许多人将用户体验视为网站成功的总体指标。分析网站如何有效地提供正面的用户体验通常会变成主观的事情，到处都是主观的意见，缺乏客观性。

本文概述了一种量化用户体验的快捷方法，我发现该方法非常有用，可以为客户提供快速，客观，直观的网站展示其相对于竞争对手或过去的位置发展努力。

1 什么是用户体验？

术语“用户体验”是指将最终用户置于设计和开发工作重点的概念，而不是仅针对系统，其应用程序或其美学价值。它基于以用户为中心的设计的一般概念。

用户体验主要由四个因素组成：

• 品牌
• 可用性
• 功能性
• 内容

独立地，这些因素都不能带来积极的用户体验。但是，这些因素加在一起构成网站成功的主要因素。

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例如，一个设计精巧的站点通常会出现服务器错误或超时。或想象一个出色的，数据库驱动的应用程序，由于某种原因或其他原因而从未使用过，因为它被深深地埋藏在站点信息体系结构的内部。在这两种情况下，我们都发现品牌，可用性，功能和内容结构的独立元素不一定表示网站的成功。但是，将这些核心元素放在一起，可以为用户体验提供基础。

2 需要客观分析工具

假设您获得了新的领先者-他们对网站的当前形式感到不满意，并希望您帮助您将网站导向正确的方向。如果您像我，那么您要做的第一件事就是看一下网站并做些粗略的心理记录。然后，您如何将这些想法和注释传达给客户，而又不仅仅将当前站点拆散？

问题在于，我们对网站的“好”或“坏”的每一种看法都因我们个人的背景和行业内的专业而歪曲。被要求评估网站的利益和约束时，开发人员，可用性专业人员，设计师或信息架构师可能会提出完全不同的批评。

客观的测量和分析工具可帮助您为客户提供基于事实的建议，而不仅仅是猜测和意见。我们将在本文中探讨的方法将帮助您：

• 尽可能从等式中删除您的个人偏好（主观性）。
• 使具有不同背景的人员（设计人员，开发人员，客户）可以共享对该站点的- 共识。
• 创建基本规则以将站点与竞争对手的站点进行比较，或进行过去的开发工作。
• 为客户提供基于事实的可视化表示，以了解其网站的优势和局限性。

3 衡量用户体验

如上所述，用户体验由四个相互依赖的元素组成：

• 品牌化
• 易用性
• 功能性
• 内容
  但是，我们如何量化和衡量这些看似无形的元素呢？

方法很简单。我们将分析分为四个部分-分别针对用户体验的四个要素。对于这些元素中的每一个，我们都会创建一系列陈述或参数，以根据这些陈述或参数来衡量所涉及的网站。为每个语句创建从1到X的分值范围；我们给每个陈述在这个范围内的分数。

完成分析的第一部分后，您应该在四个部分的每个部分都有一个得分。

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在本文所附的样本分析中，我们仅对每个元素使用了五个语句或参数。因此，我们使用20分制进行评分，以便该站点的总分最高为100。因此，如果我们向每个元素添加额外的五个语句或参数，则将以10分制进行评分。

在下面，对样本分析中使用的每个元素以及语句或参数进行简要说明。

品牌推广

品牌包括网站中所有与美学和设计相关的项目。它需要网站对所需组织形象和消息的创造性投射。用于衡量品牌的声明可以包括：

• 该网站为访问者提供了引人入胜和难忘的体验。
• 网站的视觉效果与品牌形象一致。
• 图形，抵押品和多媒体为体验增添了价值。
• 该网站兑现了品牌的承诺。
• 该网站利用媒体的功能来增强或扩展品牌。

功能性

功能包括所有技术和“幕后”流程和应用程序。它要求站点向所有最终用户提供交互式服务，并且需要注意的是，这有时既意味着公众，也意味着管理员。用于衡量网站功能的陈述可以包括：

• 用户会及时收到对其查询或提交的答复。
• 清楚地传达了任务进度（例如，成功页面或电子邮件更新）。
• 本网站和应用程序遵守通用的安全和隐私标准。
• 在线功能与离线业务流程集成在一起。
• 该站点包含可提高管理员效率的管理工具。

易用性

可用性要求所有站点组件和功能都易于使用。可用性横幅下方的子主题可以包括导航和可访问性。用于衡量可用性的声明可能包括：

• 该站点可防止错误并帮助用户从错误中恢复。
• 总体页面权重针对主要目标受众进行了优化。
• 该网站可帮助其访客实现共同的目标和任务。
• 该网站遵守其自身的一致性和标准。
• 该网站为残疾用户提供内容。

内容

内容是指网站的实际内容（文本，多媒体，图像）及其结构或信息体系结构。我们希望了解如何根据定义的用户需求和客户业务需求来组织信息和内容。用于衡量内容的陈述可以包括：

• 链接密度可提供清晰明了的导航。
• 内容的结构有助于实现用户目标。
• 内容是最新且准确的。
• 内容适合客户需求和业务目标。
• 多种语言的内容是全面的。

在大多数情况下，我对这四个元素分别使用10-20个单独的语句。我建议您使用以上陈述作为创建自己的分析的基础。请记住，如果添加更多语句，则还必须细化20分制，使每个元素的总分为100。例如，如果对每个元素使用10条语句，则您的等级为1-10。如果对每个元素使用20条语句，则比例为1-5。

