Extreme Makeover: Web Site Edition Laura Solomon, MCIW, MLS Library Services Manager OPLIN [email_address]

AGENDA Some basics Usability: more than you ever wanted to know Emergency fixes Advanced therapies Makeover time!

Some basics

Usability: more than you ever wanted to know

Emergency fixes

Advanced therapies

Makeover time!

Defining terms Usability Accessibility Findability Web page versus web site Web designer versus web developer HTML vs. XHTML/CSS DEFINING TERMS

Usability

Accessibility

Findability

Web page versus web site

Web designer versus web developer

HTML vs. XHTML/CSS

Usability is… … not this.

… not this.

Accessibility… …is not just about the handicapped.

…is not just about the handicapped.

Findability

Page vs. site One versus many Old versus new “ home page”

One versus many

Old versus new

“ home page”

Designer vs. developer www.hfccwebclub.com/webtips/webtips.php

www.hfccwebclub.com/webtips/webtips.php

HTML vs. XHTML/CSS Hypertext Markup Language Extensible Hypertext Markup Language & Cascading Style Sheets Why does it matter?

Hypertext Markup Language

Extensible Hypertext Markup Language & Cascading Style Sheets

Why does it matter?

Web site myths

“ Content is king”

“ Presentation is more important than function”

“ Sites are viewed equally”

This is cool. (NOT.)

“ Users won’t scroll past the fold.”

past the fold.”

“ The 3-Click Rule”

“ Usability is about stupid users”

“ Usability is common sense” packphour.wordpress.com/2007/12/08/common-sense/

packphour.wordpress.com/2007/12/08/common-sense/

“ Build it and they will come”

“ Any site is better than no site” NO.

NO.

Usability: More than you ever wanted to know

Usability:

More than you ever wanted to know

What is usability? Interaction is measured Weaknesses identified

Interaction is measured

Weaknesses identified

Lab not required

Poor design costs $$$

“ Bad usability is like a leaky pipe” http://www.90percentofeverything.com/2006/11/13/bad-usability-is-like-a-leaky-pipe/

http://www.90percentofeverything.com/2006/11/13/bad-usability-is-like-a-leaky-pipe/

3 main styles of testing Exploratory Threshold Comparison

Exploratory

Threshold

Comparison

Exploratory—searching for confusion

Threshold

Comparison

Some practical techniques Card sorting Heuristics Scenario-based testing Data mining

Card sorting

Heuristics

Scenario-based testing

Data mining

Card sorting

Card sort instructions: Scatter all the index cards on your desk. 2) Sort the index cards into small piles according to similarity. 3) Arrange the small piles into larger groups that appear to belong to an overall category. 4) Invent a name for each of the larger groupings, write it on a slip of paper, and attach each slip to the corresponding group.

Scatter all the index cards on your desk.

2) Sort the index cards into small piles according to similarity.

3) Arrange the small piles into larger groups that appear to belong to an overall category.

4) Invent a name for each of the larger groupings, write it on a slip of paper, and attach each slip to the corresponding group.

Heuristic evaluation PRINCIPLES

Scenario-based testing

Mine your logs!

Time for a break!