1. The Secret to User-Centered Web Design:
Cheap, easy and powerful usability techniques
Erica Reynolds, Johnson County Library
reynoldse@jocolibrary.org
Description: Whether you are implementing a hosted Web calendar of events,
rebuilding an entire site, or just looking for a good label for a new online service, the
secret to patron-centered Web design is to talk to your patrons. Through cheap and
easy patron testing you can quickly discover what works and what doesn't work for the
majority of your patrons. In order to ensure the new JoCoLibrary Web site met the
needs of patrons and staff, the Johnson County Library conducted card sorts, paper
prototypes, interface usability studies, and other techniques. Find out how you can
employ the same techniques, what we learned through our patron-testing, and
discover the super secret added bonus you'll enjoy when you embrace usability testing
as part of your regular course of business.
Recording documents, reports, and other examples are at:
www.jocolibrary.org/usability)
Highly recommended resources:
Krug, Steve. Don’t Make Me Think: A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability, 2nd
Edition (2005)
Nielsen, Jakob. http://www.useit.com/
Nielsen Norman Group. Paper Prototyping: A How-To Training Video (on DVD)
Available at: http://www.nngroup.com/reports/prototyping/
Rosenfeld, Louis and Peter Morville. Information Architecture for the World Wide
Web: Designing Large-Scale Web Sites (2006)
Synder, Carolyn. Paper Prototyping: The Fast and Easy Way to Design and Refine User
Interfaces (2003)

2. Usability techniques
Card Sorts
Supplies:
 Index cards
 Black sharpie (or other semi-
thick black felt tip)
 Posterboard (for site or sub- site
projects)
 Recording sheets (for
moderator/recorder)
 Basket of treats/give-aways
Preparation:
 Develop core tasks/questions
 Develop script
 Develop recording method (online survey systems work well)
 Develop recording sheets
Recruiting volunteers:
 Guerilla recruitment (wander around and ask staff and patrons)
 Only need about 5-6 people per study if you’re getting consistent results
Testing time:
5 minutes – 15 minutes per test
Location of test:
Anywhere with a table or flat surface to lay out the cards/posterboard
Staff needed:
One moderator/recorder
Reporting:
 Entering the results per test (about the same time as it takes to conduct
each test)
 Running reports (again, online surveys work well)
 Analyze results
 Share the results with staff

3. Paper Prototyping
Supplies:
 Paper prototypes of the Web/
interface design
 Paper prototypes of tier 2 and
3 screens, search screens
 Paper prototypes of drop-
downs, widget options
 Tape
 Transparencies (to serve as the
screen protector)
 Thin dry-erase marker (to serve as the mouse/keyboard)
 Paper towels to erase
 Recording sheets (for moderator/recorder)
 Video camera and software (optional)
 Basket of treats/give-aways
 Snacks & drinks
Preparation:
 Develop core tasks/questions
 Develop script
 Develop recording method (online survey systems work well)
 Conceptualize and develop examples of Tier 1, 2 and 3 screens, search
screens
Recruiting volunteers:
 Recruit volunteers (talk to volunteer coordinator, ask for volunteers on your
Web site, ask for volunteers from walk-in patrons, always ask for volunteers
in all Web surveys to build up a list of potential volunteers)
 Invite volunteers to participate and send out potential schedule (about a
week in duration)
 Confirm volunteers for schedule and inform them when/where to arrive
 Only need about 5-6 people per study if you’re getting consistent results, so
schedule at least 7 to account for no-shows.
Conducting the tests:
45 minutes – 1 hour per test
Location of test:
Comfortable, quiet room with small table that allows “the computer” to reach
the screens
Staff needed:
 One moderator/recorder (if you don’t have a video camera you might
consider dividing these responsibilities among two people—it’s difficult to
moderator and record accurately)

4.  One “computer” (the person who acts as the computer and switches the
screen)
Reporting:
 Entering the results per test (about the same time as it takes to conduct
each test)
 If you use digital video, it can take some time for the software to render
the recording into a portable digital file.
 Running reports (again, online surveys work well)
 Analyze results
 Share the results with staff
Usability Studies
Supplies:
 Computer with internet
connection
 New Web/interface with real
content
 Camtasia or other Web screen-
capture software (demo
versions available)
 Microphone
 Recording sheets (for
moderator/recorder)
 Basket of treats/give- aways
 Snacks & drinks
Preparation:
 Develop core tasks/questions (if you’ve done paper prototypes, this step
should be completed—but you might want to refine them)
 Develop script
 Develop recording method (online survey systems work well)
 Practice with screen capture software and know what type of digital files
you’ll produce after each study
 Develop Web interface with real content (demo content can be distracting)
Recruiting volunteers:
 Recruit volunteers (talk to volunteer coordinator, ask for volunteers on your
Web site, ask for volunteers from walk-in patrons, always ask for volunteers
in all Web surveys to build up a list of potential volunteers)
 Invite volunteers to participate and send out potential schedule (about a
week in duration)
 Confirm volunteers for schedule and inform them when/where to arrive
 Only need about 5-6 people per study if you’re getting consistent results, so
schedule at least 7 to account for no-shows.

5. Conducting the tests:
45 minutes – 1 hour per test
Location of test:
Comfortable, quiet room with a table, internet connection and computer or
place to hook up laptop
Staff needed:
One moderator/recorder
Reporting:
 Entering the results per test (about the same time as it takes to conduct
each test)
 When using the screen capture software, it can take some time for the
software to render the recording into a portable digital file
 Running reports (again, online surveys work well)
 Analyze results
 Share the results with staff