显示结果

完成分析并为每个语句或参数提供值之后，就该将该数据转换为清晰，可交流的格式了。

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我们要做的第一件事是将每个元素的所有值相加。因为我们已经设置了点数刻度，每个元素的最高分数为100，所以我们真正拥有的是百分比分数。一旦有了这些百分比值，我发现最有效的方法是创建一个蜘蛛图来直观地表示它们。Microsoft的Excel或Open Office Calc在这里都可以很好地工作，尽管任何具有图形功能的电子表格程序都可以。

使用电子表格程序，您可以生成数据的大量可视表示。有关更多示例，请参见上面下载的样本文件。

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通过分析发挥创意

本文介绍的分析和方法的优点在于，它们可以满足您特定的客户或项目需求。

没有理由不能在分析中添加第五类来描述可访问性或业务指标。例如，假设您有一个政府客户，需要遵守508节规定（适用于美国）。您可以轻松创建一组专门处理可访问性元素的语句或参数，从而修改图表以进行相应显示。同样，创建一个专门处理客户重要业务指标的类别非常容易，例如，ROI，点击率，转化次数或回头客。

另外，这种分析平台可以使您为所选的特定元素添加更大的权重。假设您有一位奢侈品制造商的客户，并且非常关注品牌和外观。没有理由不能创建修改后的衡量系统，使品牌要素的权重更大，而可用性要素的权重却降低。

实际用途

我已将此分析合并到我工作过的许多不同项目中。通常，我会在新客户提案的附录中加入“快速而肮脏”的分析，以向潜在客户提供其网站相对于竞争对手的位置的快照视图。

提供此类评论还会给您一个很好的机会来展示您的专业素养。可能其他投标RFP的公司将不包括此类“免费”咨询服务-您在建议中包含此报告可能是对您有利的决定性因素。

在其他情况下，我要求客户付费对其网站进行深入分析并提供建议。对于每种陈述或参数，此类报告均包含几个描述性段落，并附有示例或屏幕截图。如果最终聘用我来遵循我的建议，我通常会在网站启动六个月后再安排一次评估，以显示改进，同时增强我的服务的价值。

这种类型的分析还可以用作导致进一步业务的网关项目。如果您对分析定价合理，它可能是您入门并向新客户展示服务优势的绝佳工具。

英文原文

How To Quantify The User Experience

Robert Rubinoff April 21, 2004

Many look to the user experience as an overall indicator of Website success. Analyzing how effectively a Website provides for a net positive user experience can often turn into a subjective affair, rife with opinion and short on objectivity.

This article outlines a quick-and-dirty methodology for quantifying the user experience, which I’ve found to be very useful in providing clients with a quick, objective, visual representation of where their site stands vis-Ã -vis the competition or past development efforts.

What is the User Experience?

The term "user experience" refers to a concept that places the end-user at the focal point of design and development efforts, as opposed to the system, its applications or its aesthetic value alone. It’s based on the general concept of user-centered design.

The user experience is primarily made up of a four factors:

• branding
• usability
• functionality
• content

Independently, none of these factors makes for a positive user experience; however, taken together, these factors constitute the main ingredients for a website’s success.

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Take, for example, a brilliantly designed site that routinely gives server errors, or times-out. Or imagine a fantastic, database-driven application that, for some reason or other, is never used because it’s buried deep within the bowels of the site’s information architecture. In both cases, we see that the independent elements of branding, usability, functionality and content structure aren’t necessarily indicative of a site’s success. Yet, when taken together, these core elements provide the basis for the user experience.

The Need for an Objective Analysis Tool

Say you’ve got a new lead — they’re unhappy with their Website in its current form and want you to help steer the site in the right direction. If you’re like me, the first thing you’ll do is take a look at the site and make some cursory mental notes. How then do you convey these ideas and notes back to the client without simply ripping the current site apart?

The problem is that each of our perceptions of how ‘good’ or ‘bad’ a Website is, is skewed by our personal backgrounds and specialties within the industry. Asked to evaluate a Website’s benefits and constraints, a developer, usability professional, designer or information architect may come up with an entirely different critique.

An objective tool for measurement and analysis helps you provide your clients with fact-based recommendations, as opposed to mere conjecture and opinion. The methodology we’ll explore in this article will help you to:

• Remove your personal preferences (subjectivity) from the equation as much as possible.
• Enable persons with different backgrounds (designers, developers, clients) to share a common understanding of the site.
• Create ground rules for comparisons of the site to those of competitors, or past development efforts.
• Provide your clients with a fact-based, visual representation of their site’s benefits and limitations.

Measuring the User Experience

As mentioned above, the user experience is made up of four interdependent elements:

• branding
• usability
• functionality
• content

But, how can we quantify and measure these seemingly intangible elements?

