Usability Evaluation of Student Enrollment system for University of Ottawa

Usability Evaluation of Student Enrollment system for University of Ottawa 

By Jiahao Li

Introduction

The student enrollment system is the most relevant educational administration system for each student. The usability of the enrollment system is directly related to the efficiency of course selection and learning for every student. In this article, I evaluated this system using Niellsen's 1990 heuristic principles. 

In the process of the evaluation, I analyzed the usability issues about three main parts (course selection part, search part, and academic information part) of this system. I found that this system violated some of Niellsen's 1990 heuristic principles, such as "Consistency and standards", "User control and freedom" and "Flexibility and efficiency of use". At the end of this article, I also give a conclusion to this usability evaluation.

Usability Issues

1. There is no sign in function after sign out

After users got in the enrollment system from the sign in page (Figure1) and finished to add course into their course schedule, they would click the sign out button. Then the page turned into Figure2. The problem here is that there is no sign in button in Figure2, which means if a user wants to sign in again in this situation, they have to sign in student uoZone first and then sign in enrollment system from unZone. This is a very complicated operation if a user would like to back to the enrollment system and deal with something. Therefore, this issue violates the principle of "User control and freedom".

Figure1: Sign in page

Figure2: Logged out page

Suggested improvements

1. Add a sign in function to this page instead of show a message to inform users that they already logged out.

2. Give the user a hint about there is no sign in function in this page and give a link to lead users to sign in page.

2. Hard to back class list page after getting in the class detail page

Students can get in the class list page via search function in this enrollment system. Then they can view the class details page (Figure3) clicking the class section link. In general, we can click the back button on the toolbar of the browser to back previous page (class list page). However, in this case, both users found they would return to the course search page by clicking the back button but not return to the class list page. Users only can back to the previous page by clicking view search results button which is located in the bottom of this page. Obviously, the "Consistency and standards" principle is not being followed in the class detail page.

Figure3: Class detail page

Suggested improvements

1. Move the view search results button from the bottom to the top of the page.

2. Add the back button of the browser as a way to back to the previous page.

3. Change the word on the button from view search results to view the class list.

3. Hard to find the category of a course

In the process of evaluation, if users would like to find the category of course CSI 5122, most of the users will try to find it via class schedule first (Figure4) which is demonstrated in the main page because a user can get into the class details page through class schedule. The users thought they could find the category of CSI 5122 by viewing the class details page. However, all users failed to find a category on this page. As a part of class information, it sounds weird that this feature can't be found on this page. In fact, a user only can find the category of this course by searching his course requirements (Figure5). Therefore, this function already broke the "Flexibility and efficiency of use" principles.

Figure4: Class schedule

Figure5: Student's class requirements page

Suggested improvements

1. Add the class category into the class details page.

2. Give a hint to tell students how to find the class category information on the class details page.

4. Find the recently used list and add a function into the recently used list

In general, users can get into their favorite function page using the recently used list. Therefore, this function should be in a prominent place. However, in the process of this evaluation, users can't find this function on the main page. Surprisingly, I found this function is a subfunction of favorites function (Figure6).

Figure6: Recently used list

As for adding a function into the recently used list, no users did it because it seems doesn't have clear criteria about how to add a function into this list. Both users tried to do it through several methods, including a stay at the target page, open another page and get in target page many times in a short time. But no method works until now.

Both users think it is very hard to find and they need more guidance or information to find this function. Besides, they also think the designer should redesign the add function into recently used list function because this function is not user-friendly now. Therefore, "Visibility of system status" principle is violated in this issue.

Suggested improvements

1. Put recently used list button in a more visible position.

2. Redesign or explain how to add a function into this list.

3. Remove this function instead of keeping it as an indifferent function.

5. Hard to find option through main menu

There is a toolbar with several buttons on the top of the main page. Among them, there is a button called main menu (Figure7). But both users found the design of this button is not user-friendly because they can’t find view my grade page through the main menu easily. Besides, users found this is an indifferent function because everything under this function list is easier to find in other ways. Therefore, this function also violates the "User control and freedom" principle.

Figure7: Main menu

Suggested improvements

1. Remove main menu on this page because it looks more complicated and indifferent.

2. Reorganize this menu to make user find functions more easily.

6. Hard to go to account summary page from main page

In the process of evaluation, users are asked to go from the main page to the account summary page. Both users were confused first, but they found the way to go to the account summary page soon using their experiences. However, at the end of this task, one user said he couldn't find this function if he didn't have experience. The menu (Figure8) is hard to find and even when he found it, he still spent half a minute to find the confirm button. By contrast, the other user who is a second year's student spent less time to find it, but he still thinks this function is not user-friendly because in go to menu, the designer called the account summary page as account inquiry page. Which make new users feel confused.

Figure8: The go to menu

Suggested improvements

1. Change the menu name from go to menu to others page menu.

2. Add some words to remind users on the confirm button.

3. Change the name of account inquiry to account summary.

Conclusion

In conclusion, although the student enrollment system meets student's basic needs for enrollment functions, there are still many usability issues and it is not a user-friendly system at all. These usability issues decrease the user experience to some extent.

Compared with the enrollment system of some commercial online learning websites like Coursera and Hujiang, the student enrollment system for uOttawa looks like an old car which is riddled with problems. Therefore, the designers should redesign part of this system to improve the user's experience by reading this usability evaluation blog.