratings indicate that users are currently experiencing hindrances to proper use of the site in four areas. The seven minor ratings do not individually pose user issues but the high volume could result in overall frustration with the site. Normally minor issues should be fixed when possible, but the seven issues combined border major. Together, the minor and major issues affect the usability of the site. They should be addressed as soon as possible. CARD SORT The card sort has provided a picture of the hierarchy that users expect to see on a website and the labels they would use to access the content. The six standardized categories and labels resulting from the card sort vary from the existing Nottingham Insurance, indicating that the current site does not conform to user expectations. Regularly encountering this gap frustrates users. Reorganizing the content plus implementing labels that are both familiar and aligned with user expectations are all opportunities to keep those who may otherwise leave the site. The existing information architecture raises many user questions and could prove to be an obstacle to achieving the website objectives. Several overarching themes are beginning to emerge. Laurie Bennett June 24,

12 OVERARCHING THEMES CONTINUE POSITIVE INITIATIVES The text is user-centered. There is minimal jargon, which conveys genuine concern for the readers. This is highly valuable and new text should be modeled after it. The navigation attempts to answer user questions. It is clear that Nottingham Insurance provides their website to support the work that typically takes place between the agency and the customers. With the exception of the benefits and payroll portals, the website is informational only and does not attempt to act as a digital substitute for Nottingham's personal approach. Understanding this provides a philosophical focal point for any redesign of the website. ADDRESS UNDERPERFORMING AREAS Branded and inaccurate labels, content organization, and navigation make finding information difficult. The existing organization varies from how users expect to find content on websites. Lower-level page content is not consistent with higher levels providing no payoff for users willing to drill down to lower-level pages, e.g., Voluntary Benefits page. The information design (e.g., hierarchy, page titles, margins, navigation placement) and graphic design (e.g., images, alignment) do not conform to best practices. Overall, the existing website does not reflect the same high standards that Nottingham Insurance applies to their business practices, which could ultimately impact their professional reputation. Laurie Bennett June 24,

13 CONCLUSIONS Based on the underperforming areas identified, a redesign of the Nottingham Insurance website focused on the following initiatives is recommended: 6. Reorganize content to conform with user mental models and to emphasize business offerings 7. Re-label links to increase visibility of branded content 8. Reorganize navigation to conform with usability best practices 9. Implement improved information and visual design 10. Reorganize or recommend content to increase the value of each page, particularly lower-level pages As the primary navigation appears on each page of the website, these initiatives require modifying the entire site. However, by maintaining the existing framework where the same navigation menus appear on each page, the majority of navigation and label changes only need to be made once. In addition to the Home page modifications, 11 new pages are needed. The privacy statement and Trusted Choice pages will also require minor modifications. Overall, 14 pages will be redesigned or created from scratch. As the only interactive functionality resides behind a subscriber wall and is proprietary to the software vendor, no new navigational flows will be required. This list identifies the 14 pages needed: 1 Home page/framework 1 Agency information 1 Instant information 1 Contact and request information 1 Products pathway 1 Each of the product types (personal, commercial, life, health) 1 Services pathway page 1 Each the service types (benefits administration, payroll) 1 Privacy statement 1 Trusted Choice While existing customers can expect to see a more professional look and feel, prospective customers will be most impacted by the redesign, which in turn will benefit Nottingham Insurance. Nottingham Insurance has built a reputation as a local, professional, and high-quality agency. Sales are made in person, not online. However, as mentioned earlier, a website is often the only contact made with prospective clients. That online introduction must convey the same message, look, feel, voice, and tone as an agent sitting in the office. Prospective personal or small business customers who find a professional website with improved navigation and better organized information are likely to spend more time on the website resulting in an inquiring call or to the office. Benefits administrators shopping for a new vendor will see that Nottingham offers a turnkey benefits and payroll service. Currently, benefits administrators may realize that Nottingham offers a payroll service but only those familiar with Basic Guru will recognize the current benefits offerings. Laurie Bennett June 24,

