International usability testing in multiple European countries
Business challenge
We were commissioned by Kodak to assess the experience of its European customers when using kodak.com. Working as a team with Kodak's Director of Usability and Kodak's Manager of Market Research, we planned and executed usability testing in the UK, France and Germany.
Our approach
Kodak needed us to co-ordinate sub-contractors, recruit appropriate usability test participants, locate suitable test facilities in each country, and find translators who understand usability testing. We organised testing facilities in London, Paris and Munich and held a one-day workshop in London to ensure consistency of moderation, attended by the moderators from each country. Our partner companies in Europe supplied technical facilities and translated the usability tests in real time.
The timescales on this project were tight, and we managed to test 38 participants across three countries in nine days. We identified many usability issues, including a number of critical and serious usability problems. Most of these were linked to low task completion data on some important key tasks. Our report contained action-oriented recommendations to help the client apply the findings to build a better web site.
Outcomes
In the six months after completion of the project, visitor satisfaction increased significantly. In the longer term, easier to use support tools simplified do-it-yourself troubleshooting, reducing calls to Kodak's support lines. Customers now realise the full range of issues that the website will help them solve, helping Kodak lower support costs through reduced documentation and support.
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