Web Site Usability with Remote Users

ABSTRACT

Incorporating usability into any Web site creation or redesign is essential. Capturing the perspective of the user makes the site more efficient and effective for the people who will actually be using it. There are a number of usability techniques and several can be incorporated in a study of remote users. The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of how the traditional usability techniques of focus groups and formal usability studies can be extended to studies involving off-campus users.     

What a User Wants: Redesigning a Library's Web Site Based on a Card-Sort Analysis

ABSTRACT

Web site usability concerns anyone with a Web site to maintain. Libraries, however, are often the biggest offenders in terms of usability. In our efforts to provide users with everything they need for research, we often overwhelm them with sites that are confusing in structure, difficult to navigate, and weighed down with jargon. Dowling College Library recently completed a redesign of its Web site based upon the concept of usability. For smaller libraries in particular, such a project can be a challenge. The Web site is often maintained by one or two people, and finding the time and resources to conduct a usability study is difficult in that situation. Additional demands of a site redesign, from restructuring page layouts to adding visual appeal, only add to the burden. However, our team of four librarians was able to do it. We focused on vocabulary and organizational structure using a card-sort analysis. This analysis taught us how our users approach the information on our site. Task-based testing confirmed what the card-sort analysis had taught us and smoothed out design problems. Incorporating user feedback at nearly every stage of the process allowed us to create a site that more closely mirrors how our users look for information on our site. This study details how using testing and analyzing results throughout the redesign process created a better, more user-friendly Web site.     

Conversations with Web Site Users: Using Focus Groups to Open Discussion and Improve User Experience

ABSTRACT

User feedback on Web site design can be vital to understanding what issues library users may encounter when visiting a Web site, but obtaining this feedback can be time consuming, difficult to structure, and expensive. In past years, staff working on the Cal Poly Pomona University Library Web site collected user feedback from surveys and usability testing. This team was interested in acquiring a more basic understanding of how users interact with the Web in general, whether for research or other purposes, and how such experiences could inform design decisions. This article will discuss what focus groups are, why libraries should consider conducting focus groups for Web site testing and development, how focus groups can complement usability testing, and if focus groups are worth the time and effort. Results from focus group sessions will also be shared and discussed including information that fueled design decisions and benefits that participants gained from the experience.     

Assessing Library Instruction Through Web Usability and Vocabulary Studies

ABSTRACT

Can we use the methods of Web usability testing to learn about library instruction? This article is among the first in the field trying to establish a link between usability and instruction. The author discusses useful insights that Web usability can bring to our pedagogy as well as to the efficiency of library instruction. The result of a Web usability study conducted at LaGuardia Community College in 2005 are examined. Findings suggest direct relationships between what is being taught in library instruction sessions and how students browse and search library resources. The author discusses vocabulary test results and draws some parallel with students' success at finding information on the library Web site. Finally, a conceptual model of library instruction assessment through usability studies is presented. The author hopes to provide an innovative approach to library instruction assessment.     

Focus Groups and Usability Testing in Redesigning an Academic Library's Web Site

ABSTRACT

As the World Wide Web has advanced since its inception, librarians have endeavored to keep pace with this progress in the design of their library Web pages. User recommendations collected from focus groups and usability testing have indicated that the University of Scranton's Weinberg Memorial Library's Web site was not working as intended, and the library's home page, in particular, was cluttered. Focus groups indicated that the process of accessing the library's databases from off-campus took too many steps, key resources were not located in key areas of the page, links were too close together, and the font was too small. Library staff determined it was necessary to rethink and redesign its pages. Self-reports from focus groups were insufficient to get at the mechanics of Web page use. Through usability testing, librarians were able to observe students and faculty completing simple research and directional tasks. Before “going live” with the new page in January 2007, users who had participated in the focus groups and in the usability testing were surveyed about the redesigned library Web page. The users indicated that the new Web page was less confusing, easier to use, and somewhat more intuitive than the previous library Web page. Web sites are always works in progress, and academic librarians should be proactive about making changes to their library Web sites to take advantage of emerging technology and to meet user expectations.     

Card-Sorting Usability Tests of the WMU Libraries’ Web Site

ABSTRACT

This article describes the card-sorting techniques used by several academic libraries, reports and discusses the results of card-sorting usability tests of the Western Michigan University Libraries’ Web site, and reveals how the WMU libraries incorporated the findings into a new Web site redesign, setting the design direction early on. The article briefly describes open and closed card-sorting techniques and quantitative and qualitative methods of analyzing data commonly used in computer and library science fields. Findings from this study allowed the library design team to vastly improve its initial redesign decisions for a new Web site tabbed navigation system. Card sorting not only helped the design team validate its redesign decisions, but it also opened the WMU libraries to outside innovation, inviting Web site visitors to redesign the Web site free from the libraries’ influence. The simple and inexpensive techniques used here may be useful to any Web librarian or design team embarking upon redesign and usability testing of their own sites and interested in building a more compelling, insightful Web site.     