14 They will also see that Nottingham has a great reference in the NJNLA website endorsement. Many may be unfamiliar with the acronym NJNLA, but even those who are familiar with it may not realize that NJNLA is a Nottingham client. This understanding will provide administrators with an influential reference useful to their decision-making process. Finally, administrators can confidently propose Nottingham Insurance as a vendor who has a professional and upto-date site that their employees can interact with. Laurie Bennett June 24,

15 APPENDIX A CONTENT INVENTORY ID Page Name URL Address Content Type/Format Level 1 Page Level 2 Page Level 3 Page 0.0 Nottingham Insurance Page/.asp 1 Auto quote Link 1.1 Input form secure.consumerratequotes.com/consumer/qu otestart.aspx?id= Who We Are Links to partner pages Links to partner Text 2.1 Partner 1 Page/.asp 2.2 Partner 2 Page/.asp 2.3 Partner 3 Page/.asp 3 What we offer Fly-out menu, no content 3.1 Personal Insurance Page/.asp asp Automobile Page/.asp _auto.asp Home Page/.asp _home.asp 3.2 Commercial Insurance Business Page/.asp Automobile ial_auto.asp General Liability Page/.asp ial_general.asp Property Page/.asp ial_property.asp Workers Page/.asp Compensation ial_workcomp.asp 3.3 Health Insurance Page/.asp e.asp Group Health Page/.asp e_health.asp Group Dental Page/.asp e_dental.asp Group Disability and Life e_dislife.asp Page/.asp (k) and Simple Life e_401k.asp Page/.asp Laurie Bennett June 24,

16 ID Page Name URL Address Content Type/Format Voluntary Page/.asp Benefits e_voluntary.asp 3.4 Basic Guru Page/.asp Basic Guru Demos mos.asp Managed HR Portal naged.asp Basic Guru Employer %20Brochure%20 Nottingham.pdf Brochure Intranet Brochure ntranet%20 Nottingham.pdf Employee Benefit %20Brochure%20 Nottingham.pdf Statement Brochure Onboarding Brochure g%20 Nottingham.pdf Basic Guru secure.mybasicguru.com/mybasicguru/ Login 3.5 Payroll Services p Employer Login html?token=00d3da705250e25f57307d185a75 65C Employee Login ml?token=00d3da705250e25f57307d185a756 5C8 Page/.asp Page/.asp Document/.pdf Document/.pdf *same file loaded as employer brochure Document/.pdf 3rd party HTML Portal/links to Employer Login Employee Login EHR Login 3rd party HTML 3rd party HTML EHR Login file, cannot open 3.6 Life and Annuities Page/.asp 4 General Information Links to maps 4.1 Mapquest to NJ Office 3rd party HTML way+33&city=hamilton+square&state=nj&zipco de=08690&redirect=true 4.2 Mapquest to PA Office 3rd party HTML n+st&city=yardley&state=pa&zipcode=19067&r edirect=true 5 The Companies We Represent Page/.asp 5.1 Represented Companies Links to 37 different insurance companies Links (*37) 5.2 Selective Insurance onetimepayment.selective.com/cgi/selectiveexp 3rd party HTML Payment Portal ress-bin/vortex.cgi 6 Get a Quote Input formsecured/.asp Laurie Bennett June 24,

17 ID Page Name URL Address Content Type/Format 7 Report a Claim Page/.asp 7.1 Input form Input formsecured/.asp 7.2 Windstorm Emergency Document/.pdf Checklist 8 Community Service Page/.asp lv.asp 8.1 Local organizations (*20) Links to 20 different local organizations, e.g.: Chamber of Commerce Links List of additional, nonlinked organizations 9 Payroll Services Page/.asp p 10 Basic Guru Icon link to Page/.asp 11 Nottingham Payroll Services p Icon link to Page/.asp 12 NJNLA NJ Nursery and Landscape Association Icon link to Page/.asp 13 Profile Magazine Article Profile.pdf Icon link to Document/.pdf 14 Trusted Choice Pledge of Performance Icon link to Page/.asp 15 Privacy Statement Page/.asp 16 Contact Us Name/phone# lists Links to 17 Home Link to Home page Laurie Bennett June 24,

