Role:
UX Researcher & Designer
Industry:
Gaming
Duration:
Aug '19 - Dec '19
Overview
For a cumulative class project, I conducted an intensive usability evaluation of MMORPG.com, a gaming news website. Utilizing UX research methods, data collection, visual design, and prototyping, I proposed a research-backed solution.
Context
Problem
In my observation, the visual hierarchy was overshadowed by excessive ad placements, causing an imbalance between important information and secondary content. This clutter made navigation difficult.
Having used the website in my younger years, I remembered it as one of the first UIs I struggled with. Conducting a usability case study on it felt like a full-circle moment.
From my first impressions, I found the following themes:
Information Architecture
Content & Layout
Disorganized content layout, cluttered interface with excessive ads, intrusive popups, and outdated design.
Discovery
Indentifying the User's POV
I found artifacts from the website's forum community and uncovered how some of the user base felt about the system.
Identifying Problem Areas
After I reviewed community insights, I completed the 247 Web Usability Guidelines expert review checklist by Dr. David Travis, to evaluate the website's compliance to standard functionality and usability practices. Below are the results:
The Heuristic Evaluation revealed issues with task orientation, visual layout, aesthetics, and overall site navigation. MMORPG's compliance with the evaluation checklist was 67%.
Uncovering User Behaviors with a Task Study
I recruited 6 participants and conducted a usability study on the MMORPG website. Participants mainly completed tasks related to finding the correct target, or complete the correct action. After, they rated difficulty on a 1-10 Likert scale, with 1 being easiest and 10 being the hardest, below are the results:
Research Insights
From compiling data from community forums, the web heuristics checklist, and usability testing, I recommended the following solutions for a more user-centric system:
Curated Content
Users are looking for additional filtering options to easily sort through the gaming content in the game library.
Trust
Users want to trust that clickable elements will lead them to the expected destinations and avoid deceptive adware.
Site Wayfinding
Website Modernity
Synthesis
MMORPG.com Reimagined
Based on insights from discovery research, I focused on developing important features to enhance the user experience:
Key Features
Captivating Hompage
A user-friendly homepage prioritizing key information, with secondary content clearly separated from the main site goals.
Enhanced Navigation
Improved navigation flow, providing users with multiple, flexible pathways.
Updated Aesthetics
Optimized Ad Placement
Strategic ad placement to avoid disruptions in site traffic or user navigation.
Ideation & Testing
I envisioned a new website design prioritizing content organization and findability. I placed navigation at the top, reorganized categories, and consolidated items to enhance usability, then created a low-to-medium fidelity wireframe.
Afterward, I tested the wireframe with six participants using a between-subjects method to compare the new and old interfaces, ensuring no prior familiarity with the updated structure.
Final Design
Game Library Overhaul
There was a significant opportunity to enhance the digital library by introducing more advanced filters and improving search functionality, making it easier for users to find specific games. I also incorporated images of the game content, allowing users to quickly identify titles through visual recognition.
Optimizing Ad Placement
A major issue on the site was the overwhelming presence of aggressive ads across the pages, which negatively impacted the user experience and made the site feel untrustworthy, especially with the use of pop-ups. To address this, I restructured the ad placement to provide users with more control over their interactions with ads, improving the overall experience.