MICROSOFT WORD AND LIBRE

OFFICE USABILITY TEST AND

COMPARISON.

Mariner, Craig
 1

Table of Contents
Table of Contents .......................................................................................................................................... 0
Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 2
Methodology................................................................................................................................................. 2
Tasks.......................................................................................................................................................... 2
Methods .................................................................................................................................................... 2
Results ........................................................................................................................................................... 3
Task 1: Create a table and fill it with data. ............................................................................................... 3
...................................................................................................................................................................... 3
Task 2: Make a Chart................................................................................................................................. 4
Task 3: Fit multiple pages to one page in print preview. .......................................................................... 5
Task 4: Copy and paste information from a Word document. ................................................................. 6
Task 5: Insert an image and position the image. ...................................................................................... 6
Task 6: Add a Header and Footer.............................................................................................................. 7
Task 7: Edit Text, font, font size, color. ..................................................................................................... 8
Task 8: Create a new page at the bottom of the document. .................................................................... 9
Task 9: Add Comments to the document. ................................................................................................ 9
Task 10: Format Painter. ......................................................................................................................... 10
Recommendations ...................................................................................................................................... 10
References .................................................................................................................................................. 11
Appendix 1 Raw Data ............................................................................................................................... 12
 2

Introduction
Microsoft Word and Libre Office Writer are both word processors with a multitude of
applications. This white paper contains the results of a usability test preformed on Microsoft
Word and Libre Office Writer. Microsoft word is the most commonly used word processor, and
it requires a subscription to use. Libre Office Writer is free and can be downloaded by anyone
with an internet connection. The usability test evaluates and compares the two applications to
each other. The intention of this usability test is to see how a free application compares to an
application that is a paid subscription.

Methodology

Tasks
Task 1: Create a spreadsheet and fill with data.
Task 2: Make a chart.
Task 3: Fit multiple pages to one page in print preview.
Task 4: Copy and Paste Information from another Word document.
Task 5: Insert an Image and position the image.
Task 6: Add a header and footer.
Task 7: Edit Text, font, font size, color.
Task 8: Create a new page at the bottom of the document.
Task 9: Add comments to the document.
Task 10: Format painter.

Methods
The Criteria used to evaluate the tasks are:
Effective: Ability to complete the task.
Efficient: Time taken to perform the task.
Engaging: How well the software guided the user through the task.
Error Tolerant: The software helped avoid making mistakes, and made completing the task
obvious to the user.
Easy to Learn: The software made completing the tasks simple and intuitive.
 3

The five criteria are rated on a Likert scale ranging from 1-5. 1 being Strongly Disagree, 2 being
Agree, 3 being Neutral, 4 being Disagree, and 5 being Strongly Agree. This test was conducted
at home using an Acer laptop from home with Microsoft Word version 2016 and Libre Office
Writer.

Results
Task 1: Create a table and fill it with data.

Creating a Table in Microsoft Word
fill it with information.
Microsoft Word
The user can select the insert tab and
from there they can click on the table
icon. The table icon pulls a drop-down
menu up and allows the user to
customize the number of rows and
columns in the table. Once the number of
row and columns are selected the table
will appear in the document starting
where the cursor was last place. The user
can then click anywhere in the table and

Libre Office
Creating a table is done
through the table tab in
Libre. After clicking on
Insert Table a window
pops and asks for the
number of rows and columns. Once the number of rows and columns is chosen the user clicks
Insert in the pop up window, and the table will appear in the document at the cursors current
location. Updating contents in the table is done by clicking on a cell and typing in data.
This task was accomplished in both applications with ease. Microsoft Word made completing
this task faster and easier because its visual design is more intuitive than Libres. Microsoft
Word also allows the user to see an image of the table before it is inserted which makes it more
error tolerant the Libre. Having a separate tab for Table in Libre was initially confusing and
 4

made completing the task take longer. Updating data in the table was the same for both
applications.

Task 2: Make a Chart.

Microsoft Word
This task is accomplished by selecting the
Insert tab and clicking on the chart icon. A
chart will be inserted using data from
Microsoft Excel. The data must come from
excel. If no excel data is selected to make a
chart Microsoft Word will pull up a
Microsoft Excel window and create data
Chart form Word and make a chart for the user to manipulate.
The chart can be moved and manipulated like a regular image.