18 APPENDIX B HEURISTIC EVALUATION DETAILS The first 10 heuristics listed were published by usability expert Jakob Nielsen (1994), based on years of experience and user research. They are an industry standard in website evaluation. Heuristics 11 through 19 are derived from usability expert Steven Krug (2006). The Trunk Test comes from the sense of disorientation one would feel if thrown into the trunk of a car and driven around. Similarly, if a web user landed on any page with no prior information, would they be able to answer the questions posed by the trunk test. The Laws of Usability in heuristics 17 through 19 also come from Steven Krug (2006). His experience has shown that these simply laws immensely improve website usability. 1. Visibility Of System Status The system should always keep users informed about what is going on, through appropriate feedback within reasonable time. RANK RATING NOTES RECOMMENDATIONS 3 Minor Get an Auto Quote the system provides no guidance on what will happen after entering personal information, the http changes to https, indicating the transaction is secure but the system should assure the user of that up front, also will an immediate response be provided? Will the user receive an ? Or a call? This lack of information could make users reluctant to enter the information. The Who We Are page provides an example of good information with, "click on image to read bio", that informs users what they will see when performing an action. Clicking on EHR from the Payroll services portal yields no change and no information for the user to follow. Links that open.pdf files should be annotated accordingly. The lack of information may frustrate users, but these issues do not hinder their use of the site. In addition, there are so few interactive features that this issue won't be encountered often. Incorporating tool tips will inform users where each link will take them; additional text can make further explanations. Laurie Bennett June 24,

19 2. Match Between System And The Real World The system should speak the users' language, with words, phrases and concepts familiar to the user, rather than system-oriented terms. Follow real-world conventions, making information appear in a natural and logical order. RANK RATING NOTES RECOMMENDATIONS 2 Major This site does a very good job of using language familiar to the typical users. It's obvious that the writer was thinking about the users. However, Basic Guru and NJNLA are uncommonly entities, which could lead to users skipping over links labeled as such. The Basic Guru page references The Sackett Group with no explanation of who they are or a link to find out more. While this site is free of jargon, the label names mentioned are unfamiliar and present a hindrance to user findability and prevent them from accomplishing the business goals of the site. Identify and implement meaningful labels that will communicate Nottingham's association with Basic Guru and NJNLA to those unfamiliar with the brands. Laurie Bennett June 24,

20 3. User Control And Freedom Users often choose system functions by mistake and will need a clearly marked "emergency exit" to leave the unwanted state without having to go through an extended dialogue. Support undo and redo. RANK RATING NOTES RECOMMENDATIONS 3 Minor Minimal interactive processing exists on this site, providing little opportunity for users to get lost. A Home link is available from most pages, however it is located on the right side of the horizontal navigation bar, which is not where users typically would look for it. The logo in the top banner does not link to the Home page as is common practice. The instant quote page is the only interactive page that leaves the site-wide framework. It includes a 'Back to the Agency' button, which like the Home link, is positioned on the top, right which is counterintuitive for users. Incorporate a hyperlink to the Home page into the Nottingham banner logo. Move the Home and Back to Agency links to more visible positions. Laurie Bennett June 24,

21 4. Consistency And Standards Users should not have to wonder whether different words, situations, or actions mean the same thing. Follow platform conventions. RANK RATING NOTES RECOMMENDATIONS 2 Major Issue The existence of two similar options, Get an Auto Quote and Get a Quote, on the primary navigation, will create questions about why there are two, what is the difference. Get an Auto Quote also provides quotes for homeowners insurance, creating a missed business opportunity. Questions will be raised by the existence of Payroll Services and the icon Nottingham Payroll on the same navigation panel. Several occurrences of navigation labels and page titles not matching. Reorganize the content to be accessed through more meaningful, non-repetitive navigation options. Re-label the instant quote option to accurately reflect the function. Rename either the labels or page titles to make consistent. Laurie Bennett June 24,

22 5. Error Prevention Even better than good error messages is a careful design, which prevents a problem from occurring in the first place. Either eliminate error-prone conditions or check for them and present users with a confirmation option before they commit to the action. RANK RATING NOTES RECOMMENDATIONS 5 Positive Get an Auto Quote does a good job of informing users immediately when their location/zip code is not served by the agency. None Laurie Bennett June 24,

