WEB USABILITY/ACCESSIBILITY: BEST PRACTICES FOR SUBJECT LIBRARIANS
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The document outlines best practices for web usability and accessibility for subject librarians, highlighting the importance of creating useful, learnable, and enjoyable systems for all users. It distinguishes between various concepts, such as user experience (UX), user-centered design (UCD), and universal design for learning (UDL), while emphasizing the necessity of anticipating and mediating barriers to enhance education access. Furthermore, it provides technical standards and resources to improve web content accessibility for individuals with disabilities.
![ACRONYMS, ACRONYMS, ACRONYMS…
IA: (Information Architecture)
Information architecture (IA) is the
structural design of
shared information environments;
the art and science of organizing and
labelling websites, intranets, online
communities and software to support
usability and findability; and an
emerging community of practice focused
on bringing principles
of design, architecture and information
science to the digital
landscape.[1] Typically, it involves
a model or concept of information that is
used and applied to activities which
require explicit details of
complex information systems. These
activities include library systems
and database development.
https://www.uxbooth.com/articles/complete-beginners-guide-to-information-architecture/](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/20jun10hardinllsretreat-210210215010/85/WEB-USABILITY-ACCESSIBILITY-BEST-PRACTICES-FOR-SUBJECT-LIBRARIANS-4-320.jpg)
WEB USABILITY/ACCESSIBILITY: BEST PRACTICES FOR SUBJECT LIBRARIANS
- 1. WEB USABILITY/ACCESSIBILITY: BEST PRACTICES FOR SUBJECT LIBRARIANS Greg Hardin LLS 2020 Retreat June 10th, 2020
- 2. USABILITY • Useful: Does it do something people need done? • Learnable: Can people figure out how to use it? • Memorable: Do they have to relearn it each time they use it? • Effective: Does it get the job done? • Efficient: Does it do it with a reasonable amount of time and effort? • Desirable: Do people want it? • Delightful: Is using it enjoyable, or even fun? Usability can be described as the capacity of a system to provide a condition for its users to perform the tasks safely, effectively, and efficiently while enjoying the experience.
- 3. ACCESSIBILITY Accessible Education Anticipating and mediating social/environmental barriers to enhance access for all learners. It is an ongoing process that continuously cycles through 3 steps: 1) Anticipating barriers and 2) finding ways to mediate these barriers 3) to enhance access for all. Equality: This image represents a status quo classroom where, due to an exclusionary layout, learners do not have equitable access to the classroom. Some learners can reach the chalkboard to write on it and some cannot. Everyone is treated “the same”, or “equally”, and expected to write on the chalkboard. However, this arrangement is not fair; the chalkboard is accessible to some and too high for others who need to sit while writing. Accommodation: This image shows a classroom where learners with disabilities are raised to a level “learning field” with their peers. They have equitable access to education through the individualized accommodation of a ramp and platform that elevate them to the chalkboard. Accessibility: This image represents Accessible Education – the proactive design of learning environments with a diverse group of learners in mind. Instead of a “one size fits all” approach or providing an individualized accommodation, the arbitrary barrier of chalkboard height is mediated by lowering it and increasing its size so that all learners can access and write on it. https://flexforward.pressbooks.com/chapter/accessible-education/
- 4. ACRONYMS, ACRONYMS, ACRONYMS… IA: (Information Architecture) Information architecture (IA) is the structural design of shared information environments; the art and science of organizing and labelling websites, intranets, online communities and software to support usability and findability; and an emerging community of practice focused on bringing principles of design, architecture and information science to the digital landscape.[1] Typically, it involves a model or concept of information that is used and applied to activities which require explicit details of complex information systems. These activities include library systems and database development. https://www.uxbooth.com/articles/complete-beginners-guide-to-information-architecture/
