Usability Study Cartoon Networks 2.

0 Latin America
March 2009 NeoTVLab Unidad de Vinculacin Tecnolgica Universidad Nacional de Tres de Febrero, Argentina

Three Research lines

Heuristic analysis
Usability tests with a software that monitors users actions while they perform their tasks Post-tasks survey involved in contextualization of users and their consumption

Sample Caracteristics

30 (thirty) Boys and Girls from 7 to 11 years old . 60% males and 40% females.

Who play frequently in Cartoon Network site. Have cable television at their homes.

Watch Cartoon Network channel.

Gessel room & Interviews

Two video cameras recorded simultaneously. One of them records the userss work and the other one records the computer screen. Software: Morae Speed Connection: 3 Megas The conversations were recorded in order to have different sources of information The interviews followed a grip of 18 (eighteen) tasks

Task with gender-comparative -in seconds-

400 360 320 288 312

280
240 200 168 160 156

Boys Girls
144
132

120
80 40 0

Free browsing

Find content

Search microsite

Task with gender-comparative -in seconds400 360

320
280 240 200 168 160 132 120 84 80 40 0 54 96 150

Boys Girls

Back to Home

Go to Votatoon section and vote

Watch a video

Task with gender-comparative -in seconds400 360 320 280 240 200 160 120 90 80 40 0 Play a game Downloading Find todays programming 66 150 156 132 222

Boys Girls

Task with gender-comparative -in seconds-

408 40 0 360 320 280 240 200 160 120 80 40 108 66 342

Boys Girls

48
24

Click on an advertising banner

Return Home

If you are not registered, sign in

Task with gender-comparative -in seconds-

400 360 320 280 240

200
160 130 120 80 40 0 Navigate on planets 80 125

195

Boys Girls

Chatting, apply emoticons

Task with gender-comparative -in seconds-

400 360 320 280 240 200 160 120 80 40 0 Watch a video in full screen Vote the video and post comments 118 88 192 172

Boys Girls

Task with gender-comparative -in seconds-

400 360 320 280 240 200 160 120 80 40 0 Create an avatar 105 238

Boys Girls

Task with gender-comparative -in seconds-

400

360
320 280 240 200 160 126 120 80 40 0 Click on an advertising banner Find todays schedule 102

Boys Girls

90
66

Amount of Mouse Clicks per task

40

35

30

25

20

15

10

Create an avatar Rate the video and post comments Find content Play a game Free Browsing Watch a full screen video If you are not registered, do it Watch a video Search microsite Browsing planets Downloading Add credits Find CN TV schedule Back home Go to the Votatoon and vote Click on advertising banner

Conclusions: Re-design recommendations

Conclusion:
Difficulties to browse the site: It uses drag and drop logic of mobile devices software which is not familiar to users of this range of age. It is not easy to go back home.

Recommendations :
Cancel drag and drop. Change the size and shape of the go back home button.

Conclusions: Re-design recommendations

Conclusion:
Not accesible for search engines.

Recommendations for programming:

The programming should consider the accesibility by search engines. Add semantic tagging. Change the flash design for XHTML.

Conclusions: Re-design recommendations

General design recommendations:

Have a clear and visible search tool in the site.

The links to download contents and videos should use universally recognized
icons. Make clickeables the images of Votatoon and Schedule. Insert "return" on the video screen.

Conclusions: Re-design recommendations

Semantic Recommendations:

Achieving a smooth interaction on the planets.

Add a free writing Chat.

Change the location of advertisements, currently in blind places. Turn on comments.

Reduce the amount of steps for user registration.

Most important tasks order from less to more time and gender-comparative
Boys BOYS GI R L S
Find content Watch a video Downloading Play a game Search microsite Go to Votetoon and vote

Girls

Create avatar Return home

General Conclusions of the study objectives

To enhance the strengths of the website it should be easier to return to home so that user's stay more time in the site. The chat mode should be modified according to the needs of the childrens narrative language. The Sign up process should be easier to achieve a smooth, interactive relationship between the users of the site. This one is the best advantage of interactivity in 2.0. Advertising should be more explicit. Kids-users, who have skills to upload / download / share content from the web to digital platforms (mobile, mp3), need to difference these contents from advertising.

The three most critical tasks in order of complexity

Back to home

Log in

Understanding Banner Advertising

TECHNICAL INFORMATION
Name: Usability Study for Turner/Cartoon Network. File Number 1038-08 University Department: NeoTVLab (Laboratorio de Usabilidad y Tecnologas Interactivas), Unidad de Vinculacin Tecnolgica (UVT) of the Universidad Nacional de Tres de Febrero (UNTREF), Argentina. Duration: 8 (eight) months Methodology: based on usability studies with children combined with experimental psychology methods, video data, sound and software. Interviews: Gessel room. Two video cameras recorded simultaneously. One of them records the users work and the other one records the computer screen. Two psychologists made the interviews following a grid of tasks. Software: Morae

Sample: 30 (thirty) Boys and Girls from 7 to 11 years old, that play frequently in the Cartoon Network site, who have cable television at their homes and watch Cartoon Network channel. 60% males and 40% females. Confidential and reserve. 6 (six) laboratory proofs were made with 6 (six) children. Interviews made during 3 (three) days. 36 (thirty six) analyzable cases.

Technical Information
Team: Coordination Team & Production Studio: Mg. Lorena Paz Heuristic Analysis: Lic. Carlos Neri Methodology Coordinator: Lic. Diana Fernndez Zalazar Interviews: Lic. Ral Damin y Lic. Mara Oses Usability Technician: Tec. Alejandro Karpich Zardalevich Bibliographie: Jakob Nielsen, Designing Web Usability: The Practice of Simplicity. New Riders Publishing, Indianapolis. Markopoulos, P.; Bekker, M. (2003). On the assessment of usability testing methods for children. Interacting with Computers, 15, 2003. Kids' Corner: Website Usability for Children. Jakob Nielsen's Alertbox Libby Hanna , Kirsten Risden. Methods & Tools: Guidelines for Usability Testing with Children. http://www.microsoft.com/usability/UEPostings/p9-hanna.pdf http://www.useit.com/alertbox/20000319.html http://www.nosolousabilidad.com/articulos/test_usuarios.htm http://www.nosolousabilidad.com/articulos/heuristica.htm Jakob Nielsen, http://www.useit.com/