23 6. Recognition Rather Than Recall Minimize the user's memory load by making objects, actions, and options visible. The user should not have to remember information from one part of the dialogue to another. Instructions for use of the system should be visible or easily retrievable whenever appropriate. RANK RATING NOTES RECOMMENDATIONS n/a n/a No interactivity requires recognition or recall. None Laurie Bennett June 24,

24 7. Flexibility And Efficiency Of Use Accelerators -- unseen by the novice user -- may often speed up the interaction for the expert user such that the system can cater to both inexperienced and experienced users. Allow users to tailor frequent actions. RANK RATING NOTES RECOMMENDATIONS 5 Positive Presenting the icon links to the Basic Guru and Payroll portals on the Home page reduces clicks and navigation for users of those services. The quick links should be repositioned and/or relabeled to reduce confusion for others. Laurie Bennett June 24,

25 8. Aesthetic And Minimalist Design Dialogues should not contain information, which is irrelevant or rarely needed. Every extra unit of information in a dialogue competes with the relevant units of information and diminishes their relative visibility. RANK RATING NOTES RECOMMENDATIONS 2 Major The Home page needs a title. The stock images communicate no meaningful message and are too far across the page to be impactful. The graphics on opposite sides of the page with no focal point carries the eye back and forth across the page with no clear landing spot or starting point. The paragraphs use sentence lengths longer than most will read. The headers use the same large font-size reducing the impact of important headers, and eliminate the scannability of the hierarchy. This applies to the interior Basic Guru and Payroll pages as well. Arrow bullets are used throughout the site. They usually imply more information, but as that is not the case here, they add unnecessary visual noise. Add a title to the Home page. Reflect Nottingham's value proposition, tone, and voice of the company through meaningful graphic design. Add weight to the textual content through the use of a visual hierarchyheaders, sub-heads, scannable words, and sections. Replace the arrow bullets with simple, bullets that convey no additional meaning. Laurie Bennett June 24,

26 9. Help Users Recognize, Diagnose, And Recover From Errors Error messages should be expressed in plain language (no codes), precisely indicate the problem, and constructively suggest a solution. RANK RATING NOTES RECOMMENDATIONS 3 Minor Issue 404 error pages do not direct users back to the right page or offered suggestions in the event of a typo or other error in accessing the site url. Add 404 custom error pages. Laurie Bennett June 24,

27 10. Help And Documentation Even though it is better if the system can be used without documentation, it may be necessary to provide help and documentation. Any such information should be easy to search, focused on the user's task, list concrete steps to be carried out, and not be too large. RANK RATING NOTES RECOMMENDATIONS 5 Positive Overall, the site is straight forward requiring little to no instruction. The Basic Guru pages offer videos, which may prove helpful for the functionality behind the secure wall that I cannot access, can't validate. This is a small site so investing time or money in a search function may not be warranted. If the site grows, consider adding search to accommodate the different user approaches to finding information. Laurie Bennett June 24,

28 11. Trunk Test-1, What Is This Site? RANK RATING NOTES RECOMMENDATIONS 5 Positive As the site works within one framework, and the same banner/navigation is available on every page, users will always know which site they are on. None Laurie Bennett June 24,

29 12. Trunk Test- 2, What Page Am I On? RANK RATING NOTES RECOMMENDATIONS 4 Cosmetic Issue Surprisingly, the Home page is probably the least identifiable in this regard. Each page has the banner on top, but the Home page has no title. Add a title to the Home page. Laurie Bennett June 24,

30 13. Trunk Test-3, What Are The Major Sections Of This Site? RANK RATING NOTES RECOMMENDATIONS 5 Positive The sections are easy to see through the left-side navigation. Although the sections could be re-organized, it's easy to see what the current sections are. None Laurie Bennett June 24,

31 14. Trunk Test- 4, What Are My Options At This Level? RANK RATING NOTES RECOMMENDATIONS 3 Minor This is not as clear as it could be. The What We Offer section is accessible only by a fly out menu. No contextual menus exist, so to access a sibling page, users must return to the fly out. The Who We Are page contains information below the partner photos, which is not noticeable, with no signposting leading the user to the content. Beyond, the primary navigation panels, users must scroll through pages to find out what they can do. Add a contextual menu when more than one option is available. Multiple options exist, such as opening an accordion menu, displaying all the subpages, inside the existing left navigation panel. Laurie Bennett June 24,

