In the weeks that followed the release of Apple’s latest tech toy — the iPad — I conducted a series of design and usability tests on USA TODAY’s native iPad application. In coordination with colleagues at USA TODAY, I tested the usability of the first version of the application by collecting in-depth quantitative and qualitative data from users. From my test, key players working on the design and development of the application were able to quickly see first-hand how everyday users interacted with the application — including what design features worked and what didn’t work.
Several key recommendations were made based on the data and feedback collected from these usability tests:
1. Add a feature to more clearly indicate how to navigate between sections of USA TODAY
2. Adding language (text) or buttons (obvious visual components) to more clearly indicate how to edit/change the weather location
3. Add a sub-layer of navigation and search to include other sections/topics that USA TODAY is known for (Ex: technology, economy, movies, travel, etc. — Makes content easier to find)
4. Take advantage of the iPad’s interactive features by including more interactive visuals and other features within the application (Ex: cross-word games, market graphs and other interactive graphics/games).