Usability for iCONN
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The document discusses usability testing of library databases and websites. It defines usability and user experience (UX), and explains why they are important for customer loyalty. It also outlines the key elements of UX design including learnability, efficiency and satisfaction. The document then describes how the University of Connecticut conducted usability testing of its database locator and redesigned it based on the test results to improve the user experience.
![Usability, User Experience, & Library Databases Stephanie Willen Brown Electronic Resources Librarian University of Connecticut [email_address] 860.486.4855](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/usability-iconn-feb09-090301075839-phpapp01/85/Usability-for-iCONN-1-320.jpg)
![Jargon to Library Users “ E RIC, I think it ’s some kind of journal … some kind of citation. ” Reference Shelf “[It’s] very general. You don’t know what to expect as it could be anything.”](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/usability-iconn-feb09-090301075839-phpapp01/85/Usability-for-iCONN-13-320.jpg)
![For More Information Recommended articles about usability testing http://gslis.simmons.edu/mw/browns/Usability Keep in touch! Stephanie Willen Brown [email_address] IM: CogSciLibrarian](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/usability-iconn-feb09-090301075839-phpapp01/85/Usability-for-iCONN-42-320.jpg)
Usability for iCONN
- 1. Usability, User Experience, & Library Databases Stephanie Willen Brown Electronic Resources Librarian University of Connecticut [email_address] 860.486.4855
- 3. Act Like a User: Find Information about Diabetes Two questions What’s the first thing you see? Where can you get information on diabetes? Site 1 Site 2
- 6. Today Define UX, usability Why do they matter? Discuss elements of UX as they affect web sites Sample patron interaction UConn’s usability test Assessment Test Results
- 7. Why Should We Care About UX? “ Your web site is the embodiment of your library ... For customers to feel they have a good relationship with your library, they must first feel they have a good relationship with the web site — and that begins with the user experience.” Paraphrased from Garrett, J.J. “ Customer Loyalty and the Elements of User Experience”
- 8. The Elements of User Experience Peter Morville, Ambient Findability
- 9. What is Usability? Usability … assesses how easy user interfaces are to use . The word “usability” also refers to methods for improving ease-of-use during the design process. Jakob Nielsen, Usability 101
- 10. Components of Good Design Learnability Efficiency Memorability Error recovery Satisfaction
- 11. How to Achieve Good Design Think like a user Consistent design Tweak text
- 12. Consistency Color, graphics Orientation & navigation Language
- 13. Jargon to Library Users “ E RIC, I think it ’s some kind of journal … some kind of citation. ” Reference Shelf “[It’s] very general. You don’t know what to expect as it could be anything.”
- 14. Jargon for Travelers You need the cheapest round-trip ticket from Boston to London. You go to These are your options – which is right? Flights & Prices Fares 3 Best Itineraries
- 15. How Identify Site Problems? Objectively evaluate site Focus group of Current / typical users Non-users! Surveys of Current / typical users Non-users! Usability studies
- 16. Focus Groups vs. Usability Testing UConn usability testing, first round Patrons couldn’t navigate, find what they needed Objectively: disastrous BUT: In response to question “Rate this site, 1-5 s” Testers rated to In response to question “would you recommend this to a friend?” Testers said yes
- 17. Usability Testing Define users Create tasks to mimic what users would realistically do on site Do usability testing early & often 3-5 users highlights 85% of errors Better to test several small groups than 10-15 at once Note errors, redesign and retest
- 18. Suggested Usability Setup Facilitator Participant @ computer Note-taker 2 Note-taker 1
- 19. Scenarios: Volunteer Requested Someone who hasn’t used EBSCO’s Student Research Center Willing to answer “typical” questions in front of database committee While volunteer attempts to perform task, Audience: Note the first thing you see Note problems encountered by volunteer
- 21. Usability Test Questions: Student Research Center You really like airplanes and enjoy seeing photos of planes. Can you find images of the Wright Brothers and their first flight? You have to research Martin Luther King, Jr. for a Black History Month project. Can you find some information about him? For a class in career development, you need to find information about a job that you might want. You always wanted to be an astronaut ... can you find information about that career?
