ASDA/ Walmart
Project Goal/ Challenge:
The client developed an additional shopping list feature on their Android shopping app. They wanted to validate the usability and to check that customer’s needs are met.
The project team recommended carrying out contextual usability testing in store, with 12 participants over 2 days. That allowed users to simulate a shopping journey on the shop floor using the new feature in the app.
Approach:
- 2 day in-store contextual research
- Prototype app supplied by client
- Locally sourced Android phones
- In-store dry run sessions prior to 2 day research
- 1.5hour 2 part testing: pre-shop floor list making; shopping experience
Team:
- Lead moderator
- Assistant moderator
- Cameraman
- IT support
- Project Coordinator
- UK based client coordinator
- US based clients’ app development team
- US based client leads
My Role:
Assistant moderator, Participant recruitment liaison, Project coordination
Participant Recruitment
Having agreed the recruitment participant profiles with the client, I liaised with the 3rd party recruitment agents to agree on participant profiles and screener. These were signed off by the client before recruitment took place.
Client/ Location Coordination
I coordinated with client’s UK based contact to organise the ASDA/ Walmart branch we eventually tested in, and agreed with the store manager the days and times testing were carried out. We also arranged a room for the project team (including client) to meet and debrief after each session/ day. It was also where the IT support and camera person downloaded the video shots to be used for analysis.
Usability Testing Script
The usability testing script was written together with the lead moderator. We set two parts to the test session. First simulated users inputting items they would like to get during their shop at the supermarket. The second simulated using the app on the shop floor as they carried out their shopping.
Testing Days
Throughout the day, I worked alongside the lead moderator who took the users through the test sessions. My main roles were:
- to ensure participants turn up and be sat at the designated waiting area prior to their sessions and be briefed
- make notes as I followed the participant and lead moderator through the 2 phase testing
- participants debrief after each session
- Client debrief after each session
Reporting
After the research sessions, lead moderator and myself sat together and ran through our findings. I worked on gathering screen grabs to illustrate points in the report. And the IT support team produced clips to back-up pain points and quotable quotes to support findings in the report.
Deliverables:
- Full report containing severity ratings table & recommendations
- Mockups of recommendations included in report
- Full set of video footages output from Morae recordings
Main Findings:
Although the new shopping list feature itself contained multiple useful functions, there was a general questioning amongst participants of the need of a shopping list with a built in total spend calculator.
There were also interface issues that prevented users from proceeding with their shopping tasks.
