Final Presentation

SI 6224/17/12Group 6

Cathy Fisher, Chisheng Li, Benjamin Olger, and Nikki Potter

Overview

Slashdot.org• User-generated

"News for Nerds"• Current users consist

of males, ages 30+• Goal: Attract

younger generation to Slashdot

Methods

• Interaction Map

• Interviews, Personas, & Scenarios

• Comparative Analysis

Methods

• Heuristic Evaluation

• Survey• Usability

Testing

Findings

Findings: Content and Navigation

Positives

• Users like Slashdot's content, style and format

• Content is easy to find

Findings: Comments

• Users don’t comment• Current system is difficult• Complexity discourages new users• Commenting box hard to locate

Recommendations• Compare commenting system to competitors• Poll users to gauge sentiment• Make changes slowly, incorporate user input

Finding: Submitting

• Users do not submit stories• Submission process not transparent• Little incentive to submit

Recommendations• Allow users to view submission status• Update users about submission status• Give reason for rejection or acceptance

Finding: Documentation

• Difficult to navigate and learn functions• FAQ section not apparent or conveniently located • Uncertainty about commenting and submission

Recommendations• Create About section; add to top navigation• Add the FAQ section to new About section• Create user-generated forum

Finding: Awareness

• Majority target audience have never heard of Slashdot

• Low visibility among the Millennials

Recommendations• Strategically market Slashdot's brand • Hold college campus events• Distribute free merchandises • Sponsor club events

Finding: Quick Fixes

• Taxonomy in top navigation is unclear• Recommendation: Rename links to more clearly

match their content• Registration process cumbersome• Recommendation: Streamline it

• Lightboxes close when users click outside of them• Recommendation: Have a pop-up message to

confirm they want to exit

Conclusion

• Quick fixes should be done immediately• Other recommendations should be followed only

after considering current users• Implement changes slowly• Welcome user input• Users are your biggest asset!

Questions?