Tracking the Elusive Student: Opportunities for Connection and Assessment

ABSTRACT

At Eastern Michigan University, information about library resources and services for Extended Programs (off-campus and online) students was provided in a number of online locations and was sometimes inconsistent and difficult to manage. The library formed an internal task force to evaluate all of the library information and instructional materials provided to Extended Programs students. The task force consolidated key information in one location on the library Web site and collaborated with departments within the library and around campus to provide links from the relevant online locations. This case study describes how Google Analytics was used to assess the use of the revised library Web site and online instructional materials by Extended Programs students. The researchers describe examples of techniques for using Google Analytics and explain how the data collected was used to identify further enhancements to the information provided to Extended Programs students.     

Measuring Law Library Catalog Web Site Usability: A Web Analytic Approach

ABSTRACT

Although there is a proliferation of information available on the Web, and law professors, students, and other users have a variety of channels to locate information and complete their research activities, the law library catalog still remains an important source for offering users access to information that has been evaluated and cataloged by experts. The usability of the catalog needs to be effectively measured before any necessary improvements can be made. This study was undertaken to investigate the information retrieval patterns of users of the Rutgers Law Library Online Public Access Catalog and to develop the catalog into a more effective search tool for these users. This study used an experimental approach to measure the usability of our catalog by analyzing the transaction logs from the OPAC system and the results from Google Analytics. The findings provided not only important information on user demographics and their computer systems, but also more insight on the search behaviors of users. The specific findings included the following:

1. As a Web-analytic tool Google Analytics provided extensive information on the OPAC and the navigational behaviors of users.

2. Fifty-eight percent of our users visited the Web site regularly.

3. The most popular search method, which was employed by 37% of our users, was by title.

4. Most patrons used computer systems with a high resolution and color depth monitor and visited the catalog Web site with a high-speed Internet connection.

5. Suggestions were made by the authors to improve the users’ search experience of the catalog Web site.

This study is significant to libraries with Web catalogs because it demonstrates the potential value of using Google Analytics as a Web analytics tool in combination with the OPAC transaction logs to measure catalog usability.     

Improving Access to Electronic Resources (ER) Through Usability Testing

SUMMARY

Electronic resources (ER) constitute an increasingly significant portion of library collections, both in usage and cost. It is vital to design easy, efficient access to these collections as users have other online options to meet their information needs. Thus, an important goal for ER librarians is to provide a usable ER site. Formal usability testing is a powerful tool to help librarians create the most useful site for their customers. This chapter will cover the basic components of usability testing and suggest ways in which ER librarians can lead efforts in their institution to improve the customer experience with library Web sites. ER librarians can create buy-in from library staff for usability testing as a worthwhile method to improve access to ER through involvement in the process and sharing results of the testing. The responsibilities of ER librarians vary from one institution to another, but all share in the mission of the profession to serve its customers' information needs. This chapter addresses the possibilities of usability testing as a force to maximize the user experience with the collections ER librarians manage.     

Working Without a Crystal Ball: Predicting Web Trends for Web Services Librarians

ABSTRACT

User-centered design is a principle stating that electronic resources, like library Web sites, should be built around the needs of the users. This article interviews Web developers of library and non-library-related Web sites, determining how they assess user needs and how they decide to adapt certain technologies for users. According to the panel, to understand these issues, Web services librarians should (a) give patrons a way to provide feedback on library sites; (b) observe and contemplate technology in a group setting; (c) only adapt technology that addresses a specific patron need; and (d) consider the library Web site as a part of the library, not a replacement for it.     

Helping Users Help Themselves

Abstract

Traditionally, distance students have completed their research in an electronic environment and off-campus librarians have strived to meet the needs of these students using a variety of methods. Today our students are familiar with the Web as a medium of interaction, and library usage has changed as a result of electronic services on the Internet. Given the dramatic increase in usage of our Off-Campus Library Services' Web site, a survey was conducted to determine whether the content of the site and the services offered were simple and useful to our users. This paper presents the results of the survey as well as a discussion of the changes to the site as a result of feedback from students.     

Collecting and Applying Usability Data from Distance Learners

ABSTRACT

Growth of their college's off-campus and online course offerings led librarians at SUNY Oswego to run usability tests with off-campus students to compensate for a lack of responses from this population during earlier usability testing. Constraints on testing with off-campus students included lack of funding and librarian time, as well as difficulty in attracting student participation. A brief usability study that could be completed by students in the first 10 minutes of class was devised, consisting of a first click test, a survey question, and a top task analysis activity. The study was conducted with 22 students from a satellite-campus Master's in Education program. Discussion includes selecting appropriate tests, analysis of study results, and application of data for improving Website design and information literacy instruction in an academic library.     