- 5. ACRONYMS, ACRONYMS, ACRONYMS… UX: (User Experience) User experience (UX) is a person's emotions and attitudes about using a particular product, system or service. It includes the practical, experiential, affective, meaningful and valuable aspects of human–computer interaction and product ownership. Additionally, it includes a person's perceptions of system aspects such as utility, ease of use and efficiency. User experience may be subjective in nature to the degree that it is about individual perception and thought with respect to a product or system. User experience varies dynamically, constantly modifying over time due to changing usage circumstances. Simplified, user experience is about how a user interacts with, and experiences, a product. UX Factors 1. Useful 2. Usable 3. Desirable 4. Findable 5. Desirable 6. Accessible 7. Credible 8. Value http://semanticstudios.com/user_experience_design/
- 6. ACRONYMS, ACRONYMS, ACRONYMS… UXD, UED, or XD: (User Experience Design) User experience design (UXD, UED, or XD) is the process of manipulating user behavior through usability, usefulness, and desirability provided in the interaction with a product. User experience design encompasses traditional human–computer interaction (HCI) design and extends it by addressing all aspects of a product or service as perceived by users. User Experience Design seeks to develop the experience of a product, service, or event along any or all of the following dimensions: • Duration (initiation, immersion, conclusion, and continuation) • Intensity (reflex, habit, engagement) • Breadth (products, services, brands, nomenclatures, channels/environment/promotion, and price) • Interaction (passive ↔ active ↔ interactive) • Triggers (all human senses, concepts, and symbols) • Significance (meaning, status, emotion, price, and function)
- 7. ACRONYMS, ACRONYMS, ACRONYMS… IxD: (Interaction Design) Interaction design (IxD) is the creation of a dialogue between a person and a product, system, or service. This dialogue is both physical and emotional in nature and is manifested in the interplay between form, functions, and technology as experienced over time - John Kolko Interaction design has five basic principles or what developers often call dimensions. 1D: Words 2D: Visual Representations 3D: Physical Objects or Space 4D: Time 5D: Behavior
- 8. ACRONYMS, ACRONYMS, ACRONYMS… SD: (Service design) Service design is the activity of planning and organizing people, infrastructure, communication and material components of a service in order to improve its quality and the interaction between the service provider and its customers. This is very similar to UX and IxD but to looks at the whole service offering of a company, not only the customer facing systems but the supporting systems as well. For example, if you make the kitchen great, the customers of a restaurant will have a better experience. Six service design principles 1.Human-centered 2.Collaborative 3.Iterative 4.Sequential 5.Real 6.Holistic
- 9. ACRONYMS, ACRONYMS, ACRONYMS… UCD: (User Centered Design) or UDD: (User-Driven Development) User-centered design (UCD) or user-driven development (UDD) is a framework of processes (not restricted to interfaces or technologies) in which usability goals, user characteristics, environment, tasks and workflow of a product, service or process are given extensive attention at each stage of the design process. User-centered design can be characterized as a multi-stage problem-solving process that not only requires designers to analyze and envision the way users are likely to consume a product, but also to validate their assumptions with regard to the user behavior in real world tests. The essential elements of UCD of a website are considerations of visibility, accessibility, legibility and language.
- 10. ACRONYMS, ACRONYMS, ACRONYMS… UD: (Universal Design) Universal design is the design of buildings, products or environments to make them accessible to all people, regardless of age, disability or other factors.
- 11. ACRONYMS, ACRONYMS, ACRONYMS… UDL: (Universal Design for Learning) Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is an educational framework based on research in the learning sciences, including cognitive neuroscience, that guides the development of flexible learning environments and learning spaces that can accommodate individual learning differences. http://udlguidelines.cast.org/
- 12. ACRONYMS, ACRONYMS, ACRONYMS… (Design Thinking) Design Thinking ideology asserts that a hands-on, user-centric approach to problem solving can lead to innovation, and innovation can lead to differentiation and a competitive advantage. This hands- on, user-centric approach is defined by the design thinking process and comprises 6 distinct phases.
