Spaceship · Usability Testing Round 2
4 moderated sessions · Redesigned homepage prototype · Nov 2024
Context
Following Round 1 (Nov 2023), a prototype was built to address the primary blockers found — search/transfer confusion, error handling, and discoverability. Round 2 tests whether those fixes worked.
Round 1 revealed that users couldn’t distinguish between search and transfer in the homepage search bar. The redesigned prototype separated these flows, introduced a clearer modal structure, and added a bulk transfer option with CSV upload. Round 2 tested this prototype with 4 participants — same 3 tasks.
Task Results
3 tasks: find a domain, transfer a domain, bulk transfer. 4 participants: 2 internal (Namecheap), 2 external tech-savvy users.
Task Completion — Round 2
11 of 12 task attempts completed. 1 blocked by prototype bug (not a usability issue).
Ease of Use — by Task
Self-reported by participants (1 = Very Difficult, 5 = Very Easy)
Per-Participant Breakdown
| Participant | Profile | Task 1 · Find | Task 2 · Transfer | Task 3 · Bulk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| P01 · JB | Internal (HR), no domains | ✓ Very Easy | Prototype bug | ✓ Easy (with difficulty) |
| P02 · J | External, owns 1 domain | ✓ Very Easy | ✓ Easy | ✓ Easy (with difficulty) |
| P03 · T | External, owns 10+ domains | ✓ Very Easy | ✓ Very Easy | ✓ Average |
| P04 · RN | Internal, owns 1 domain | ✓ Very Easy | ✓ Very Easy | ✓ Very Easy |
Ranked Issues
4 issues found. Severity scored by task criticality × impact × frequency.
Issues — by Severity
| Rank | Task | Location | Issue | Affected | Severity | Suggestion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Bulk transfer | Homepage | Users expect to initiate transfers through the menu — not the search bar. The search input is perceived as “for registering”, not transferring. | 3/4 | Critical | Add a visible transfer entry point in the navigation menu or domains page — don’t rely solely on the search bar. |
| 2nd | Bulk transfer | Transfer Modal | EPP code tooltip goes unnoticed. Users don’t realize they can include authorization codes in the bulk transfer flow. | 3/4 | Minor | Surface EPP code instructions directly in the input area — not behind a tooltip. Reference Namecheap’s inline approach. |
| 3rd | Transfer results | Header | The input field in the results page header is confusing — unclear if it’s for adding more domains or starting over. Copy says “Make your move!” which misleads mid-flow. | 1/4 | Minor | Adjust copy to reflect current context (“Add more domains”). Use consistent icons (magnifying glass, not arrow). |
| 4th | Search results | Main suggestion | System assumes .com when user enters a bare domain name. User questioned why results show “greatdomain.com” as available when they never specified a TLD. | 1/4 | Minor | When no TLD is specified, show suggestions only — don’t present .com as the primary “available” result. |
What Changed from Round 1
Direct comparison: which Round 1 issues were resolved, which persist.
Findings
Answering the 3 test goals set before the study.
Yes. The main usability issues from Round 1 were fixed. One user was unfamiliar with “bulk” as a concept, but the modal components themselves were clear.
No — not intuitively. Some users overlook the “search or transfer” placeholder or assume transfers belong in the menu. The search bar works once found, but discoverability needs a secondary entry point (menu or domains page).
Yes — all users completed all tasks. The only friction was finding the transfer entry point and the invisible EPP tooltip. Once inside the flow, the experience was rated Easy to Very Easy across the board.
“This is as simple as Google — a white page with a text box in the middle. Spaceship does the same, so there’s no confusion about what needs to be done.”
“It doesn’t seem normal to use a search input for a transfer.”
“Registering and buying should be the same thing.”
“It’s strange that the results automatically assume I want ‘.com’. I entered ‘greatdomain,’ and the results display ‘greatdomain.com’ as available. If I haven’t specified ‘.com,’ why is it being presented this way?”