Making Sense of an Academic Library Web Site: Toward a More Usable Interface for University Researchers

ABSTRACT

Library patrons familiar with Web searching conventions often find library searching to be less familiar and even intimidating. This article describes and evaluates a series of usability research studies employing two different and popular methodologies: user-centered redesign and usability testing. Card sorting and affinity mapping were used to conceptualize how information should be classified and presented on the library's main page. Usability scenarios and think-aloud protocols were used to explore how students, especially those new to the campus, conceptualize the information-seeking process and how they go about conducting a search. Participants included library employees, university faculty, staff, and students. These methods can be replicated by any library, large or small, and demonstrate that even small-scale usability evaluations can improve patrons' understanding of and access to library resources.     

User-Centered Design in Practice: The Brown University Experience

ABSTRACT

This article presents a case study in user-centered design that explores the needs and preferences of undergraduate users. An analysis of LibQual+ and other user surveys, interviews with public service staff, and a formal American with Disabilities Act accessibility review served as the basis for planning a redesign of the Brown University Library's Web site. Three testing phases were conducted: individual usability testing of the existing site and baseline data collection on Web use preferences; focus groups to respond to a functional prototype and search prototypes; and individual usability testing and interviews on revised functional prototypes. The delicate task of obtaining staff buy-in without letting their opinion drive the redesign was accomplished by keeping the project team small and nonrepresentational, submitting all conflicts to user testing, and promising an intranet that would meet the specialized needs of staff. A commitment to experimentation and a willingness to jettison design and functional elements which did not meet user approval kept the design process agile and flexible. Prototype testing of a variety of search options clearly demonstrated that the lack of integration in a library's information system makes it difficult to rationalize and optimize the user's search experience. Difficulties enlisting staff to edit existing Web content were solved by outsourcing content review and editing for Web-appropriate length and format. Except for this content review, the Web site redesign and usability testing were all conducted in-house with limited resources and a nine-month time-frame. The study's focus on user expectations and nomenclature largely confirmed the results of previous studies.     

Chat It Up! Extending Reference Services to Assist Off-Campus Students

Abstract

A virtual reference service is likely to attract both on-campus and off-campus students and providing one service for all users can extend the hours of availability to all students. The needs of these two student populations may differ and off-campus users may present some specific challenges to the reference staff. While some libraries do have a specified distance education librarian, it is unlikely at many institutions that there will be reference staff dedicated only to answering questions from off-campus students. Reference services for off-campus students do present special issues about which general reference staff may not be aware. With awareness of these challenges and proper training, an existing virtual reference service can be extended (or improved) to help off-campus students, or a new chat service can be developed with the objective to assist all user groups with equal success.     

Online Library Instruction

ABSTRACT

At the School of Nursing, University of Wisconsin-Madison, librarians and clinical faculty are working collaboratively to produce Web-based learning modules.

The collaboration resulted in four Web-based learning objects, including a virtual tour of the library Web site and three assignment-centered tutorials. Modules are short (15 minutes), focused on specific learning objectives and easily accessible on- and off-campus. They are embedded in an online course environment and free librarians to provide more customized instruction to classes upon request.

This poster presentation will demonstrate sections of the four modules, detail the development process, and explain how modules currently support School of Nursing curriculum andoutline implications for future development.     

Card Sorting in an Online Environment: Key to Involving Online-Only Student Population in Usability Testing of an Academic Library Web Site?

ABSTRACT

Based on in-person, task-based usability testing and interviews, the authors' library Web site was recently overhauled in order to improve user experience. This led to the authors' interest in additional usability testing methods and test environments that would most closely fit their library's goals and situation. The appeal of card sorting methods became evident: learning more than users' points of confusion interacting with the site, but learning users' preferences for grouping pages or concepts and naming various library links. The appeal of the online venue for card sorting was first that testing could incorporate input from a larger base of users than in-person testing alone, and, additionally, that testing could include the university's online-only student population.     

Anything,Anytime, Anywhere

Abstract

Students and faculty have come to expect off-campus access to the full portfolio of electronic resources made available by their library. They demand, and should be provided, simple access to electronic information sources 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, regardless of their location. Proxy servers have been the solution of choice for remote authentication for some time now, but library users tend to have difficulty with manually configured proxies, and there are beginning to be robust alternatives that can provide secure off-campus access to library resources. Remote authentication should not be a matter of getting a proxy server running and then forgetting about it. New developments should be investigated to ensure the easiest, most reliable and most secure access possible-in the interests of libraries and their users.     

Selecting Electronic Document Delivery Options to Provide Quality Service

Abstract

Providing electronic document delivery (EDD) services to off-campus students can be a challenge. Methods of delivery that work well for one group of users might not work at all for another group. Knowing and using the different EDD service options to accomplish the goal of providing quality service to students results in a win-win situation. Student expectations of timely delivery of material are met and the department develops a reputation of dependable quality service. Library users have raised expectations from the 24/7 services available through the World Wide Web. Providing EDD of information to the researcher's desktop helps the library meet these needs and expectations. However, the options for desktop delivery can also be overwhelming, so knowing how and why different software and delivery methods work enables the practitioner to control the outcome of the transaction. This control over the service also ensures that quality service expectations are met by the library since the practitioner has the ability to use a variety of delivery options to the user's desktop.