Libre Office
Task 2 is accomplished by
going to the insert tab and
selecting chart. A chart type
is then chosen in a pop up
window. Data can then be
pulled from a table in the
Libre document or a Calc
document, Calc is Libres
version of Excel. Once the
chart type and data is
Libre Chart Insertion selected the user clicks
finish in the pop up window and the chart appears in the document. The image of the chart can
be moved and manipulated like any other inserted image.
 5

Libre was more engaging and intuitive than Word in this case. It was much more convenient to
pull the data from the Libre document rather than having to open a separate program, and create
a new set of data. Working with a single program in Libre simplifies the task and greatly and
allows the user to accomplish the task faster.

Task 3: Fit multiple pages to one page in print preview.

Microsoft Word

The user can accomplish this task in

word by clicking print. Microsoft
word will then display some of the
document in a print preview. At the
bottom of the print preview there is
an option to fit multiple pages to
one page. The user can select from 1
to 16 pages per sheet. When print is
selected, the document will print with the number of pages per page selected.

Libre Office
This task is accomplished by selecting
print preview and clicking on the page
layout tab in the print preview pop up
window. The user can then select the
number of pages they want to fit onto a
single page. The user can have 1 to 16
pages printed page. The display on the
print preview will change according to
the selection by the user.

Both application can accomplish this task easily and intuitively. Microsoft Word has a better
design and layout and finding the option to do this in word was easier than in Libre. But the print
preview display in Libre updates in real time and allows the user to see a more accurate depiction
of what they will print more easily.
 6

Task 4: Copy and paste information from a Word document.

Microsoft Word and Libre Office

Copying and pasting from one word document to another is done by selecting information from
one document. Right clicking the selected information and left clicking the copy option. The user
can then select the document they want the copied data in right clicking the document and
selection the paste option. Both application accomplish this task in the exact same manner.
When this task was done in Microsoft Word most of the
information was kept intact, and very little had to be
done to format the copy and pasted information back to
its original format. When this task was done in Libre
much of the copied information had formatting issues.
The spacing between lines changed, the format of the
footnotes were changed, and the font sizes and colors
were changed for a few words. Both application
accomplish the task quickly but Libre requires the user to
make more changes to get the format back to its original
condition.

Libre Copy and Paste

Task 5: Insert an image and position the image.

Microsoft Word
To put an image into a
Word document the user
has to go to the Insert
tab and select Pictures
and image can then be
pulled from a saved
location on the computer.
The image is inserted at
where the cursor in the
document is located.
Right clicking on the
inserted image allows the
user to change the way
the words wrap around
 7

the image. The default setting will insert the image and separate anything it is inserted between.
The size of the image can be increased and decreased, and the image can be dragged around the
document by clicking on the image and dragging it with the mouse.

Libre Office
Inserting an image is done in the same
manner. The image tab in Libre will pull up a
drop-down menu and the user can select the
image option in the menu. Then an image can
be selected from location on the computer.
The default setting for the image makes the
document wrap around the image. The image
can then be moved by clicking on it and
dragging the image through the document.

The default settings for Libre are more convenient than the default Microsoft Word setting.
Having the text wrap around the image immediately causes less formatting issues. Inserting the
image into Word causes everything in the word document to shift drastically. Its easier to move
the image in word and there are more options manipulating the image in word.

Task 6: Add a Header and Footer.

Microsoft Word and Libre Office.

Both application have a header and footer created as a default setting. The header and footer in
Microsoft Word is not visible unless the user double clicks on either one. The header and footer
in Libre is visible as soon as the document is opened but there are very few options for
customizing the header and footer. Word was much more intuitive, and it was more apparent
 8

what changes could be made to the header and footer.

Header and Footer Options Word

Task 7: Edit Text, font, font size, color.

Microsoft Word
Editing the text is done by selecting the text the
user wants to edit, and then clicking on the
desired change in the Font section under the
Home tab.

Libre Office
Editing the text is done the exact same way in
Libre as it is done in word. The only difference
is the location on the icons used to make these
changes. Performing this task is simple in both programs. But accomplishing this in Libre is
more difficult because many of the icons used in Libre look very similar, and the font editing
options are spread out across the software. It can be a hassle to find where an icon is to make a
specific change.
 9

Task 8: Create a new page at the bottom of the document.

