Usability Express: Recipe for Libraries

Usability Express : Recipe for Libraries Bohyun Kim ( @bohyunkim ) Digital Access Librarian Medical Library Marissa Ball ( @unlikelylib ) f Emerging Technologies Librarian f Green Library Computers in Libraries, Washington D.C. March 23, 2011

“ Usability is like cooking: everybody needs the outcome, (and) anybody can do it reasonably well with a bit of training. ” - Jakob Nielsen, “Anybody Can Do Usability”

Why Usability?

Bohyun Kim & Marissa Ball - 3/23/2011 Computers in Libraries 2011 http://xkcd.com/773/

Bohyun Kim & Marissa Ball - 3/23/2011 Computers in Libraries 2011

Users don’ t …
Read content on a web page.
Want to learn how to properly use a web site.
Visit your web site every day.
Return to a site where they could not achieve what they set out to do.
Users are always on the move.

From Don't make me think! : a common sense approach to Web usability by St eve Krug.

From Don't make me think! : a common sense approach to Web usability by St eve Krug. Bohyun Kim & Marissa Ball - 3/23/2011 Computers in Libraries 2011

On the average Web page, users have time to read at most 28% of the words during an average visit; 20% is more likely. From Harald Weinreich, Hartmut Obendorf, Eelco Herder, and Matthias Mayer, "Not Quite the Average: An Empirical Study of Web Use," in the ACM Transactions on the Web, Vol. 2, No. 1 (February 2008). Bohyun Kim & Marissa Ball - 3/23/2011 Computers in Libraries 2011

Users and designers do not think alike. A usable website looks right to users. Bohyun Kim & Marissa Ball - 3/23/2011 Computers in Libraries 2011

Usable = ‘Fit for Use’
Intuitive to use
Easy to recover from being lost/a mistake
Conducive to users’ performing tasks
No need to learn at the first visit
No need to recall at repeated visits
No frustration = Happy user-experience

Libraries and Usability Bohyun Kim & Marissa Ball - 3/23/2011 Computers in Libraries 2011

Why is it so hard to make a library website user-friendly?

Libraries offer a lot!
Many systems - But almost all are information silos
Many different services - In terminology often foreign to users
Many details, forms, and departments - Often confusing rather than informing

Libraries often get these wrong:
Pre-conceived notions of importance
Lack of research on users behavior
Belief that design can change user behavior
Design based upon a committee
-> Slow, design lack unity, and represents insiders’ opinions more than users’
Writing unsuited for the web

Common Usability Problems & Examples

Clutter / Noise
Dated look
Too subtle design
Unclear terms / library jargon
Redundant or unnecessary content
Bad writing
Design against convention
Unintuitive navigation
Usual Suspects Bohyun Kim & Marissa Ball - 3/23/2011 Computers in Libraries 2011

Promote all things -> Nothing stands out.
Users have no idea where to focus/start.
Information overload -> Stress
1. Clutter / Noise Bohyun Kim & Marissa Ball - 3/23/2011 Computers in Libraries 2011

1 Bohyun Kim & Marissa Ball - 3/23/2011 Computers in Libraries 2011 You don ’t think libraries do this to users, but…

Bohyun Kim & Marissa Ball - 3/23/2011 Computers in Libraries 2011 ABC Library

Bohyun Kim & Marissa Ball - 3/23/2011 Computers in Libraries 2011 ABC Library ABC Library ABC Library

1 Bohyun Kim & Marissa Ball - 3/23/2011 Computers in Libraries 2011 ABC Library ABC Library ABC Library ABC Library ABC ABC Library ABC Library ABC Library ABC Library ABC ABC ABC

Improve by taking things out rather than adding them.
Be aware of clutter creeping in.
Users are happy to click ‘as long as’
it is mindless &
they know that they are getting closer.
1. Clutter / Noise Bohyun Kim & Marissa Ball - 3/23/2011 Computers in Libraries 2011

Lowers the credibility of the site.
Users suspect outdated content .
2. Dated Look Bohyun Kim & Marissa Ball - 3/23/2011 Computers in Libraries 2011

