usability studies for public libraries

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Cheap, easy and powerful usability techniques

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Cheap, easy and effective usability tools for designing user-centered Web sites.

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Page 1: Usability Studies for Public Libraries

Cheap, easy and powerful usability techniques

Page 2: Usability Studies for Public Libraries

Creation and Destruction are Forever Linked

Page 3: Usability Studies for Public Libraries

User-centered Web design

I. When should you run usability studies? II. Usability techniques III. Recruiting volunteers (patrons and

staff) IV. Reporting and communicating resultsV. Super secret added bonus of usability

testing and reporting VI. What we missedVII. What we are working on now

Page 4: Usability Studies for Public Libraries

Developing a new site

Page 5: Usability Studies for Public Libraries

Usability techniques prior to JoCoLibrary launch

• Day-long focus groups with staff• 78 card sorts• 22 paper prototype• 21 interface usability studies• 1 staff feedback survey (with 158

respondents)• 1 patron feedback survey (155

respondents)

Page 6: Usability Studies for Public Libraries

Developing a sub-site

Page 7: Usability Studies for Public Libraries

Implementing a new application

Page 8: Usability Studies for Public Libraries

Implementing a new application

Page 9: Usability Studies for Public Libraries

Or simply determining a patron-friendly label or name

Page 10: Usability Studies for Public Libraries

Before you start….

Determining the core tasks (this is the tricky part)

• Do you have input from all the stakeholders?

• Who is signing off on this?• Is there anyone else who can sink it?• Who will actually be doing the work?• Intranets are even trickier…

Page 11: Usability Studies for Public Libraries

Core tasks

• What are the most important things your users should be able to do on your site?

• For card sorts, this should be limited to around 20 tasks

• For full prototypes or interface usability studies, these need to be whittled down to 10ish.

• After you identify your core tasks, write your questions

Page 12: Usability Studies for Public Libraries

Establishing core tasks

Core Tasks & Usability Questions for JoCoLibrary June 2007

You would like to watch Crash on DVD. How would you find out if the Johnson County Library has the movie for you to check-out?

Core task: Find/search the catalog

You’d like a recommendation for something to read. What would you do?Core task: find staff selections/recommendations

You would like to renew some books you have checked out. What would you do?Core task: find “My Account” or contact us

How would you find out if the library offers computer classes?Core task: find calendar of events

Page 13: Usability Studies for Public Libraries

Establishing core tasks

Core Tasks & Usability Questions for JoCoLibrary June 2007

You want to know when the Central Resource Library is open. Where do you find that?

Core task: Library hours

You have heard that the library delivers books to people who are homebound. How would you find out more?

Core task: find library services

You are starting a new business and need information. Where do you start?

Core tasks: find partnership/subject specific site

Page 14: Usability Studies for Public Libraries

Establishing core tasks

Core Tasks & Usability Questions for JoCoLibrary June 2007

You or your child has a paper on pollution that is due tomorrow. You’ve searched the Web and not found anything, and the library is closed. What would you do?

Core tasks: use articles and more to do research

You’ve read about downloadable audiobooks on the library’s Web site, but you want to ask a librarian for more information. What would you do?

Core task: find contact us (Live chat, e-mail, phone, etc…)

Page 15: Usability Studies for Public Libraries

Usability techniques

Card Sorts

Paper Prototyping

Usability Studies

Page 16: Usability Studies for Public Libraries

Card sorts to determine labels

Page 17: Usability Studies for Public Libraries

More card sorts

Page 18: Usability Studies for Public Libraries

Hybrid card sorts/prototypes

Page 19: Usability Studies for Public Libraries

Paper prototyping

Page 20: Usability Studies for Public Libraries

Usability studies

Page 21: Usability Studies for Public Libraries

More usability studies

Page 22: Usability Studies for Public Libraries

Encourage interaction and input

Page 23: Usability Studies for Public Libraries

Recruiting volunteers

Page 24: Usability Studies for Public Libraries

Recruiting volunteers

Page 25: Usability Studies for Public Libraries

Recruiting volunteers

Page 26: Usability Studies for Public Libraries

Recruiting volunteers

Page 27: Usability Studies for Public Libraries

Reporting results

Overall Usability 2007, Phase 1

Very successful

51%

Successful18%

Moderately successful

24%

Not successful

7%

Overall Usability 2007, Phase 2

Very successful

47%

Successful29%

Moderately successful

20%

Not successful4%

JoCoLibrary Usability Studies, Phase 2July 23-26

Page 28: Usability Studies for Public Libraries

Reporting results

Adult Usability Results 2004

Very successful

33%

Moderately successful

16%

Not successful

42%

Successful9%

Adult Usability Results 2007, Phase 1

Moderately successful

24%

Very successful

51%

Not successful

7%

Successful18%

Overall results (all studies combined) 2004 vs. 2007:

Page 29: Usability Studies for Public Libraries

Reporting and communicating results

Page 30: Usability Studies for Public Libraries

Super secret added bonus of testing, reporting & keeping

everyone involved

Staff understanding & buy-in!• Staff scavenger hunt: 113 respondents• 87.5% love it or like it• 10.8% think it’s ok• 0% didn’t like it or hated it• 1.8% “Other”• What should we improve before launch?

“That’s a tough one. You all have exceeded my expectations.”

Page 31: Usability Studies for Public Libraries

Launched August 15, 2007!

Page 32: Usability Studies for Public Libraries

What we missed

Page 33: Usability Studies for Public Libraries

What we missed

Page 34: Usability Studies for Public Libraries

What we missed

Page 35: Usability Studies for Public Libraries

What we missed

Page 36: Usability Studies for Public Libraries

What we missed

Page 37: Usability Studies for Public Libraries

What we are working on now

Page 38: Usability Studies for Public Libraries

What we are working on now

1

2

3

5

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Page 39: Usability Studies for Public Libraries

Usability studies…

• Save you time from quibbling, from making a lot of bad decisions, from revising based on a poorly designed foundation

• Ensure that you’re thinking through each step• Give you evidence to help you make decisions• Give you evidence to back up your decisions

later• Let you see things from a user-perspective• Show your colleagues and patrons what you do• Encourage user participation in site

development in a meaningful way• Are always worth the time and effort…

Page 40: Usability Studies for Public Libraries

I’m happy to share anything!

Erica [email protected]

www.jocolibrary.org/usability