Microsoft Word and Libre Office

A new black page can be created in Microsoft Word by clicking on the Insert tab and then
clicking on blank page. A new page will be created at the bottom of the document. There is not
an option to create a new blank page at the bottom of the document in Libre. The user can
instead press enter 46 to move from a blank page to a new blank page.
Creating a new blank page in Microsoft Word is extremely easy and intuitive. It took almost no
time to figure out. Libre falls short here because it does not have the option.

Task 9: Add Comments to the document.

Microsoft Word
In the Review tab the user
can select new comment. The
comment will be placed on a
Microsoft Word Comment selected section of the
document.
Libre Office

Libre Comment

The user can create a comment in Libre by going to the Insert tab, and selecting comment in the
drop-down menu. The comment is place on the selected word or area of the document.
Microsoft Word and Libre Office both complete this task very well. The only problem was
finding the insert comment option in Libre. Navigating the tool bar in Microsoft Word is faster
and easier, and it made a big difference in completing this task quickly.
 10

Task 10: Format Painter.

Microsoft Word and Libre Office.

The format painter is the same for both software applications. The format
painter allows the user to copy a specific format. It is a paintbrush icon in both
application. By clicking on the format painter, and highlighting the text in the
document with the desired format. The user then highlights the text that they
want to change the format.
The only difference between Microsoft Word and Libre are the icon and the
name of the tool. The tool is called the format painter in Microsoft office. In
Word Format Painter
Libre Office the tool is called the clone formatter. The format painter in
Libre Office is a little harder to find because the tool bar is so cluttered. It took a little more time
to complete the task in Libre because of that.

Recommendations
Overall Microsoft Word performs the tasks faster and more easily than Libre Office. Libre
Office can do almost everything Microsoft Word can, and it is a good alternative for anyone who
does not want to pay for a Microsoft Word subscription. Libre Office rarely outperformed
Microsoft Word.
 11

References
https://www.libreoffice.org/download/download/
 12

Appendix 1 Raw Data

Microsoft Word
Effective Efficient Engaging Error Tolerant Easy to Learn
Task 1
5 5 4 4 5
Table creator is much more intuitive. A picture of columns and rows helps visualize
the table before it is created. The table is easier to manipulate and move around the
document.
Notes

Effective Efficient Engaging Error Tolerant Easy to Learn

Task 2
2 3 3 5 4
The chart had to be created through excel. It would not use the table that was created
in the first task. It was much easier to edit the table and move the table around. Word
also has more options for different tables than Libre. Any changes made to the table
Notes
were immediately noticed.

Effective Efficient Engaging Error Tolerant Easy to Learn

Task 3
3 3 4 4 5
It's more engaging in most aspects. But the print preview doesn't display what
multiple pages on one page looks like. But it is easier to learn because there are more
icons that are fairly large and it is overall easier to navigate.
Notes

Effective Efficient Engaging Error Tolerant Easy to Learn

Task 4
4 5 5 3 5
Copying and pasting information from another word document is done the same in
both applications. There are far less formatting issues when this is done with word.
The text is easier to work with and change the format to its original condition.
Notes Footnotes were moved out of footer.

Effective Efficient Engaging Error Tolerant Easy to Learn

Task 5
4 4 3 4 4
Word has a larger variety of options for inserting and playing with the image but
changing the setting is a hassle compared to Libre. It's still easy to use but it feels less
Notes intuitive and the image is more likely to mess up and previous format. Working the
 13

text back to its original position after putting an image into the document can be
frustrating. It still gets the job done just not as well as Libre.

Effective Efficient Engaging Error Tolerant Easy to Learn

Task 6
5 5 5 5 5
The header and footer are already inserted into the new document. So the task is
done by default in both programs. Editing options for the header and footer are much
clearer in word. Word uses more images to guide the user, and changes that will be
made to the header and footer are more apparent. The images that word provides
Notes give and excellent understanding of what the user is about to do and helps cut back
on potential errors and makes the program overall easier to learn.

Effective Efficient Engaging Error Tolerant Easy to Learn

Task 7
5 5 5 5 5
Microsoft word is much easier to use because the visuals are so familiar, and changes
made to font are all located in the same area rather than spread out across the top of
the screen. It was immediately apparent where I could make changes and how to
Notes make them. I did not struggle with any aspect of this task in word. It was
accomplished very quickly and with ease.

