When Mazda Motor Europe set out to improve
When Mazda Motor Europe set out to improve its website, the company wanted details about how consumers were using the site and whether finding information was easy. Mazda hired a research firm called Syzygy to answer those questions with observational research. Syzygyâs methods include the use of an eye-tracking device that uses infrared light rays to record what areas of a computer screen a user is viewing. For instance, the device measured the process computer users followed in order to look for a local dealer or arrange a test drive. Whenever a process seemed confusing or difficult, the company looked for ways to make the website easier to navigate. To conduct this observational study, Syzygy arranged for 16 subjects in Germany and the United Kingdom to be observed as they used the website. The subjects in Germany were observed with the eye-tracking equipment. As the equipment measured each subjectâs gaze, software recorded the location on the screen and graphed the data. Syzygyâs results included three-dimensional contour maps highlighting the âpeakâ areas where most of the computer usersâ attention was directed.What could Mazda learn from eye-tracking software that would be difficult to learn from other observational methods?What are the shortcomings of this method?Along with the eye-tracking research, what other research methods could help Mazda assess the usability of its website? Summarize your advice for how Mazda could use complementary methods to obtain a complete understanding of its websiteâs usability.
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