32 15. Trunk test-5, Where am I in the scheme of things? RANK RATING NOTES RECOMMENDATIONS 3 Minor There are no breadcrumbs, pathnames, or other indication as to how the current pages reside within the larger structure. Visually indicate the users' location in the site. Multiple options exist, e.g., highlight the navigation button chosen to arrive at the page. Add breadcrumbs at the top of each interior page, i.e.: Home >Who We Are>Partner resumes. Laurie Bennett June 24,

33 16. Trunk Test-6, How Can I Search? RANK RATING NOTES RECOMMENDATIONS None 3 Minor The absence of a search function would be a concern if the site were larger and required more digging to reach each page. As that is not the case, the lack of search poses an inconvenience but does not pose enough of a hindrance to frustrate users. The tradeoff of spending the time to create meaningful search is unwarranted until the site grows. Laurie Bennett June 24,

34 17. Law Of Usability-1 Don't make me think; get rid of the question marks. RANK RATING NOTES RECOMMENDATIONS 2 Major Basic Guru and NJNLA are unfamiliar labels, multiple quote links, and an icon payroll link below the textual payroll link, can all raise questions. Identify and implement meaningful labels that will communicate Nottingham's association with Basic Guru and NJNLA to those unfamiliar with the brands. Reorganize the content to be accessed through more meaningful, non-repetitive navigation options. Laurie Bennett June 24,

35 18. Law Of Usability-2 It doesn't matter how many times I have to click as long as each click is a mindless, unambiguous choice. RANK RATING NOTES RECOMMENDATIONS 5 Positive This is a small site of equivalent breadth and depth. Minimal clicks are needed to reach destination pages. Maintain a balance between breadth and depth of pages. Laurie Bennett June 24,

36 19. Law Of Usability-3 Get rid of half the words on each page, then get rid of half of what's left. RANK RATING NOTES RECOMMENDATIONS 3 Minor The site offers a lot of textual information. It doesn't seem wordy now because the lack of a hierarchy and format discourage reading it. Once the content is organized and formatted in a clear hierarchy, editing it for conciseness is warranted. Add weight to the textual content through the use of a visual hierarchy-headers, sub-heads, scannable words, and sections. Laurie Bennett June 24,

37 APPENDIX C CARD SORT RESULTS Contents: 1. Nottingham Insurance Cards 2. Card Sort Participants 3. Categories Created by Participants 4. Post-survey Question and Participant Answers 5. Participant Instructions 1. Nottingham Insurance Cards Get an instant online quote Request a quote from the agency Start a claim- info to agency Windstorm emergency checklist Local magazine article about 2 of 3 owners List/Links to community organizations the agency supports Agency Owner biographies and resumes Agency history and organization Agency achievements Agency community commitment statement Personal insurance products Commercial insurance products Employee group benefits products Benefit management service portal/login Benefit management service information Payroll service information Payroll service portal/login Life insurance products Links to all Insurance companies represented by the agency Link to payment sites of represented companies Agency office phone/addresses Represented company phone numbers Property claims adjustment company phone numbers Agency partner links Agency product/service line manager links 'Trusted Choice' Pledge of performance Laurie Bennett June 24,

38 2. Card Sort Participants Card Sort Participants Participant ID Completion time # of categories created 1 13: : : : : : : : : :29 2 Laurie Bennett June 24,

39 3. Categories by Participants Categories Created by Participant Id Categories created Cards included in category 1 Info about agency stuff Links to all insurance companies represented by the agency Agency community commitment statement Request a quote from the agency Agency owner biographies and resumes Agency history and organization Start a claim- info to agency Agency achievements List/links to community organizations the agency supports Info potential clients might read about insurance company/agency Info employees will/should[?] Know Local magazine article about 2 of 3 owners 'Trusted choice' pledge of performance Payroll service information Employee group benefits products Benefit management service portal/login Benefit management service information Payroll service portal/login Stuff company/agency can provide clients/potential clients Windstorm emergency checklist Laurie Bennett June 24,

