At-a-glance
To gain a comprehensive understanding of Poshmark's website usability, we conducted an in-depth usability study utilizing various research methods. These methods included a heuristic evaluation to assess adherence to established usability principles, a competitive analysis to benchmark against industry-leading competitors, user interviews and surveys for direct user feedback, and a system usability analysis to measure overall user satisfaction. Our evaluation revealed that Poshmark's architectural challenges are rooted in poor organization, design, and the use of non-standard terminology.
Click here for the research issue link.
Client
The University of Texas
at Austin
Timeline
3 Months
Team
5 Person
My Role
Researcher
Participant Interviews
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For the sake of this project we focused on interviewing a group of 8 people with a diverse range of genders and ages. We did this for several reasons, first it's more cost-effective to have a smaller group. In addition by limiting the test to 8 people it can make the testing process more manageable. A smaller group is more time-efficient and with fewer participants, it's easier to ensure that each user receives enough attention to provide valuable insights. Testing with 8 people can also still provide a diverse range of perspectives. Testing with 8 people is a good balance between cost, time, and depth of feedback.
When gathering data, we employed a comprehensive approach, utilizing screens, pre-tests, video recordings, and real-time notes throughout the interviews. Following each interview, we administered post-task questions. These interviews were conducted with a single participant and one interviewer.To ensure a thorough understanding of user perspectives, we implemented the think-aloud process. This methodology allowed us to track users' thought processes, preventing the oversight of crucial information in their cognitive flow, enhancing website usability. Subsequently, we organized all data in Excel, calculating average task success, difficulty, and System Usability Scale (SUS). Our analysis involved a thorough examination of notes, identifying prevailing themes and discerning emerging trends.
Click here to see the full in-depth process.
System Usability Status
The System Usability Scale is a widely used questionnaire-based method for assessing the perceived usability of a product or system. It consists of a standardized set of questions that users answer to rate the usability of the system. The results are then used to evaluate the overall user experience and identify areas for improvement. Poshmark had a SUS score of 48, compared to the industry standard of 68.
A typical SUS score interpretation is as follows:
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0-50: Poor usability
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50-70: OK usability
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70-85: Good usability
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85-100: Excellent usability
The SUS score provides a way to benchmark and compare the usability of different products or systems, identify usability issues, and track improvements over time.
Conclusion
Poshmark's website design currently lacks a strong commitment to user-centered principles, often overwhelming users with excessive information instead of providing a balanced and engaging experience. This emphasis on information overload, combined with neglecting certain usability considerations, creates significant obstacles for users seeking efficient navigation. Furthermore, Poshmark's unconventional terminology, like "Add to bundle" instead of the industry-standard "add to cart," confuses users and does not align with their expected mental models.
In conclusion, our study identifies usability challenges on the website, including confusing jargon, information overload, and a disorienting layout, significantly hampering users' ability to find the information they seek. By prioritizing user-centered design principles and aligning with user expectations, Poshmark can enhance user experiences. This can be achieved by simplifying terminology, decluttering the homepage, and offering an onboarding tutorial to help users become familiar with the interface.
