Unmoderated Think Aloud Treatment for Task:

Research, test, result, and analyze

Task: Application deadline
Imagine that you are interested in attending [UF] in the Fall Semester of 2020 and want to find out when the deadline is to apply. On the following website, try to find out what the final application deadline would be if you are interested in the undergraduate program in Fall 2020.

Instructions to Participants:

Begin by stating your thought process aloud as you navigate the website.
Share any observations, difficulties, or questions that arise during the task.
Remember to think aloud continuously throughout the process.
Your goal is to find the final application deadline for the undergraduate program at [UF] in Fall 2020.

Process:

Access the [UF] website.
Read instructions, words on the screen, or any relevant content related to the task.
Describe the current or future activity you are engaged in while navigating the website.
Observe the website’s layout, design, and the behavior of the website or user interface.
Explain to yourself the reasons behind your actions and provide insights into your motivation.
Take note of the exact date and any additional relevant details you find.

Think Aloud Instructions: As you navigate the website, think aloud and share your thoughts, observations, and any difficulties you encounter. Vocalize your expectations, assumptions, and actions throughout the task. Describe the reasons behind your clicks, the information you expect to find, and any confusion or clarity you experience during the process.

Remember, the goal is to understand your thought process, difficulties, and observations as you seek to find the final application deadline for the undergraduate program in Fall 2020 at [UF].

As I viewed the participants’ experiences, used the Problem Tracking Form.
I kept count of some key critical events such as,

Whether the participant’s first click is incorrect.
Whether they used a search box.
Whether they seemed confident using the control or expressed uncertainty as to whether it would work).

Result

Task success rate
Harvard had the highest task success rate (80%), while UF had the lowest (41%). This may have been due to confusing navigation and a lack of CTA on the main page.