Duration: 1 week

Platform: YouTube Web app

Tools: Google Meet (moderated sessions), Dovetail (thematic analysis), Figma (task flow planning), Microsoft Office (reporting and presentation)

Institution: Maryland Institute College of Art - Spring 2025

Role: UX Researcher

 

Project Overview

In a graduate course on Human-Centered Design, our team of three conducted a moderated usability test of the YouTube web application. We evaluated how users interacted with features such as search, playlists, subscriptions, and navigation. Our aim was to find usability issues and suggest improvements based on Nielsen’s five principles and user satisfaction metrics.

 

Research Objectives

 

Methodology

 

Tasks and Metrics

 

Key Findings

 

“But then I’m getting videos that aren’t Shorts… I had to go back and click Shorts again.”

 

Shorts Search Confusion

Metric: Learnability, Satisfaction

3/4 participants assumed selecting "Shorts" filtered all future searches—but it didn’t.

Recommendation: Implement persistent filtering behavior for Shorts.

 
 

“Even if I type ‘Playlist’ it just shows videos or channels.”

 

Public Playlist Discoverability

Metric: Effectiveness, Learnability

Half of participants failed to locate public playlists via search.

Recommendation: Prioritize playlists in search or add playlist-specific filters.

 
 

“I remember it used to say ‘add to playlist.”

 

Unclear Playlist Action Labels

Metric: Memorability, Efficiency

Users missed the "Save" button hidden under a dropdown and longed for the old “Add to playlist” label.

Recommendation: Reinstate intuitive labels and simplify playlist actions.

 
 

“It would’ve been nice if it asked, ‘Are you sure?”

 

No Confirmation for Playlist Deletion

Metric: Error Prevention

Users wanted confirmation before deletion actions.

Recommendation: Add a visible confirmation prompt for destructive actions.

 

Quantitative Highlights

 
 

How these informed the study?

  • Refined participant selection and task design for content engagement and playlist usability, guided by usage levels. Emphasized cross-platform functionality across Shorts, search, and playlists.

  • High Engagement: 69% use YouTube daily

  • Primary Platform: 75% access via PC/laptop browsers

  • Device Diversity: Over half use multiple devices (smart TVs, consoles)

  • Usage Behavior: 100% for entertainment, 56% for learning, 37% for background listening

  • Playlist Management: 44% manage playlists & subscribe, 31% subscribe without saving, 25% neither save nor subscribe

Recommendations

  • Redesign playlist icons and labeling

  • Add visual or onboarding support for Shorts

  • Include visible confirmations for deletions

  • Ensure platform consistency across desktop and mobile

Takeaways

  • Usability testing revealed hidden UX gaps even in a globally familiar platform.

  • Small changes (like clearer labels or feedback) can have a large impact on usability.

  • Cross-platform consistency is critical to user trust and memorability.