#11 web testing & evaluation

Assalamualaikum..

 For this class, we've learned about web testing and evaluation.

There are a few types of errors that can be found in our website, which are:

1. design flaws : user interface problems or suggestions, such as proposed new features, relabeling buttons, and screen layouts 
2. content errors: inaccuracies, data with formatting problems, or data of poor quality in some other respect (photo image quality, text misspellings)
3. Software/system defects: commonly called 'bugs,' these are technical problems encountered when trying to run and operate the site

There are also several types of testing that we can do to our website. The types of testings are:

• functionality testing (i.e., unit, integration, regression, compatibility)
• layout testing
• load testing
• link testing
• usability testing
• Alpha/Beta testing
• Peer testing
• Focus group testing
• Usability testing

Testing is a very important step in developing a website, to avoid errors. When the user face difficulties in browsing a website they will easily get bored, they will just leave and search for other similar website. That is why usability testing is very important.

Usability is defined by five quality components:

•  Learnability: How easy is it for users to accomplish basic tasks the first time they encounter the design?
• Efficiency: Once users have learned the design, how quickly can they perform tasks?
• Memorability: When users return to the design after a period of not using it, how easily can they reestablish proficiency?
• Errors: How many errors do users make, how severe are these errors, and how easily can they recover from the errors?
• Satisfaction: How pleasant is it to use the design?

Evaluation

Evaluation can be categorized as formative evaluation and summative evaluation. To understand more about formative evaluation, we can use this analogy:

"When the cook tastes the soup, that’s formative; when the guests taste the soup, that’s summative.“

So, formative evaluation is normally done during the development process, where changes and improvement can be done by the developer. For summative evaluation, the process is usually done at the end of the development process, and usually after the end user use the product.

There are several types of tools that can be used to evaluate our product/website, which are:

• Observation, interviews (Structured/Non Structured)
• Surveys, Focus Groups, Analysis, Reports, and Dialogue with Users
• Form, Checklist or Rubric

To understand more about the difference between each tools, we are given an individual task and we have to present it in the next 2 weeks class. The task is, we need to summarize the procedure to evaluate our website according to the notes provided by this website. Each one of us are given different types of evaluation tools. So we have 5 different presentation topic that will be presented in the next 2 weeks class. Dr.Noraffandy find this website is very handy because it relates the research methodology with our area. I haven't read the notes yet, but i think there must be a reason why Dr still remember this website, even he had graduate for his PhD long time a go. I was told that this website was introduced to him during his study time by his professor.

Ok. I guess this is the most long entry that i've ever written, considering there is no picture attached. huhu..Time to go to sleep peeps. Have a good day everyone. Assalamualaikum...