Usability Test for
Sarah Markus
[email protected]
Research questions
Section A: Finding a room using the Airbnb app
• Are users able to use the filters to reach their goal?
• How can we improve the content on listing pages to make the search more
intuitive?
• Do users understand the map function? Can they use it?
Section B: Explore the ‘Experiences’ section
• What is the overall user impression of the ‘Experiences’ section?
• How can we improve the filters and content of listings to help users find the
right experience for them?
Airbnb Usability Test by Sarah Markus, Feb. 2017
Methodology
In-person mobile usability study, lasting 45 min
The study included two sections and one task per section:
Section A: Finding a room using the Airbnb app
Section B: Explore Experiences tab
Participants:
• Two males and one female between the ages of 33 and 43
• Two existing users, one new user
Devices used:
• iPhone 5
• Samsung S3
Airbnb Usability Test by Sarah Markus, Feb. 2017
Section A:
Finding a room using the Airbnb app
Airbnb Usability Test by Sarah Markus, Feb. 2017
Task 1: Use Airbnb app to find a place to stay
Please pretend you are planning a trip with your significant other or a friend using the Airbnb
app. You two are planning on visiting Germany in June and want to stay five nights in Berlin.
A friend recommended you to stay in East Berlin, preferably in Friedrichshain or Prenzlauer
Berg, because these areas are especially nice.
Your budget for the five nights and two people is $350 / 350 Euros and you are looking for a
private room for the two of you.
Please use the Airbnb app to find a place that would work for you.
Airbnb Usability Test by Sarah Markus, Feb. 2017
Overall impressions of search
•
All participants found the key
filters (location, date
selection, number of people)
intuitive
•
Two of the participant
intended to select five nights
but selected four instead
Recommendations:
Indicate number of nights selected
Nice to have: Selecting multiple time frames in case traveler is flexible
Airbnb Usability Test by Sarah Markus, Feb. 2017
Usage of filters
•
Two participants had difficulties
searching by their total budget
with slider scale
•
Two participants didn’t notice the
budget they entered in the filter is
per night, not their total budget
for all nights
•
All participants liked that they
can easily see all amenities, even
if they don’t care about all of
them
•
One noticed that the number of
homes available with the current
filter settings are displayed
directly, which helped her a lot
Recommendations:
Allow users to enter the price per night that they are looking for by typing in the
numbers
Add “Price per night” on top of the filter
Give users the option to enter either the price per night or total budget
Airbnb Usability Test by Sarah Markus, Feb. 2017
Room listings - video
Airbnb Usability Test by Sarah Markus, Feb. 2017
Room listings – photos & location
Photo of rooms
•
•
Two participants mentioned that
they aren’t always sure what
they are looking at in the
pictures
Two participants noticed the
similar listings on the bottom,
which they liked a lot
Location of the room
•
None of the participants seemed sure about
what the map on the bottom was showing
•
One expected the home he was looking at to be
somewhere within the circle but mentioned it
could also just indicate the neighborhood's
center.
•
One thought it looks like google maps and
should show places of interest in the area.
•
One thought the home should show up
somewhere on the map and kept looking for it.
Recommendations:
Recommendations:
Add option to label or categorize
pictures in listing or suggest adding a
plan of the room/ apartment
Add information about what the map
shows
Airbnb Usability Test by Sarah Markus, Feb. 2017
Finding the total price
•
Two participants had difficulties
identifying the total cost of their
stay.
•
They hesitated to click on “book”
because they were afraid that it
would finalize their booking
when they were just trying to see
the price
Recommendations:
Indicate the price per night as well as the estimated total price on listing page OR
Rename the button. Suggestions: Total price, More information, Next
Bug: Price was miscalculated: 4 nights * $55 per night is $220. The app showed $221
Airbnb Usability Test by Sarah Markus, Feb. 2017
Map view
•
One participant didn’t understand
how to use the map
•
She clicked on the rooms
displayed below the map,
expecting to see where they are
located on the map, instead the
room listing opened
•
She thought that the number
behind the filter indicates the
number of homes
•
Two participants had difficulties
with the “Redo search in this area”
button, only one found it intuitive
Recommendations:
 Light up location when the image below is clicked and open the listing when the text is
clicked
Redo search automatically when map is moved
Airbnb Usability Test by Sarah Markus, Feb. 2017
Section B:
Exploring Experiences
Airbnb Usability Test by Sarah Markus, Feb. 2017
Overall impressions - video
Airbnb Usability Test by Sarah Markus, Feb. 2017
Overall impressions of experiences
•
•
•
One participant had difficulties getting back to
main page
Overall participants understood the concept of
Experiences
Participants needed some time to understand what
the specific experiences are about
•
One participant thought the app would show
experiences bases on GPS location
•
One participant liked the video of the activity a lot
another didn’t like that it auto-played
•
One participant said she would prefer to set all top
level filters at the same time
Airbnb Usability Test by Sarah Markus, Feb. 2017
Recommendations:
Include an easy link back to the main
page
Add title like “Wine tasting” or “Surfing”
or sort by category
Provide option to stop the video
Consider working on the top level filters
experiment with automatically opening
next filter to reduce the number of clicks
Bug: The last row of experiences didn’t
show the text underneath the image,
participants expected to be able to scroll
further
Task 2: Find an experience
Please show me how you would go about searching for an experience. Imagine you
are looking for something to do in Los Angeles for yourself and three of your friends
in March.
Airbnb Usability Test by Sarah Markus, Feb. 2017
Types: Experiences vs. Immersions
•
Participants are confused
about the difference between
experiences and immersions
•
Participants did not expect
multiple-day experiences
•
The names experiences and
immersions create confusion as
the tab was labeled
experiences as well
Recommendations:
Change the types filter from experiences and immersions to half-day , one-day and multi-day
experiences
Consider moving the type of experience (half-day etc.) to the top level filters (date and location)
to avoid confusion
Airbnb Usability Test by Sarah Markus, Feb. 2017
Category filters within experiences - video
Airbnb Usability Test by Sarah Markus, Feb. 2017
Category filters within experiences
Category Filters:
•
Multiple participants had difficulties with
the filters
•
Clicking on categories to find out that there
are no experiences within the categories
frustrates participants
•
Social Impact:
•
Only one participant, who works in
sustainability, knew directly what the social
impact category means
•
Everybody liked knowing where their money
goes to and supporting non-profits
One participant didn’t think selecting a
category would filter the results because all
experiences fell under social impact
Recommendations:
Recommendations:
Show the number of activities in each category
directly within the filter, for example: History (0)
Nature (13)
Make the social impact category name or ribbon
clickable - have a little pop-up showing the
definition (in the category filter as well as within the
description of the experience)
Consider other categories such as Family or
Architecture
Airbnb Usability Test by Sarah Markus, Feb. 2017