- 13. KRUG’S FIRST LAW OF USABILITY Don’t Make Me Think! Krug, S. (2014). Don't make me think, revisited: A common sense approach to Web usability. https://iii.library.unt.edu/record=b5802045 (DP Reserves) google books https://www.google.com/books/edition/Don_t_Make_Me_Think_Revisited/QlduAgAAQBAJ
- 14. DON’T MAKE ME THINK • Searchers scan, satisfice and muddle through • We don’t’ read pages. We scan them • We don’t’ make optimal choices. We satisfice. • We don’t’ figure things out. We muddle through. • Four things you can right now • Fix the usability problems that confuse everyone • Read an article Theofanos, M. F., & Redish, J. (2003). Guidelines for accessible and usable web sites: Observing users who work with screen readers. Interactions, 10(6), 38- 51. • Read a book Yesilada, Y., & In Harper, S. (2019). Web accessibility: A foundation for research. • Go for low hanging fruit
- 15. TIPS How do people read on the web? Web users: • skim, scan, and select • browse • forage • quick glances and occasional very brief stops • read a little at a time • mostly in short burst • grab and get on towards the goal Less is more! • Include only what users want and need. • How? • Cut! Cut! Cut! Find the essence. • Put it away for a day or two. • Look it over and cut again. • With each sentence, ask: Do users want or need that? • Then ask: Do they really want or need that? https://libguides.mit.edu/writing-for-web
- 17. Check your LibGuides with WAVE! The WAVE tool is recommended by and for LibGuides for checking accessibility. Read and follow their step-by-step instructions. Any errors will be flagged for your attention, along with other areas that work but might be improved. • The host, WebAIM (Web Accessibility In Mind), is a great site to familiarize yourself with too. https://webaim.org/ WAVE http://wave.webaim.org/
- 18. ARL ACCESSIBILITY TOOLKIT Standards & Best Practices (Technical Standards) • Provide appropriate alt-text • Provide appropriate document structure • Provide headers for data tables • Ensure users can complete and submit all forms • Ensure links make sense out of context • Caption and/or provide transcripts for media • Ensure accessibility of non-HTML content, including PDF files, Microsoft Word documents, PowerPoint presentations and Adobe Flash content • Allow users to skip repetitive elements on the page • Do not rely on color alone to convey meaning • Make sure content is clearly written and easy to read • Make JavaScript accessible • Design to standards https://accessibility.arl.org/standards-best-practices/#technical-standards
- 19. LINKS & RESOURCES LibGuides Help • When you are logged into the LibGuides system, click on the Help option in the orange title bar. • LibGuides Community Search by institution or topic to see guides from the larger LibGuides community. • Springshare Lounge Discussions, forums, and information for users of Springshare products (must create an account). • Springshare Support Blog News and updates from Springshare. Key Best Practice Resources • Best Practices Guide from Springshare Springshare's recommendations and explanations for creating functional and usable guides. • Writing for the Web: Guidelines for MIT Libraries A nice, sensible, readable guide to writing for the web. • List of Best Practices Resources from CUNYA good list of web design resources and sample guides. • Standards and Best Practices (Libguide for Butler University Librarians) A good example of a best practices guide. • Best Practices - Layout & Content (University of Illinois, Urbana Champaign) A good example of a best practices guide
- 20. LINKS & RESOURCES Accessible Website Resources • WebAIM - Start here! This site helps organizations make their web content accessible to people with disabilities. It includes an introduction to web accessibility, training, and site checkers. • Section508.gov - This site explains the U.S. laws and regulations for web site accessibility. • Usability.gov - This resource about user experience (UX) best practices also provides information on website accessibility. • Web Accessibility Initiative from W3C - This site provides extensive information on getting started, designing sites for inclusion, accessibility guidelines, planning, and evaluating accessibility. • Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) - This page explains WCAG 2.0 and 2.1, international standards for developing accessible web sites. • ARL Web Accessibility Tooklit - The Association of Research Libraries offers standards, best practices, and a plan for fostering an inclusive institution. • Web and App Accessibility (ebook) - This free ebook from UsableNet helps you achieve and maintain accessibility and usability on your web site.