Optimal Workshop will launch a new tool in June (2015), but they are still keeping the details and features of the tool a secret. I have high hopes regarding the tool since I think I know what it will be.
Some of you may know that Optimal Workshop acquired UXpunk a bit over a year ago (I think it was February 2014). My suspicions are that they are integrating some of the UXpunk features into their suite of tools. If I remember correctly, the main feature UXpunk had that Optimal lacked was a method of creating website navigation elements (utility, primary navigation and footer navigation) so they could be tested.
This feature, Plainframe, was a hybrid between a first click test and a tree test. It allowed the participant to click utility links at the top of the page or footer links at the bottom and record it as a first click. At the same time, if the participant clicked the primary navigation, it dropped down and showed sub levels of the navigation (similar to a tree test) and the participant would indicate where in the navigation they expected to find the information. Below is an image where I tried to recreate the look of Plainframe as I remembered it:
When I used Plainframe I felt it was missing a few key features and I hope Optimal has addressed these over the one-year period of integrating the tool into their suite. The main issue I had was the lack of customization of the primary navigation menu. For example, it was not possible to use a megamenu or place the second level menu to the left as a side bar, or as tabs below the primary menu.
I am really looking forward to this new tool since the other Optimal Workshop products are great. They are easy to use and it is easy to analyze the results, which also has improved with their recent redesign of their analysis pages. I guess their recent redesign of the analysis also might have been a step towards integrating Plainframe.
If you want the check out their teaser page for the new tool and have the chance to win a free 5 year subscription, visit the following link https://www.optimalworkshop.com/new-ux-tool .
© David Juhlin and www.davidjuhlin.com, 2015