UX Research & Usability Audit
Cineplex Usability Audit: Uncovering Friction in the Movie Booking Experience
RESEARCH APPROACH
Our Methodology
Responsibilities
I helped design our testing protocol, set up surveys and remote tests using Google Forms and UsabilityHub, and personally moderated 2 of the 5 user sessions. After analyzing the data with my team, I proposed UI solutions that directly addressed the friction points we discovered, which you'll see in the redesign sections below.
Tools
Zoom
Google Forms
Usability Hub
Canva
Adobe XD
Testing Protocol
We recruited 5 participants (ages 18-35) and conducted remote usability testing via Zoom. Each session combined quantitative and qualitative methods to capture both behavioral data and user sentiment.
The Testing Flow
5-Second Test — Assessed first impressions and information hierarchy
Pre-Test Survey — Gathered context on movie-watching habits and preferences
First Click Test — Identified whether users could find filtering options intuitively
Preference Test — Compared two design approaches for visual appeal
Task Scenarios — Observed users completing 4 real-world tasks with think-aloud protocol
Post-Test Survey — Captured overall satisfaction and improvement suggestions
Moderator Introduction
5-Second Test
Pre-test Survey
First Click Test
Preference Test
Task Scenarios
Post-test Survey
Moderator Wrap Up
Key Findings
What We Discovered
Our testing revealed critical friction points that prevented users from completing basic tasks. The problems clustered around three areas identified in our heuristic evaluation: task functionality, search capabilities, and navigation clarity.
FINDING #1: “VIP” Terminology Created Confusion
Users couldn't figure out how to book dinner reservations because the feature was hidden under unclear labeling.
The Problem
When asked to "make a reservation for dinner and a movie," participants had no idea where to click. The navigation label "VIP" was vague and didn't communicate that it included dining options.
"Are they even doing reservations at the moment?" —Participant 2
“Ahh ‘Food & Drinks’... This is just the menu, I can't do anything here." —Participant 4
"What restaurants would let you book through cineplex?" —Participant 5
The Impact
0% task completion rate. All 5 participants failed to complete this task, with an average attempt time of 4 minutes 47 seconds before giving up.
The ambiguous "VIP" navigation label gave users no indication that dining reservations were available.
FINDING #2: No Way to Filter Movies
Users expected filtering functionality but couldn’t find it, leading to frustration and inefficient browsing.
The Problem
When asked to find a “PG-13 drama currently playing,” participants clicked the “Format” dropdown, expecting filters for genre, rating, date, and location. Instead, they found only viewing experience options (IMAX, 3D, 4DX).
"What's on? - I just have to go through all this...." —Participant 2
"I don't think search will do much." — Participant 4
"I don't really know any of these movies so I'm going to click on them until I find a drama." — Participant 5
The Impact
Only 20% completion rate (1 out of 5 users). Participants reported feeling “fairly” or “rather frustrated” about the missing functionality.
What Users Expected to Filter By
Genre (drama, comedy, action)
Rating (G, PG, PG-13, R)
Date/showtimes
Theatre location
Newest releases
First-click test heatmap showing all participants clicking the “Format” dropdown, expecting comprehensive filtering options.
FINDING #3: Outdated Visual Design Undermined Trust
While not a usability blocker, the homepage’s cluttered design affected user confidence and perception of quality.
The Problem
In the preference test, 4 out of 5 participants preferred the cleaner Cineplex Store page over the main homepage. They described the original as "unprofessional," "cluttered," and "outdated."
The Impact
80% of participants preferred the cleaner store page design, citing improved visual hierarchy and professionalism as key factors.
Why Users Preferred It
Cleaner, more minimal design
Larger movie images with less text
Simplified, systematic navigation
Stronger visual hierarchy
Store Page (80%)
Original Homepage (20%)
FINDING #4: The Numbers Tell the Story
We tracked task completion rates and time-on-task to measure usability across four critical user flows:
Participant
P1
P2
P3
P4
P5
Success Count
Completion Rates (%)
Time on Task (avgs.)
Task 1
✗
✗
✗
✗
✗
0
0%
4m 47s
Task 2
✗
✔
✔
✔
✔
4
80%
2m 12s
Task 3
✗
✔
✔
✔
✔
4
80%
1m 46s
Task 4
✗
✗
✗
✗
✔
1
20%
2m 47s
Two out of four tasks had completion rates below 50%, indicating systemic usability problems that needed immediate attention.
Task completion metrics revealed critical failures in reservation booking and movie filtering flows.
Proposed Solutions
Solving Friction Through Targeted Redesign
Based on our findings, I designed targeted improvements to address the two highest-impact pain points: unclear navigation labels and missing filter functionality.
SOLUTION #1: Replace "VIP" with Clear, Descriptive Labels
The Change
Renamed the ambiguous "VIP" navigation item to "Dinner & A Movie" to clearly communicate the dining reservation feature.
Why This Works
Uses language that matches user mental models
Immediately communicates what the feature offers
Removes guesswork from the navigation flow
Expected Impact
Renaming the navigation label from "VIP" to "Dinner & A Movie" directly addresses the 0% completion rate on Task 1 by eliminating ambiguity and making the feature discoverable.
Before
After
SOLUTION #2: Surface the Hidden Filter Menu
The Change
I repurposed the existing “Refine Your Search” functionality (which was buried deeper in the flow) and brought it to the movie listing page. I replaced the misleading “Format” dropdown with a prominent “Refine Your Search” button that includes:
Genre filters (drama, action, comedy, etc.)
Rating filters (G, PG, PG-13, R)
Theatre distance
Viewing experience (IMAX, 3D, 4DX, VIP)
Why This Works
Places filters exactly where users expected them (confirmed by first-click test heatmap)
Consolidates all filtering options in one accessible location
Leverages existing UI rather than building from scratch
Expected Impact
Replacing the "Format" dropdown with "Refine Your Search" is expected to dramatically improve Task 4's 20% completion rate. Based on first-click test results, the filter is positioned exactly where all participants clicked when searching for filtering options, providing the genre, rating, location, and viewing experience options they expected.
Before
After
Reflection
What I Learned
This project taught me that the most valuable insights come from watching real users struggle. No amount of heuristic evaluation could have predicted that every single participant would fail to find the dinner reservation feature—but observing it happen in real time made the problem (and solution) crystal clear.
Key Takeaways
Multi-method testing reveals different types of problems: quantitative data shows where users struggle, while think-aloud protocols reveal why
Small labeling changes can have massive impact on task completion
Users form expectations based on common patterns—fighting those patterns creates unnecessary friction
Recommended Next Steps
I would validate these proposed solutions through A/B testing with 20+ users to measure:
Improved task completion rates
Reduced time-on-task
Increased satisfaction scores
I'd also expand testing to include:
Mobile usability testing
Accessibility with assistive technology
Additional task flows (gift cards, loyalty signup)
Final Thoughts
Strong research doesn't always require a shipped product to be valuable. By clearly identifying what to fix, why it matters, and how to solve it, this audit provided Cineplex with a roadmap for immediate, high-impact improvements.
Disclaimer
This usability test report may contain copyrighted material the use of which has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. This usability test has helped me to promote my capabilities and advance my education specifically in the area relating to user experience (UX) research and includes my personal opinions, satire, criticism and review. I believe this constitutes a ‘fair use/dealing’ of any such copyrighted material.