about
Quinto Andar
date, 2021.1
type, Usability Study | Web desktop
concept, Vanessa Gomes | Vitor Amorim | Manuella Quaresma
organization, Academic project by PUC-Rio
Study on the concepts of Usability in the Ergonomics and Human-Computer Interaction course at PUC-Rio.
Project
This project was developed by me for PUC-Rio, with counseling from Manuela Quaresma and Vitor Amorim.
Details
Quinto Andar (or Benvi) is a Brazilian startup focused on the rental and real estate sales market. The platform follows a Peer-to-Peer model, acting as a mediator between property owners and renters, enabling business transactions in a practical way with minimal bureaucracy. As a result, the service does not require a guarantor, security deposit, or surety bond, providing a simple way to list and manage real estate financing or leases.
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The presentation consists of a sample of exercises given by Professor Manuela Quaresma for the Ergonomics and Human-Computer Interaction course at PUC-Rio. The study unfolds by sketching out the results of the exercise, based on a critical evaluation of the principles, criteria, and Usability Heuristics, along with a usability test applied to 10 users.
EXERCISE 1
Heuristic Evaluation
The first exercise involved applying the principles of heuristics, as outlined in the following bibliography: Usability Engineering (NIELSEN, 1994); Ergonomic Criteria (BASTIEN & SCAPIN, 1993); Golden Rules (SHNEIDERMAN, 1998); and An Introduction to Usability (JORDAN, 1998).
01 Usability Heuristic
Facilitate system learning
Website QuintoAndar, evaluation based on the site in 2021.
Compatibility
Regarding the concept of compatibility, the website's development explores the principles of memory, perception, and habits by using visual patterns associated with websites for rental or purchase of travel packages.
Conduction
Conducting the search flow is simple, as users can quickly access a simplified filter to refine their property search. Additionally, if the user doesn't find the desired property, the tool suggests receiving ad updates based on the characteristics they entered on the platform.
02 Usability Heuristic
Facilitate the search, perception, recognition and understanding of information in the system
Grouping / Visual Clarity / Prioritization
The first improvement suggestion made by the team was to develop a solution for the platform's header menu, which currently has a cluster of buttons that makes it difficult to organize and visually prioritize items.
Readability / Visual Clarity
The team had difficulty identifying the main menu right away, as it is located at the top with a background that matches the rest of the site's background color.
Mental Load
To reduce the information density of each property, the site adopted a solution similar to those of other competitors by associating standard and key information with icons, while using a standardized list for the most sought-after details.
Meaning of Codes and Denominations
Quinto Andar's codes and icons are similar to those of other companies in the same market segment, leaving users with no doubt that the information provided is what they expect.
Consistency / Standardization
We found at least two types of secondary buttons (Limpar filtros, Clear filters, and Criar nova lista, Create new list), which are completely different from the AGORA NÃO, NOT NOW button. Additionally, the arrangement of the buttons varies: in the first image, both buttons are at opposite ends, while in another example, the buttons are centralized, and in the last example, they are located on the right.
03 Usability Heuristic
Facilitate control of interaction with the system
Feedback
Response indications are immediate and visual, with color changes and movement of graphic elements. In addition to color changes, there are also task completion indicators, such as the warning that appears at the end of the alert registration.
Error prevention
To avoid errors, the proposed site flow initially presents modals and informational pages explaining the process steps and the types of actions that users can take.
04 Usability Heuristic
Consider the context of use of the system and the type of user
Adaptability and flexibility
Frequent users can bookmark their favorites and create lists to easily search among the properties they are interested in. They can also track the dates of their scheduled visits, see responses to their proposals, and review the details of their contracts and receipts.
Exercise 2
Usability test
The second stage involved integrating the entire heuristic mapping exercise of the Quinto Andar product's navigation journey, which was done previously, and aligning it with the users' perspective during their usage. This was, therefore, a moment to conduct usability tests, uncover potential mental models, and identify possible opportunities for improvement in the site's navigation.
The research study
The research study
03
Participants to the pilot test
The research study
+3
Participants to the user test
The research study
20-35
Was the range of age to interview
Method
