PC Part Picker is a website that assists PC builders with choosing their parts, tracking their parts, testing if their parts are compatible. It functions as an online catalog but also a "social media" platform of sorts, where PC fans can share pictures of their builds. After conducting a Heuristic Evaluation on the website, a few usability issues emerged. While the website itself is extremely helpful, the way it presents its features is not optimal. In particular, it is difficult for first time PC builders to understand, especially with its technical jargon. The site also throws dozens of products/components at the user, who may or may not be familiar with what each product does.
This pilot UT seeks to test if a first time PC builder can navigate the site and its various functions. Each task was designed with a specific goal in mind. The first task tests if the user can easily locate a component when building a PC. The second tests the social media aspect of the site, testing the discoverability of relevant builds. The last task then evaluates a more niche function of the site, which is locating good deals on parts. Together, I hope these test help gain a better insight into the user experience of an inexperienced builder.
This is a pilot test to test the setting and materials. The test will be administered remotely through a Discord call and recorded on Streamlabs OBS. The participant will share their screen with video on as they go through the survey. Each session will be 20-30 minutes. During the session, the moderator will read through an overview of the goal of the session and inform them that they are being record. The participant will then fill out a consent form, background questions, pre-test questions, complete tasks 1-3, then fill out the post-task questionnaire along with demographic info. After each task, the moderator will ask the participant to rate the interface on a 7 point Likert Scale.
Overall, the pilot test confirmed that PC Part Picker is not the most user friendly for first time users. The site is very helpful, but it is designed for people who are already know a lot about PCs. My participant could not complete a few of the tasks due to being overwhelmed/confused. Some of the especially helpful features, such as locating price drops, are more hidden and hard to access. When searching for price drops on cases, the site was not very responsive to clicks and he could not tell if his filter had gone through. He did state that the overall design of the site looked appealing, that he liked the color palette and clean look. Additionally, he stated that if he ever built a PC, he would return to the site.
This experience has made me realize that I should insert more relaxed and conversational remarks to make the survey/test feel less intimidating. Additionally, I will need to get a webcam on my PC so the conversation is actually face to face and more natural. I also noticed a few typos in the script that will be fixed before next time. Finally, I realized that it is okay to deviate a bit from the script, as that helps with the conversational flow of the words. It's all about making the participant feel comfortable, relaxed, and open to giving their honest feedback.