Heuristic Evaluation of Waze
Project: Human Factors Course at SJSU
Challenge
Based on user goals from inquiry methods and human factors principles of usability, identify any issues that exist in the interface design of the GPS navigation application Waze. Offer effective design solutions for each issue along with general guiding principles for the product.
Research Process
Familiarize
Becoming the user to fully understand every aspect of the product and experience
Inquire
Learning about users: what they want, likes/dislikes, what they can & can't with the app
Contextualize
Examining the product in its every day use. What external variables influence usability?
Identify & Resolve
Using human factors principles of usability to identify and resolve every possible issue
Familiarize
Knowing the Product
How can you analyze something without using it first? How can you represent the voice of the user without becoming one first? Short answer: you can't.
The first step of this project involved becoming familiar with every screen in the app by using it everyday. This helped me to understand the conceptual model as well as uncover several issues. Putting myself in the shoes of the user helped me gain perspective outside that of a researcher.
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Takeaway: flipping through screens on the couch just doesn't give you the same information as using the app in a time-sensitive, high-stakes situation where you need to get somewhere ASAP.
This is when the issues of inconsistency, confusion and clutter came to surface. I could relate to frustrated user feedback after experiencing it for myself, but also understand the benefits of the app that make it desirable and competitive.
Inquire
Two inquiry methods were chosen to gain a better understanding of who uses Waze. Each method provides a different insight on the user and the context in which the app is used. The data from these methods were used to guide this evaluation and focus on the most important usability issues within the app.
Online Reviews
Internet sources were researched to obtain feedback from professional reviewers and actual Waze users. Reviews helped reveal user goals and professional reviewers offered a valuable perspective from those who have evaluated the app as a whole rather than individualized gripes with the app.
The following include a sample the most common and pertinent problems reported from online reviews.
Too Many Functions
Users who are only interested in basic navigating features find it difficult to maneuver around the app. More importantly, the main navigating display should be clear and concise as drivers are already focusing most of their attention on the road.
Multi-tasking is difficult, and users become frustrated when it is made even more difficult.
Finally, many users mention that the Facebook addition is not needed.
Quick & Dirty Usability Testing
Participants ranging from experienced users to non-users were asked to complete 9 separate tasks within the app. Tasks ranged from simple (i.e. find the settings menu from main screen) to complex (i.e. using the carpool feature) to collect a broad set of data on usability issues.
Results from a few tasks can be found below. This was my first attempt ever at performing a usability study, my skills have greatly improved since then.
Overview
Participants ranging from experienced users to non-users were asked to complete 9 separate tasks within the app. Tasks ranged from simple (i.e. find the settings menu from main screen) to complex (i.e. using the carpool feature) to collect a broad set of data on usability issues.
Takeaway: there is a spectrum of users ranging from heavy to light, and Waze tends to accommodate the former by filling each display with as many features and information as possible. Light users find this annoying and dangerous with an increase of error when attempting to activate certain functions. There might be too much focus on the bells and whistles and not enough attention to the actual navigation function of the app.
Data collected from usability testing helped me better understand not only what the issues are within the app, but also potential solutions based on observed user behavior and patterns of errors
Contextualize
Based on information gathered from previous steps, I sought to contextualize the use of Waze as well as more formally define its user groups. I chose use cases and user profiles as methods to accomplish this.
Use Cases
The first and most common use case takes place inside the user’s personal vehicle, with little background noise, and moderate time pressure:
The second use case includes contexts in which someone interacts with non-navigation features.
User Profile
Most Waze users (Wazers) are daily commuters who already know their route, but would like a more comprehensive tool for avoiding traffic and hazards.
Data from usability testing suggests that many Wazers strictly use the app for basic GPS navigation. Most user reviews also tend to focus on the reliability (network) and accuracy of traffic-avoiding routes.
For those who actively contribute by sending road reports and other updates, its important to consider multi-tasking requirements. Driving requires attention as well as physical preoccupation. It is important that these essential functions are both mentally and physically accessible from the main screen.
Takeaway: Although Waze offers much more in terms of functionality than competitors, many users show concern for only a handful of operations and whether the app “gets the job done”. A stronger emphasis should be placed on an interface suited for the simple navigator pressed for time looking for the quickest route.
Identify & Resolve
Global Issues
The following heuristics are presented to illustrate an overlying pattern of neglecting human factors principles in the user experience design of Waze. The following heuristics are included as a sample of the most important to usability and most frequently disregarded within the app.
User Control & Freedom
This heuristic includes the ability of the user to exit an interface at any given moment as well as undo or redo an action without losing any work progress.
Users must track back three steps (all with different icons to signify backing up) to return to the main navigation. There should always be a quick close or exit option.
Minimalist Design
Information on a given screen competes for the user’s attention. Providing too much chrome and dialogue lowers the visibility of the most useful and relevant information.
If a person realizes they don’t have the intended contact, or no longer wishes to send an ETA, they must track back three steps (all with different icons to signify backing up) to return to the main navigation.
Consistency
We see a clear violation of consistency here. Both cases should contain the same symbol to remove ambiguity and quickly communicate the same concept.
Takeaway: Six principles were presented as the most common and critical violations throughout the application: user control and freedom, consistency, transparency, minimalist design, recognition vs recall, and discoverability.
The goals of heavy user include utilizing the many features unique to Waze such as sending a report and contributing to the crowd-sourced database.
However, violating the same principles will also impact heavy users, making it more difficult and time-consuming to interact with some of the features that are nested in the interfaces.
Local Issues
The following heuristics are presented to illustrate an overlying pattern of neglecting human factors principles in the user experience design of Waze.
Below is a sample of the most important issues related to usability and most frequently disregarded within the app.
Here are just 5 of the 60 issues and solutions discussed in the report. Issues are color coded based on severity of the issue.
Outcomes & Implications
Based on the Local Principle Evaluation, three sections of the application contained numerous flaws: Navigation, Send a Report, and Settings.
Send a Report
Waze markets itself as being different/better because it allows users to work together and improve routes by sending reports
If this unique feature isn't utilized, why choose Waze instead of alternative apps?
Lower rate of interaction if difficult to use
Navigation
Most important and frequently used feature
Affects ALL users, regardless of goals or expertise
Many users will be interacting while driving- makes this activity more difficult and dangerous
Settings
Allows heavy and light users to customize experience based on individual goals
Application will only meet the needs of one group depending on default setup
Lower rate of interaction if difficult to use
Recommendations
1. Recognize that a large portion of users aren't interested in all the social features, they just want a navigation app that provides the fastest route:
a. Navigation interfaces contained the most numerous usability violations, demonstrating an strong need for redesign in the most commonly accessed portion of the app.
b. Settings menu should be improved to guide the user whose most likely goal is to turn features on or off.
2. Increase the usability of sending a report:
a. Users are more likely to interact, leading to improved routes (meets goal of app)
b. Builds a stronger connection between user and the app
c. Higher chance of converting light users to more invested, contributing users