Projects
MASTERS PROJECT · USABILITY TESTING
WSDOT App Usability Testing
WSDOT App Usability Testing
Evaluating a public-facing iOS app using task-based usability sessions to reveal friction points between ferry riders and essential information.
Evaluating a public-facing iOS app using task-based usability sessions to reveal friction points between ferry riders and essential information.
Serving the Puget Sound
Serving the Puget Sound
Our team partnered with the Washington State Department of Transportation to run the first formal usability study of the ferries feature in their iOS app. This app, in conjunction with the WSDOT site, serves commuters, tourists, and infrequent travelers in their seafaring commutes through the Puget Sound. I led study design and pilot testing, building out task scenarios that reflected the app’s real scope and the use cases. These tasks included checking vehicle space, tracking real-time ferry locations, and booking multi-passenger tickets.
Our team partnered with the Washington State Department of Transportation to run the first formal usability study of the ferries feature in their iOS app. This app, in conjunction with the WSDOT site, serves commuters, tourists, and infrequent travelers in their seafaring commutes through the Puget Sound. I led study design and pilot testing, building out task scenarios that reflected the app’s real scope and the use cases. These tasks included checking vehicle space, tracking real-time ferry locations, and booking multi-passenger tickets.
Rapid, task-based testing
Rapid, task-based testing
We ran moderated, remote think-aloud sessions with 10 participants, providing essential qualitative data from both verbal feedback and task performance in the actual app interface. Our study surfaced five core usability themes, including navigation and information architecture issues, misread visual affordances (departure times mistaken for tappable buttons), and ambiguous terminology like "drive-up spaces" that confused both new and experienced riders alike.
We ran moderated, remote think-aloud sessions with 10 participants, providing essential qualitative data from both verbal feedback and task performance in the actual app interface. Our study surfaced five core usability themes, including navigation and information architecture issues, misread visual affordances (departure times mistaken for tappable buttons), and ambiguous terminology like "drive-up spaces" that confused both new and experienced riders alike.
Making findings actionable
Making findings actionable
We translated those findings into 20+ prioritized recommendations, organized by impact and effort, covering everything from search and personalization to icon scalability and ticketing flow. WSDOT engaged closely with our final presentation and asked to continue the collaboration, which we took as a strong signal that the work would actually inform their next round of development.
We translated those findings into 20+ prioritized recommendations, organized by impact and effort, covering everything from search and personalization to icon scalability and ticketing flow. WSDOT engaged closely with our final presentation and asked to continue the collaboration, which we took as a strong signal that the work would actually inform their next round of development.
Challenges and shortcomings
Small sample size. With only 10 remote participants, our findings were qualitative rather than statistically validated. Recommendations were prioritized by observed pain points and thematic frequency rather than hard numbers.
Small sample size. With only 10 remote participants, our findings were qualitative rather than statistically validated. Recommendations were prioritized by observed pain points and thematic frequency rather than hard numbers.
Quarter crunch. Two weeks of testing sessions generated a lot of rich data, but we underestimated how long thematic analysis would take, leaving only a few days to synthesize findings and prepare our final presentation.
Quarter crunch. Two weeks of testing sessions generated a lot of rich data, but we underestimated how long thematic analysis would take, leaving only a few days to synthesize findings and prepare our final presentation.
7-person team coordination. Because full-team meetings were difficult to schedule, we used structured Slack debriefs and detailed notes to keep decisions visible. In retrospect, assigning clearer ownership for synthesis earlier would have reduced coordination overhead during the final weeks.
7-person team coordination. Because full-team meetings were difficult to schedule, we used structured Slack debriefs and detailed notes to keep decisions visible. In retrospect, assigning clearer ownership for synthesis earlier would have reduced coordination overhead during the final weeks.