40 Categories Created by Participant Id Categories created Cards included in category Contact info I dont know 2 About us In the community Personal insurance products Life insurance products Get an instant online quote Commercial insurance products Property claims adjustment company phone numbers Agency product/service line manager links Agency office phone/addresses Agency partner links Represented company phone numbers Link to payment sites of represented companies Agency office phone/addresses Agency history and organization Agency partner links Agency product/service line manager links 'Trusted choice' pledge of performance Agency owner biographies and resumes Agency achievements Local magazine article about 2 of 3 owners List/links to community organizations the agency supports Laurie Bennett June 24,

41 Categories Created by Participant Id Categories created Cards included in category Agency community commitment statement Our products Our partner companies Services and preparedness Employee services Personal insurance products Commercial insurance products Life insurance products Property claims adjustment company phone numbers Represented company phone numbers Links to all insurance companies represented by the agency Link to payment sites of represented companies Windstorm emergency checklist Start a claim- info to agency Get an instant online quote Request a quote from the agency Employee group benefits products Payroll service portal/login Payroll service information Benefit management service portal/login Benefit management service information Laurie Bennett June 24,

42 Categories Created by Participant Id Categories created Cards included in category 3 Human resource services Agency's community resources Company service lines Benefit management service information Payroll service information Benefit management service portal/login Employee group benefits products Payroll service portal/login List/links to community organizations the agency supports Agency history and organization Windstorm emergency checklist Property claims adjustment company phone numbers Agency partner links 'Trusted choice' pledge of performance Agency office phone/addresses Link to payment sites of represented companies Get an instant online quote Agency achievements Life insurance products Represented company phone numbers Links to all insurance companies represented by the agency Personal insurance products Laurie Bennett June 24,

43 Categories Created by Participant Id Categories created Cards included in category 4 Products About the agency Contact the agency Agency product/service line manager links Agency community commitment statement Agency owner biographies and resumes Commercial insurance products Start a claim- info to agency Local magazine article about 2 of 3 owners Request a quote from the agency Personal insurance products Commercial insurance products Employee group benefits products Life insurance products Get an instant online quote Agency community commitment statement Agency owner biographies and resumes 'Trusted choice' pledge of performance List/links to community organizations the agency supports Local magazine article about 2 of 3 owners Agency achievements Agency history and organization Agency partner links Laurie Bennett June 24,

44 Categories Created by Participant Id Categories created Cards included in category Main page misc Employee service Insurance company info 5 What we sell About us Agency product/service line manager links Agency office phone/addresses Request a quote from the agency Start a claim- info to agency Windstorm emergency checklist Payroll service portal/login Payroll service information Benefit management service information Benefit management service portal/login Links to all insurance companies represented by the agency Link to payment sites of represented companies Property claims adjustment company phone numbers Represented company phone numbers Commercial insurance products Life insurance products Employee group benefits products Personal insurance products Agency history and organization Laurie Bennett June 24,

45 Categories Created by Participant Id Categories created Cards included in category Contact us Get info/quote/claim Agency achievements Local magazine article about 2 of 3 owners Agency owner biographies and resumes 'Trusted choice' pledge of performance Agency community commitment statement Agency product/service line manager links Property claims adjustment company phone numbers Represented company phone numbers List/links to community organizations the agency supports Links to all insurance companies represented by the agency Benefit management service portal/login Agency partner links Payroll service portal/login Agency office phone/addresses Link to payment sites of represented companies Get an instant online quote Request a quote from the agency Start a claim- info to agency Benefit management service information Payroll service information Laurie Bennett June 24,

46 Categories Created by Participant Id Categories created Cards included in category 6 About us Contact us Our products Windstorm emergency checklist Agency achievements Agency history and organization Agency partner links Local magazine article about 2 of 3 owners Agency owner biographies and resumes Agency community commitment statement 'Trusted choice' pledge of performance Request a quote from the agency Get an instant online quote Agency office phone/addresses Represented company phone numbers Property claims adjustment company phone numbers Links to all insurance companies represented by the agency Agency product/service line manager links Life insurance products List/links to community organizations the agency supports Personal insurance products Commercial insurance products Laurie Bennett June 24,