Objective
To test the navigation and find out which navigation is more intuitive.
Strategy
To test prototypes on UserTesting’s pool of testers and to use those results to build a more intuitive navigation.
Now for the tests!
We created 3 prototypes to test. In the first one, we concentrated on WHERE the user prefers to access account level navigation.
Option 1: To access the account level information in the actual account card in the dashboard and continue with their journey.
Option 2: To access the account level information in the global navigation -> then choose the account level information and continue their journey.
The user story …
“This screen is a dashboard presentation of high level pertinent information for your account(s). No scrolling on this dashboard is necessary. Please show us how you would find your “Investment Activity” so you may view your “Transactions” for your account, “Investor Account *1234.” The goal is to show us how you will find your Transactions for your account. Please speak aloud as you navigate through the prototype. “
Now - for the prototype walk-through
Results are in!
“I like when there are three dots right beside the account. I like that I don’t have to click and go through multiple steps to access my account.”
Then - assuming we knew which would win, we tested the global navigation prototype in two different layouts.
We decided to test two different layout types.
Option 1: When user goes to the global navigation - the tile they need to access would open by pushing the other tiles down and then allow the user to choose their account level to continue their journey
Option 2: When user goes to the global navigation - the tile is pressed and an overlay appears with the account type selector.
Oops! To sum up for ya’ll in the back seat:
We anticipated that users would prefer the account level navigation hidden in the global navigation. Guess what? We were so confident - that we tested two different layouts for user to access their account level navigation in the global menu. But, we were wrong! They preferred the account level navigation in the dashboard. So we wasted work and testing hours on a prototype which is now no longer a consideration. We learned the lesson everyone falls into as they do user testing at some point - you can’t assume you know what user’s want. It was a good lesson and humbling as well.