- To understand the high-level user needs when using branching (we will learn more detailed needs when we see them using our designs in action)
- To understand the user’s mental model for branching (where and how to implement it)
- To learn what language people use around branching
- For those who have their own dept forms platform - find out how they’ve implemented branching and what they’ve learned
- GOV.UK Forms users (civil servants)
- 4 users
- Interviews + usability walkthroughs
People click to ‘Edit a question’ when trying to add routes, before spotting the 'Add a question route' button.
The content on the page to choose which question is helpful. People find it easy enough to choose the right question for a single branch.
People mostly know which answer to choose to build a route - not always obvious to them.
The route descriptions on the questions page is helpful, but also hard to make sense of.
One participant saw each branch as separate routing, whereas our implementation groups them together within a 'set' of routes for a question.
The content on the page to choose which question is a little less clear for 2 branches, and less easily understood. However, they all manage to choose the correct question (there was only one to choose!). There was some confusion with people thinking they could build multiple branches - the design actually only allows people to build 2. A possibility they don't read all the guidance fully because the task on this page seems quite straightforward. Is the guidance in the place where they need it most?
There was some inclination to apply the second route from the question that it skips people from. This occurs throughout the journey.
All participants correctly select the answer and questions the routing should be applied to. One is already thinking about the second route as well.
Participants felt the design of the page that plays back the routes was clear after building the first route. Two don't notice the option to build a second route at this stage. Of the two who see it, one doesn't understand it but is happy to try it out. There were suggestions that the guidance or content could be clearer and give further explanation at this point.
After clicking the 'Set...' link, two are easily able to understand and do what they need to do. Two are confused and find it very challenging to understand. There was some confusion about what they are applying the logic to at this point. More explanation or clarity could be useful at this point, possibly around the connection between the two different routes and the difference in how they work.
There was some difficulty in understanding routing when the routes that depend on a question are described quite far away from the question itself, and the other route that impacts who takes the second route. There was some dislike of the naming of each bit of routing, feeling it would be helpful if it related more to the thing that influences the route.
Most participants needed some direction or explanation at some point in the journey around how it would work (as it was a walkthrough so they could only see the next page in the 'happy path' not necessarily what they would have chosen to do). This indicates some need for better clarity about where and how to do things.