Overview
Worked with the Mobile Team to identify goals for usability testing
Conducted synchronous interviews with relevant members
Background
The Motley Fool Backstage app had initially been soft-launched to only the highest-value members. This was the first time that the mobile app had been shown to users in a formal setting, so the goal of the study was to understand member’s basic impressions of the app. The Mobile Team and I decided on the following research questions, which I then wrote an interview script and tasks to answer:
What features of the app appeal to users?
Can users easily navigate through the app?
Methodology
For basic usability testing, I knew that live interviews would be the best way to present tasks to users. I worked with the Business Intelligence team to pull emails of
users who had downloaded and logged in to the app to recruit relevant users. We recruited 5 users, but were only able to obtain task data from three users due to time constraints and technical difficulties.
Key Tasks
Show me where to find the most recent stocks recommended by your services.
What is your impression of what you are seeing here?
Show me where to find the most recent information that has been published by your services.
Show me where to find information about recent market news.
Show me where you can find live-streamed content.
Show me where you can adjust the app’s notification settings.
Outcomes
After consolidating the user feedback in the analysis phase of the project, a few key findings stood out:
Users love the Motley Fool App! I recommended expanding marketing around the app as soon as possible.
Power users of The Motley Fool Backstage App value the app’s centralization of the video streaming service Motley Fool Live, but would like to be able to take their streaming on-the-go more easily. I recommended adding an “audio mode” where the app would play the live stream even when the screen was turned off and locked.
Users generally were able to navigate through the app, but had some trouble locating content they were interested in. I recommended adding customization for displaying content on the homepage.
As a result of this research, leadership expanded app messaging to other membership levels, increasing the reach of the app to 50,000 users. Additionally, the Mobile team decided to experiment with breaking out Fool Live in into a separate app that has the option for an “audio mode” for when users want to listen to their favorite Fool Live episodes while driving, walking their dog, doing dishes, or working out.