testing content
TRANSCRIPT
TESTING CONTENTAngela Colter@angelacolter #testconMay 9, 2011
“If at any time during any rolling consecutive twelve
billing cycle period you fail to make two Minimum
Payments on a timely basis or exceed your Credit Limit
twice we may elect to increase your Purchase, Cash
Advance and/or Balance Transfer APRs to the Penalty
APRs. All Penalty APRs will remain in effect until, in a
subsequent rolling consecutive six billing cycle period,
you do not exceed your Credit Limit at any time and
you make all of your required Minimum Payments on a
timely basis when, in your next billing cycle, all Penalty
APRs will no longer apply.
“If at any time during any rolling consecutive twelve
billing cycle period you fail to make two Minimum
Payments on a timely basis or exceed your Credit Limit
twice we may elect to increase your Purchase, Cash
Advance and/or Balance Transfer APRs to the Penalty
APRs. All Penalty APRs will remain in effect until, in a
subsequent rolling consecutive six billing cycle period,
you do not exceed your Credit Limit at any time and
you make all of your required Minimum Payments on a
timely basis when, in your next billing cycle, all Penalty
APRs will no longer apply.
WHY TEST YOUR CONTENT?
Photo: @DavidFeng
Photo: John Van Laer
Photo credit: Laura C. Gooch
Photo: Zara Arshad
Photo: Ben Hobson
� Readability Formula
� Usability Test
� Cloze Test
READABILITY FORMULA
�
.39 x + 11.8 x – 15.59 = grade level# words
# sentences# syllables
# words
Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level Formula
Whether you're a content strategy
veteran or curious about where to
start, this is your conference.
9TH GRADE
Conference this you're where or
veteran your about strategy is
whether a content start curious to.
9TH GRADE
FORMULAS· Quickly estimate text difficulty
· Produce an easily understood metric
· Can help you argue for funding to test with users
· Are not magic
· Should not be your only evaluation method
· Are not a guide for writing good content
�
“Improving comprehension by writing
to a readability formula is like lighting
a match under a thermometer
to warm up a room.–George Klare
USABILITY TEST�
Did you understand that?
Find out what users do,
not what they say they do.–Jakob Nielsen
Find out what users understand,
not what they say they understand.–Me
How to design a usability test� Recruit the right participants� Identify critical issues to users and business
� Create tasks that test those issues
� Ask users to think aloud, paraphrase
� Know what the correct answer looks like
THIS TASK:• Buy a Zone 2 TrailPass
TESTS THIS CONTENT:• Where is the online store?
• Can I figure out how to use it to make a purchase?
THIS TASK:• Buy a pass that suits your needs.
TESTS THIS CONTENT:• Where is the online store?
• Can I figure out how to use it to make a purchase?
• What modes of transportation will I use?
• Are my start and end stations in the city?
• How many times a week will I use it?
• How many days are left in the month?
USABILITY TESTS· Tell you what problems users have
· Reveal why they are having problems
· Make you feel the user’s pain
· End opinion-based arguments
· Can require lots of time and resources
�
CLOZE TEST�
andyrutledge.com/closure.php
CANCELLATION AND SUBSTITUTION POLICYYou can transfer your ______ registration to someone else ______ up to May 3 ______ no charges or penalties. ______ note that if you ______ up for both the ______ and a workshop, you’ll ______ to transfer both registrations; ______ are no partial substitutions ______ registrants.
How to create a Cloze test � Take at least a 125-word sample of text� Remove every 5th word� Go for 25-50 blanks� Ask users to fill in the exact word the author used� Calculate the percentage of exact matches
How to score a Cloze test � 60% or more: appropriate� 40-60%: may need additional help� 40% or less: too difficult
CLOZE TESTS· Indicate whether material is appropriate for a
given audience.
· Take into account reader’s prior knowledge of the
subject matter
· Take little time to design, administer and score
· Do not require subject matter expertise
�
Formula Cloze Usability
People Just you As many as it takes to
convince you (5+)
As many as it takes to
convince you (5+)
Time Very quick Quick Not quick
Cost Low
$0-$100
Mid
$0-$25 per participant
High
$100+ per participant
Content Text Text Text and
Wireframes
Comparison of testing methods
WANT MORE?Web: angelacolter.comA List Apart: alistapart.com/articles/testing-content/Email: [email protected]: @angelacolter