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Informal usability testing

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This error message discussion took place back in 98 - I came across it yesterday when I was looking for something else in my Old Emails folder. (Yes, I'm an email packrat, but it's come in handy too often for me to break the habit.)

Here's the question that was asked of an internal discussion group:

Is the following too jargony for the average web user, or is the terminology used widely enough not to matter?

  1. My browser does not support the use of security software.

    If it is too jargony, would any of the following be as clear to the lay person as the above sentence is the the web-savvy? (If so, which one do you think works best? If none, any suggestions?)

  2. My browser is unable to use security software.

  3. My browser is unable to enter a Web site that uses security software.

  4. My browser cannot read a Web site that uses security software.

At the time, I figured the best way to find out was to ask. So I called up someone I knew fit our profile of "an average web user" and read the options to him.

  1. "Okay, I understand that."
  2. "Okay, I understand that."
  3. and 4. "Wait a minute - does that mean I can't view the web page? Is that what 1. and 2. meant too?"

My conclusion: "The terminology didn't bother him because they were all familiar terms; he just didn't understand the connection between the error message and what he wanted to do on the web (i.e., read a page). Messages 1. and 2. focus on a cause -- end users are concerned with effect. I vote for 3 or 4."

The "My browser" terminology jars me though.