Results of a Usability Study to Test the Redesign of the Health Sciences Library Web Page

Lemieux, Michelle; Powelson, Susan

doi:10.5596/c14-023

Cited by 3 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 8 publications

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“…Other usability studies have indicated that participants had difficulty recognizing what single search boxes actually searched (Williams and Foster, 2011; Johnson, 2013) and that users often fall back on familiar patterns from previous library website experiences (Wilkinson, 2009; Lemieux and Powelson, 2014).…”

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confidence: 99%

Guiding choices: implementing a library website usability study

Swanson

Hayes

Kolan

et al. 2017

RSR

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Purpose The purpose of this study is go better understand website usability by community college students. The usability study team sought data that would help to guide in a website redesign. Design/methodology/approach Librarians led students through sessions that followed the usability testing approach defined by Nielsen (2012) which emphasizes the ease of use of the Web interface. This study compared the results from the existing library website and a prototype website. Findings The study’s findings emphasized the need for balance between the variety of services and content that the website provides. This is especially true given that so many community college students are underprepared for college-level courses. Research limitations/implications The study was limited by available time and the clinical nature of the usability session. Practical implications The study results underscore the significant challenge facing library website designers. The various online services exist in pockets that are only partially integrated and, therefore, require students to make decisions and predictive judgments as they navigate the site. Originality/value Overall, this study emphasized the need for balance between the variety of services and content that the website provides.

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mentioning

confidence: 99%

Guiding choices: implementing a library website usability study

Swanson

Hayes

Kolan

et al. 2017

RSR

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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Usability Testing as a Method to Refine a Health Sciences Library Website

Denton

Moody

Bennett

2016

Medical Reference Services Quarterly

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User testing, a method of assessing website usability, can be a cost-effective and easily administered process to collect information about a website's effectiveness. A user experience (UX) team at an academic health sciences library has employed user testing for over three years to help refine the library's home page. Test methodology used in-person testers using the "think aloud" method to complete tasks on the home page. Review of test results revealed problem areas of the design and redesign; further testing was effective in refining the page. User testing has proved to be a valuable method to engage users and provide feedback to continually improve the library's home page.

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Overcoming the Google Handicap

Stadler

2019

Advances in Library and Information Science

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This chapter illustrates how the author upgraded the library website at an urban junior college, evaluating the efficacy of the single search box and how to support information literacy. As a framework, the author used the United States Department of Energy's Root Cause Analysis Guidance Document, which illustrates root cause analysis, a process to uncover, analyze, and resolve issues or problems of user behavior relating to technology. A usability test of the library's website using student subjects supplied data for data collection. Events and causal factor analysis identified the causes of problems observed in the usability test and corrective actions required to mitigate them. Results determined what design strategies promote information literacy on a library website and if the single search box is the best fit for an urban junior college.

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Results of a Usability Study to Test the Redesign of the Health Sciences Library Web Page

Abstract: N/A

Cited by 3 publications

References 8 publications

Guiding choices: implementing a library website usability study

Guiding choices: implementing a library website usability study

Usability Testing as a Method to Refine a Health Sciences Library Website

Overcoming the Google Handicap

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