Results
Our design solutions significantly improved usability and comprehension. Based on testing, we recommended four major site changes, each focused on increasing clarity, navigation ease, and overall user satisfaction.
Overhaul Information Architecture
One of the main contributors to the success of our prototype was the reorganization of information on the site. Where the organization of the current UWB COVID site confused several times among our test users, the overhauled information architecture we used in our prototype's page navigation greatly decreased the number of confusion users experienced while looking fora particular page. Though the finer details of this information architecture could be tested further, the broad categories of "Health Requirements & Policies", "Resources", "News &Updates", and "FAQs" made intuitive sense to our test users, and the placement of important topics near the top of each page was well received as well. We recommend a similar approach in reorganizing the site's information architecture.
Break Up Chunks of Text
Clearly dividing up the sections of text on each page using large headings, divider lines, and various visuals and lists greatly increased the user's ability to quickly skim the text. Where in the current UWB site the user must read through a large amount of text just to get a feel for what information is in that section, the headings and layout of the text in our prototype allowed users to get the same understanding without reading much besides the section headings and subheadings. Additionally, separating the majority of the embedded links into buttons allowed the user to access those resources without reading the entirety of the text, as well. This solution was very well received among our test users, and we highly recommend this approach.
Increase Visibility of Navigation Features
Another of our successful solutions was making the navigation bar much more easily visible. Our approach to this entailed moving the navigation to the top of the page and making sure the font was large, bold, and easily readable, both of which make the navigation much more noticeable. Where the current UWB COVID site's navigation often went completely unnoticed, test users of our prototype made frequent use of the top navigation bar without needing to spend time figuring out how it works. Increasing the visibility of the index/table of contents on the longest page also had a similar effect. We recommend this solution, as it increases the user's freedom of navigation and succeeds in preventing confusion.
Add An Entry Page
The addition of a dedicated entry page to our prototype was very well received by the users.While it doesn't contain much text information on its own, the navigation cards and summaries succeed in providing a quick and efficient overview of what content the site offers. The UWB COVID site is packed with a large amount of information, and it's important that the user isn't overwhelmed by it, or they risk missing information that is important to their health and safety. The addition of an entry page serves to make the user's first experience with the site approachable and prevent confusion by offering an easy place to start looking.
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