2 Bohyun Kim & Marissa Ball - 3/23/2011 Computers in Libraries 2011 ABC Library

ABC Library 2 Bohyun Kim & Marissa Ball - 3/23/2011 Computers in Libraries 2011

Replace old icons, images, typography.
Update a CSS file to give a new look.
As long as the site architecture is sound, serves the same group, and has clear task pathways that work, no need to redesign.
2. Dated Look Bohyun Kim & Marissa Ball - 3/23/2011 Computers in Libraries 2011

Users scan web pages like a billboard while driving a car at 60 miles/hr.
Subtlety in web design often backfires.
Good web design ≠ Good print design
3. Too Subtle Design Bohyun Kim & Marissa Ball - 3/23/2011 Computers in Libraries 2011

3 Bohyun Kim & Marissa Ball - 3/23/2011 Computers in Libraries 2011 ABC Library ABC Library

3 Bohyun Kim & Marissa Ball - 3/23/2011 Computers in Libraries 2011 ABC Library ABC Library ABC Library

Make visually clear what’ s most important, valuable, popular.
Provide a clear visual hierarchy on the page.
Break pages up into a clearly defined areas .
3. Too Subtle Design Bohyun Kim & Marissa Ball - 3/23/2011 Computers in Libraries 2011

Test your site with new users.
Card sorting method
4. Unclear Terms/Library Jargon Bohyun Kim & Marissa Ball - 3/23/2011 Computers in Libraries 2011

Replace all jargons with plain terms.
Do not use the product names that the vendors picked on your library website!
Use a short description if necessary.
4. Unclear Terms/Library Jargon Bohyun Kim & Marissa Ball - 3/23/2011 Computers in Libraries 2011

Redundant content creeps in as time goes by.
Welcome, Introduction, etc.
Unnecessary content = Small talk
Users have no interest in small talk.
Answer users’ questions, not yours.
Serve content that users can grab and go.
5. Redundant/unnecessary Content Bohyun Kim & Marissa Ball - 3/23/2011 Computers in Libraries 2011

5/6 Bohyun Kim & Marissa Ball - 3/23/2011 Computers in Libraries 2011 XYZ University ABC Library

Make a content inventory.
Review content by category & purpose.
Remove overlapping, redundant, unnecessary content.
5. Redundant/unnecessary Content Bohyun Kim & Marissa Ball - 3/23/2011 Computers in Libraries 2011

Rewrite a page to be of the half of its length.
Then cut more!
Do:
Use clear headings.
Make paragraphs short.
Start with the key point.
Make content easy to scan (*bullets)
6. Bad Writing Bohyun Kim & Marissa Ball - 3/23/2011 Computers in Libraries 2011

5/6 Bohyun Kim & Marissa Ball - 3/23/2011 Computers in Libraries 2011 XYZ University ABC Library

6 Bohyun Kim & Marissa Ball - 3/23/2011 Computers in Libraries 2011

The best ally of usability is convention.
Anything that prompts a pause and thinking is bad.
Surprise
Confusion
Agony over choice
Stress
7. Design against Convention Bohyun Kim & Marissa Ball - 3/23/2011 Computers in Libraries 2011

Bohyun Kim & Marissa Ball - 3/23/2011 Computers in Libraries 2011 ABC Library 7

7 Bohyun Kim & Marissa Ball - 3/23/2011 Computers in Libraries 2011 ABC Library Where am I?

Don’ t underestimate the value of convention.
Be creative without sacrificing usability.
Convention implies:
Obvious & predictable = familiarity
No need to learn how to use
No need for explanation/description
-> User satisfaction
7. Design against Convention Bohyun Kim & Marissa Ball - 3/23/2011 Computers in Libraries 2011

Is it an information architecture issue?
If so, use usability testing methods to find out what navigation structure / organization of content makes sense to users.
8. Unintuitive Navigation Bohyun Kim & Marissa Ball - 3/23/2011 Computers in Libraries 2011

Planning & Conducting User Testing: quick, cheap & easy

The User-centered Design Cycle
“ Usability is an iterative process of testing /redesign, retesting /redesign, & retesting /redesign.” (Luther)

Classic Testing Cycle
Profiling
Planning
Place
Participants
Materials & Scripts
Sessions
Debriefing
Analyzing
Recommendations
Bohyun Kim & Marissa Ball - 3/23/2011 Computers in Libraries 2011 testing retesting redesign

Who are they? Bohyun Kim & Marissa Ball - 3/23/2011 Computers in Libraries 2011

Profiling … it’s not just for law enforcement
Focus groups, surveys, and analytics data can all help you build your user profiles and determine which users to focus on
“ Usability studies should be targeted to specific users in order to derive an accurate result” (Nathan)

