Usability

Online surveys are structured interviews with users, where you display a list of questions online and record users' responses. When you conduct an online survey, you have an opportunity to learn many types of information about who the users of your site are, how they use your site and their opinions about your site. Information that should be considered:

• Who are the users, what do they want to accomplish and what information are they looking for?
• Were users able to find the information they were looking for?
• How satisfied are users with your site?
• What experiences have users had with your site or similar sites?
• What do users like best and like least about your site?
• What frustrations or issues have users had with your site?
• Do users have any ideas or suggestions for improvements?

The purpose of conducting surveys before a site re-design is to learn more about who the current users are and what they are trying to accomplish. After a launch of a new design, researchers can find out if you r new design meets the needs of users and identify areas for improvement. It is important to keep the survey short (under 10 items; 5-10 minutes). Also, consider to mix open-ended and closed questions. Finally, consider combining an online survey with individual interviews. Interviews after online surveys allow researchers to follow up with some people on issues and ideas generated from their answers.