- 22. Audience Reaction to Test Thoughts about database What did you notice first? What problems were encountered? Thoughts about test process What surprised you?
- 24. UConn’s Redesign Goals Database usage statistics outweighs f2f library-user contact in 2006: f2f contact with patrons: 55,629 Database sessions: 470,327 UConn Libraries Plan 2010 “Scholar’s Portal: “ Provide immediate, unmediated , and comprehensive access to digitized research and scholarly collections worldwide.”
- 25. Usage Log Analysis March - May 2006, UConn patrons … Used the subject browse 18,000 times. Performed a keyword search 15,800 times; and Clicked on Databases by Title 6,600 times;
- 26. Query Log Analysis Databases america history and life lexus nexus infotrack Subjects education pharmacy medicine anthropologyu Topics hamlet insane adopted children of same sex couples “ why doesn’t the us have a eurpean-style welfate state?”
- 27. Terms Used in DC PL OPAC DC PL data; http://www.walkingpaper.org/1123
- 28. Usability Testing: 3 Rounds Who? 3 undergraduates, 1 grad, 1 faculty in each Storrs & regional campuses What? First tested old system Major redesign Tested redesign Tweaked design Tested again
- 29. Usability Tasks Find articles about diabetes for your nursing class Your professor said “use a database named ERIC” Find a newspaper article from the day you were born … plus 6 more …
- 30. Diabetes Article, I diabetes
- 33. What We Did Removed search box Created topical arrangement that students would expect (UConn major) Limited to 5 databases per page (Best Bets) Sorted by relevance: 1 st database would be good enough in most cases Offered more databases if they clicked on “more” Best bets marked on the longer database page Shortened written descriptions
- 35. Best Bets in Library Science
- 36. UConn’s Database Descriptions, I ABI/Inform Global ABI/Inform Global Full-text articles from 1800 journals covering business, finance, management and related functional areas. ABI/INFORM Global indexes a total of 2700 major publications. Subject coverage includes: business and management, including all functional areas.
- 37. Database Description, Essential Info ABI/Inform Global ABI/Inform Global Full-text articles from 1800 journals covering business, finance, management and related functional areas. ABI/INFORM Global indexes a total of 2700 major publications. Subject coverage includes: Business and management, including all functional areas.
- 38. UConn’s Database Description, II ABI/INFORM Global Articles in business, finance, management, accounting, advertising, banking, insurance, marketing, public administration, real estate, and telecommunications. 1991-current (fulltext); 1971-current (index & abstracts).
- 39. Final Round of Testing
- 40. Tech Notes RDL is public view of data elements from “home-grown” electronic resource management system (ERM) ERM written in PHP MySQL Some javascript Ajax
- 41. UConn Redesign Team Stephanie Willen Brown , electronic resource librarian & liaison to Communication Sciences Susanna Cowan , undergraduate education & outreach librarian Kate Fuller , reference collection maintenance coordinator and / administrative assistant Jill Livingston , reference librarian/liaison to the school of allied health Tom Wood , applications developer Co-authors: “Making Unmediated Access to E-Resources a Reality: Creating a Usable ERM Interface,” Reference and User Services Quarterly, Spring 2009
- 42. For More Information Recommended articles about usability testing http://gslis.simmons.edu/mw/browns/Usability Keep in touch! Stephanie Willen Brown [email_address] IM: CogSciLibrarian
Editor's Notes
- #2: Start with some questions about creating / using web sites Ever had a problem using a web site? Your fault? Theirs? Important strategy to improve web sites is usability – and the focus of today’s talk… But first Who has a sense of what usability is? Anyone done any usability testing? http://www.sxc.hu/photo/453218 Go to https://spirit.lib.uconn.edu/ERM//index.php?liaisonEditSubjectPage= & bookmark tab