The methodology is quite simple. We separate our analysis into four sections — one for each of the four elements of the user experience. For each of these elements, we create a series of statements or parameters against which the Website in question will be measured. A scale of 1 to X is created for each of the statements; we give each statement a score within this range.

Once you’ve completed this first part of the analysis, you should have a score for each of the statements in each of the four sections.

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In the sample analysis attached to this article, we only used five statements or parameters for each element. Consequently, we work with a 20-point scale, so that the maximum total score of the site is 100. So, if we added an extra five statements or parameters to each element, we’d rate each on a 10-point scale.

Below, find a brief explanation of each of the elements and the statements or parameters used in the sample analysis.

Branding

Branding includes all the aesthetic and design-related items within a Website. It entails the site’s creative projection of the desired organizational image and message. Statements used to measure branding can include:

• The site provides visitors with an engaging and memorable experience.
• The visual impact of the site is consistent with the brand identity.
• Graphics, collaterals and multimedia add value to the experience.
• The site delivers on the perceived promise of the brand.
• The site leverages the capabilities of the medium to enhance or extend the brand.

Functionality

Functionality includes all the technical and ‘behind the scenes’ processes and applications. It entails the site’s delivery of interactive services to all end users, and it’s important to note that this sometimes means both the public as well as administrators. Statements used to measure a site’s functionality can include:

• Users receive timely responses to their queries or submissions.
• Task progress is clearly communicated (e.g., success pages or email updates).
• The Website and applications adhere to common security and privacy standards.
• Online functions are integrated with offline business processes.
• The site contains administration tools that enhance administrator efficiency.

Usability

Usability entails the general ease of use of all site components and features. Sub-topics beneath the usability banner can include navigation and accessibility. Statements used to measure usability might include:

• The site prevents errors and helps the user recover from them.
• Overall page weight is optimized for the main target audience.
• The site helps its visitors accomplish common goals and tasks.
• The site adheres to its own consistency and standards.
• The site provides content for users with disabilities.

Content

Content refers to the actual content of the site (text, multimedia, images) as well as its structure, or information architecture. We look to see how the information and content are structured in terms of defined user needs and client business requirements. Statements used to measure content can include:

• Link density provides clarity and easy navigation.
• Content is structured in a way that facilitates the achievement of user goals.
• Content is up-to-date and accurate.
• Content is appropriate to customer needs and business goals.
• Content across multiple languages is comprehensive.

In most instances, I use from 10-20 separate statements for each of these four elements. I suggest you use the statements above as a basis for creating your own analysis. Remember that if you add more statements, you must also refine the 20-point scale so that each element’s total score is 100. For example, if you used 10 statements for each element, then your rating scale would be 1-10. If you used 20 statements for each element, your scale would be 1-5.

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For a example of this style of analysis download this sample Excel file.

Displaying Your Results

Once you’ve completed your analysis and have values for each of the statements or parameters, it’s time to put this data into a clear, communicative format.

The first thing we want to do is add up all the values for each element. Because we’ve set the point scale to provide with a maximum score of 100 for each element, what we really have is a percentage score. Once we have these percentage values, what I’ve found works best is to create a Spider chart to visually represent them. Microsoft’s Excel or Open Office Calc both work well here, although any spreadsheet program with graphing capabilities will do.

Using your spreadsheet program, you can generate a host of visual representations of the data. See the sample file you downloaded above for more examples.

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Get Creative with Your Analysis

The great thing about the analysis and methods described in this article is that they can be catered to your specific client or project needs.

There’s no reason why you couldn’t add a fifth category to the analysis to describe accessibility or business metrics. For example, say you’ve got a government client that needs to adhere to Section 508 regulations (for the U.S.). You could easily create a set of statements or parameters that deal exclusively with the accessibility element, modifying your charts to display accordingly. Likewise, it would be very easy to create a category that deals exclusively with your client’s important business metrics, for example, ROI, click-through rates, conversions, or repeat customers.

Alternatively, this platform of analysis can enable you to add greater weight to particular elements of your choice. Say you have a client who’s a luxury goods manufacturer, and is heavily focused on branding and look and feel. There’s no reason why you couldn’t create a modified measurement system that gave greater weight to the branding elements and less to, say, the usability elements.

Practical Uses

I’ve incorporated this analysis into a number of different projects on which I’ve worked. Often, I include a ‘quick and dirty’ analysis as an appendix to a new client proposal, to provide the prospective clients a snapshot view of where their site stands vis-Ã -vis the competition.

Providing this kind of review also gives you an excellent chance to display your professionalism. Chances are that other firms bidding on the RFP in question will not include such ‘free’ consulting services — and your inclusion of this report in your proposal may be a decisive factor in your favor.

In other instances, I’ve had clients pay for an in-depth analysis of their site complete with recommendations. This type of report includes, for each of the statements or parameters, several descriptive paragraphs complete with examples or screen shots. If I’m ultimately hired to follow through on my recommendations, I often schedule another evaluation six months after the launch of the site as a means of showing improvement, while at the same time reinforcing the value of my services.

This type of analysis can also serve as a gateway project that leads to further business. If you price the analysis well, it can be a great tool for getting your foot in the door and showing the new client the benefits of your services.