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You have what you need (to make your library website great)
The document provides tips for improving a library website based on user needs and best practices. It recommends (1) soliciting patron feedback through usability testing and analytics to understand how patrons use the site currently, (2) assessing content to identify valuable vs unnecessary information, and (3) researching design best practices from sites patrons frequently use and literature on user experience design. The goal is to create a site with useful, usable content that meets patron needs and expectations.
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You have what you need (to make your library website great)
- 1. YOU HAVE WHAT YOU NEED (TOMAKE YOUR LIBRARY WEBSITE GREAT) LIS PARDI @LISPARDI
- 2. HI. I’M LIS. Lisicon by Jay Bellew
- 3. TODAY’S TOPICS • Whenand how to solicit patron feedback on web site updates • How to parse current patron feedback to make effective changes • The role hierarchy and organization play in the experience of your website • The importance of assessing current site content • Hard truths of how your patrons use your site
- 4. THINGS YOU’LL NEED 1.The internet 2. The ability to ask questions 3. The Google
- 5. WHAT MAKES AN EXPERIENCEGREAT? Valued information • derives from a patron-focused strategy Trust • balance requested info and perceived value Ease of use • usability best practices and testing Amazement • the ability to innovate with relevance Adapted from Dante Murphy
- 6. ALL ARE USEFUL, ONEIS MORE USABLE
- 7. THIS SITE HASUSEFUL INFORMATION
- 8. THIS SITE ISUSEFUL AND USABLE
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- 10. VISIT THE SITESYOUR PATRONS ARE USING • You can see what web conventions they’re used to • You may get ideas on how to best implement something THINK ABOUT HOW YOU USE THE INTERNET (But also realize that you’re not your users) What do you like? What’s convenient? What’s easy?
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- 13. Photo by flickruser kake_pugh USERS ARE CONSTANTLY GIVING INPUT, YOU JUST HAVE TO LISTEN
- 14. FREE WAYS TOLEARN ABOUT USERS
- 15. USE THE DATAYOU ALREADY HAVE ACCESS TO Phone call logs Customer requests Suggestion box comments Web search logs (not catalog)
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- 19. THOUGHT EXERCISE What wouldhappen if your library’s website disappeared? You’d probably get a lot of phone calls. What would they be about? The top reasons you get phone calls should be the top information on your site. http://www.walkingpaper.org/6179
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- 22. WRITE A SCRIPT •Include warm-up exercises • Ask the participant to use the library website in a way that they typically would • Devise questions to see if certain features work the way you want them to • Keep questions open-ended • Avoid library jargon
- 23. ESTABLISH TRUST • Makecasual conversation unrelated to your research • Listen patiently • Invite honesty and openness • Use nonverbal gestures to reassure participants that you’re engaged in what they are saying • Stay Neutral • Try asking “why?” in response to answers • Don’t point out mistakes Adapted from Design Thinking for Libraries
- 24. KNOW WHAT TOLOOK FOR • Be like Sherlock • Pay attention to what people do, not what they say • Notice absent-minded workarounds • Observe – did the participant struggle? CAPTURE WHAT YOU SEE • Take notes • Capture direct quotes whenever possible • Write field notes immediately
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- 26. INTERPRETATION OF DATA •Group information to find patterns • Don’t take it at face value • Identify the root problem • Come up with many solutions • Your first idea will be your worst. You only have the first idea so you can have the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th ideas
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- 29. CONTENT AUDIT Do youneed everything you have? Do you KNOW everything you have? (You don’t) • Make a giant spreadsheet • Click every single link and put it in the spreadsheet • Marvel at all the stuff you didn’t know you had
- 30. PRIORITIZE • Not everythingcan be presented at equal weight • Decisions have to be made about what is most important and what is secondary • Feelings will be involved
- 31. $100 GAME • Everyoneis given (an imaginary) $100 • Use this money to “buy” different aspects of your website • The most important things might get $20, less important things will get $1 • Get everyone to talk about and defend their money • Come to a group consensus about how to spend your $100 • (Making this a group exercise shields you from some of the feelings)
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- 36. GET TO KNOW BEST PRACTICES (VIAGOOGLE) STEP 3
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- 38. DO YOU HAVETHE THING I WANT?
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- 44. USE CONSISTENT LANGUAGE Elements NomenclatureRecommendations Ask a Librarian (24/7 Chat) Ask a Librarian Circulation information Borrowing Collections Collections Computing/printing information Computing Contact information Contact Us Course reserves Reserves Databases & Articles* Articles (do not combine with databases) Databases (do not combine with articles) Help Help Hours Hours Information about the library About/About the Libraries UC Library Home Pages Best Practice Task Force (2010)
- 45. THE RECAP • Usethe internet • Visit the sites your patrons are using • Being more conscious of what you like when you’re using the web • Ask Questions • Use free services to learn about your site • Talk to people • Know and organize your content • Get to know best practices • Library specific stuff is helpful • General info is also great
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