overview.
In this project, we evaluated the usability of Zaddons' vacation bidding platform used by employees to submit vacation requests. Through usability testing with 12 participants, the study identified major usability issues affecting task completion, navigation, and system guidance. The findings informed evidence-based recommendations to improve efficiency and create a more intuitive user experience.
challenge.
The existing vacation bidding system made it difficult for users to locate important information, understand the bidding workflow, and complete multi-week vacation requests efficiently. Many participants experienced confusion, unnecessary effort, and navigation issues during key tasks.
research process.
key findings.
The evaluation revealed substantial usability barriers across the vacation bidding experience. Ten of twelve participants were unable to locate essential quota information, while completing a two-week vacation bid required significantly more time and effort than expected.
Participants consistently expressed the need for clearer system guidance and a more intuitive workflow. These findings were reflected in an overall usability score of 43.75 out of 100, indicating a clear need for targeted improvements to information visibility, task efficiency, and user support.
recommendations.
Based on the research findings, the vacation bidding experience should provide stronger visibility and clearer explanations of essential information, particularly employee ranking and available vacation quotas.
The bidding flow should allow employees to select multiple weeks more intuitively, reduce unnecessary actions by removing redundant steps, and provide timely instructions through onboarding, tooltips, and contextual guidance.
Together, these improvements would make the system easier to understand, reduce task-completion delays, and help employees submit vacation requests with greater confidence and efficiency.