Who are they? How many users are needed? Bohyun Kim & Marissa Ball - 3/23/2011 Computers in Libraries 2011 Happy Library Users

“ Ideal” sample size?
Varying “ideals” across usability literature, however, the quick and dirty camp promotes the following-
“ The ultimate user experience is improved much more by 3 tests with 5 users than by a single test with 15 users. ” (Nielsen)

Goals of Profiling
Inform testing methods
Inform design
Tell you what your users really want/need out of your site- how does this align with your goals?
Tells you who all of your user groups really are
Bohyun Kim & Marissa Ball - 3/23/2011 Computers in Libraries 2011 Happy Library Users

Discount & Guerrilla Usability Methods
Simplified & informal
Varied & multiple
Focus groups & surveys
Card sorting
Contextual interviews & intercepts
Paper prototyping

1. Focus Groups & User Surveys
Moderated discussions & written feedback
Will reveal qualitative feedback that will help to inform and compliment the design process
Works well paired with other methods
Expect sessions to last 1-2 hours

2. Card Sorting
Interactive tasks that result in developing optimal Web site organization
Plan to have users group items into categories and help you label these clusters
Open vs. closed sorting
Expect the activity to last 1-2 hours

3. Contextual Interviews & Intercepts
Based on observations of users in their environment
Casual and informal
Ask Questions
“… next to the (formal) usability test itself, the contextual interview is probably the best tool in the box.” (Pace)

4. Paper Prototyping
Easy, disposable, adaptable, affordable
Allow your users to be creative
Create “screen shots” of various states/screens of your site for users to interact with

GOAL: Heuristics & User Expectations
Visibility of system status
Match between the system & the real world
User control & freedom
Consistency & standards
Error prevention
Recogniton , not recall
Flexibility & efficiency of use
Aesthetic & minimalist design
Recognize , diagnose & recover from errors
Help & documentation

“… librarians are ideal professionals to be spearheading the move towards a usable web environment” - Shelag K. Genuis

Usability Resources

Steve Krug, Don ’t Make Me Think, New Riders Press, 2005.
Steve Krug, Rocket Surgery Made Easy, New Riders Press, 2009.
Usability testing scripts and forms: http://www.sensible.com/
Jakob Nielseon, Ten Usability Heuristics http://www.useit.com/papers/heuristic/heuristic_list.html
Jakob Nielseon, Anybody can do usability http://www.useit.com/alertbox/anybody-usability.html
Jakob Nielson, How Little Do Users Read? http://www.useit.com/alertbox/percent-text-read.html
Jakob Nielson, UseIt.com - http://www.useit.com/
14 Heuristics by OCLC http://www.oclc.org/usability/heuristic/set.htm
Usability.gov - http://usability.gov/
COI Usability Toolkit - http://usability.coi.gov.uk/
Usability Toolkit by Society for Technical Communications http://www.stcsig.org/usability/resources/toolkit/toolkit.html

Usability Resources at University of Michigan Library http://www.lib.umich.edu/usability-library/usability-library-resources
Susanna Davidson and Everyl Yankee, Website Design with the Patron in Mind, ALA, 2004.
LibSuccess Wiki – Web Design: http://www.libsuccess.org/index.php?title=Website_Design
Writing for the Web by Gerry McGovern http://www.gerrymcgovern.com/guide_write_01.htm
Janice Redish, Letting Go of the Words: Writing Web Content that Works, Morgan Kaufmann, 2007.
How to do a content audit by Hilary Marsh http://www.contentcompany.biz/articles/content_audit.html
Content Audit and Analysis http://www.faithwarren.com/fwg/category/Content-Audit-and-Analysis.aspx
Content Inventory http://www.adaptivepath.com/ideas/essays/archives/000040.php


Questions?

Additional References
Genuis, S.K. (2004). Website usability testing: a critical tool for libraries. Feliciter, 4, 161-167
Nathan, R.J. , Yeow, P.H., & Murugesan, S. (2008). Key usability factors of service oriented web sites for students: an empirical study. Online Information Review, 32, 302-324.
Pace, A.K. (2003). The usability toolbox. Computers in Libraries, January, 50-52.

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Usability Express: Recipe for Libraries

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