Effective Efficient Engaging Error Tolerant Easy to Learn

Task 8
5 5 5 5 5
This task was very simple. I went to the insert tab and click the icon that said blank
page. Then a black page appeared at the bottom of the document.
Notes

Effective Efficient Engaging Error Tolerant Easy to Learn

Task 9
5 5 5 5 5
Word is much easier to use because of the icons. It is better at guiding the user to
what they are looking for. Comments are inserted at the last location of the cursor in
the document. The word next to the cursor is highlighted and the comment shows the
Notes user who wrote the document and who wrote the comment. Which is a nice
unexpected extra feature.

Effective Efficient Engaging Error Tolerant Easy to Learn

Task 10
5 5 5 5 5
The icon is easier to see so the task was completed faster in word. The format painter
Notes is the same for both programs.
 14

Libre
Effective Efficient Engaging Error Tolerant Easy to Learn
Task 1
3 3 2 1 3
It is easy to use, but not as intuitive or manageable as the table creator in Word.
Having a separate tab for table feels out of place. Inserting a table feels more
natural and well organized than having a separate tab. Compared to Word it is
much less forgiving. How to move and manipulate the table is not readily
Notes
apparent.

Effective Efficient Engaging Error Tolerant Easy to Learn

Task 2
4 4 4 1 3
The chart could be created from the table I made in the document in the first task.
It was easier to do and equally engaging as word. It felt more efficient because I
only needed to use one program for the chart. Errors took longer to correct
Notes because the table had to be refreshed whenever changes are made. It's easier to
make but harder to edit.

Effective Efficient Engaging Error Tolerant Easy to Learn

Task 3
3 3 2 4 4
Libre's print preview is less engaging it feels more cluttered. It gives a better
display of the changes made to the document. Especially when multiple pages are
being printed to a single page. It's easier to tell what will print before it is printed
Notes but harder to navigate and customize the printing options. There are fewer icons
to guide the user.

Effective Efficient Engaging Error Tolerant Easy to Learn

Task 4
2 2 5 3 5
This program is less effective because of the numerous formatting issues. The
spacing is ignored through some of the copied information. The footnotes were
changed. Font size was changed in some places. Some of the footnotes from the
Notes copied document were changed to links.

Effective Efficient Engaging Error Tolerant Easy to Learn

Task 5
5 5 3 5 5
Notes
 15

The process for inserting an image is the same in Libre as it is in word. But it is
simpler in Libre because there are less options. The default setting for when the
image is initially inserted feels more intuitive because rather than split the text up
and create a large white space Libre automatically wraps the text. It created far
less formatting issues and the image was easier to move around.
Effective Efficient Engaging Error Tolerant Easy to Learn
Task 6
5 3 3 4 4
It is not as easy to learn because there are less images to guide and show the user
what they are doing to the header and footer. The header and footer are already
inserted in new documents. The user just needs to double click the area that the
Notes header and footer are located. Changes can be made to both through the insert
tab. Or the tab that pops up in either the header or footer area when they are
clicked on. Less visuals makes it less usable and tolerant of errors. It is easier to
mess something up. Correcting any issues is a simple task.

Effective Efficient Engaging Error Tolerant Easy to Learn

Task 7
3 3 1 5 4
Changing the font size and font type was easy enough. It is very similar to
Microsoft Word so finding the icons to make these changes felt normal. The part
that was not as easy was changing the color of the font. Many of the images used
Notes to guide the user in the bar at the top are very similar, and finding the icon to
make changes to the color took much longer than it should have. Many of the
icons use a similar symbol which makes using the program confusing if the user is
not sure what they are looking for.
Effective Efficient Engaging Error Tolerant Easy to Learn
Task 8
1 1 1 1 1
I was unable to find an option to insert a blank page. I had to hit enter enough
times to move the line into a new page. This is an option that should be easy to
find and do, but instead the program makes the user hit enter 46 times to move
Notes the cursor to a new page. It's a simple and frustrating oversight.

Effective Efficient Engaging Error Tolerant Easy to Learn

Task 9
5 5 2 5 5
The insert comment option is located on the same place in both software
applications. It is under the insert tab. The comment is created where the cursor
was last located in the document. It works well but is not as easy to find because
Notes rather than being an icon at the top of the program the insert comment is in a
drop down bar in the insert menu.

Effective Efficient Engaging Error Tolerant Easy to Learn

Task 10
5 5 4 5 5
The format painter is in Libre. It is less engaging because the icon is harder to see
in Libre than it is in Word. It is functionally the same and it is called clone
Notes formatting rather than format painter.
16