Tutor Trac

Abena Faustina Larbi-Odam

February 23, 2016

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services - 200 Independence Avenue, S.W. Washington, D.C. 20201

Table of Contents

Introduction
Methodology
Results
Recommendation
Conclusion

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services - 200 Independence Avenue, S.W. Washington, D.C. 20201

Introduction

The purpose of this report is to summarize the findings from using the Minnesota State
Mankato Website on how to use the TutorTrac Service to locate the writing center; and how
to be able to navigate your way in the TutorTrac Service to find when Shyam (one of the
tutors) has availability. The TutorTrac Service is a writing center resource within the
mnsu.edu website, to help student make appointments with tutors for writing.
The test was conducted by Robert who is an outsider and Abena who is English 271W
online students. They performed the test using their own PC on their own time.

Executive Summary
The test took place in the home of Robert and Abena Odam, individually.
Roberts test lasted a little less than two minutes and Abenas test lasted
roughly about three minutes. Robert found TutorTrac with ease and Abena
went straight looking for the writing center. It took Robert about ten
seconds, to scan through the site before she found the TutorTrac service.
Abena spent about a minute trying to locate where the TutorTrac icon was,
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services - 200 Independence Avenue, S.W. Washington, D.C. 20201

and did not find it. She then proceeded to type the writing center in the
search button and went straight to the writing page.

Methodology
Sessions
The participants were recruited from the English 271W class and the home
of Robert and Abena Odam to test the usability of the TutorTrac Service.

Participants
There were two participants in this test, one from the English 271W online class and the
other was a regular individual. One tested on February 19th and the other participant tested
on February 21st. The participant were male and female.

Tasks
1. Go to the MSU.edu homepage
2. Locate Tutor Trac (A.K.A. MSUs Writing Center)
3. Navigate to the online writing appointments
4. Determine Shyams next availability for an appointment
Task Completion Rates
Participant Task 1 Task 2 Task 3 Task 4
Robert

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services - 200 Independence Avenue, S.W. Washington, D.C. 20201

Participant Task 1 Task 2 Task 3 Task 4

Abena

Completio
n Rates

100%

100%

100%

0%

Time on Task
Roberts test lasted a little less than two minutes and Abenas test lasted
roughly about three minute.

Errors
Errors occurred when one of the participants did not select a choice in the required field
in the writing center page, she was trying to look for an availability date for Shyam.
*Percent Agree (%) = Agree & Strongly Agree Responses combined

Recommendations

Change

Justification

Participants had a challenge scanning through the

main webpage looking for the TutorTac link. They
had to resort to using the search bar to look for
the writing center.

Include a direct link on

Mnsu.edu homepage

Clear instructions on what log

in information is needed.

Participants were not sure which log in

information was needed.

Severity
High

High

Conclusion
The participants were able to navigate to their destination which was locating when Shyams next
availability was at the online writing center. One participant was able to locate TutorTrac and able
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services - 200 Independence Avenue, S.W. Washington, D.C. 20201

to navigate the writing center page easily. The other participant struggled in locating TutorTrac
and just use the search button to locate the writing center page. The logging information for the
writing center should also be made clear and user friendly, so that students know it is their Star
ID login that is needed.

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services - 200 Independence Avenue, S.W. Washington, D.C. 20201