Federated Searching FeedbackFrom Usability Testing & Focus Groups

Sarah C. WilliamsAngela Bonnell

Milner Library, Illinois State University

Overview

• Timeline• Current screenshots• Usability testing details• Usability testing highlights• Focus group details• Focus group highlights

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“Search It” Timeline

January – June 2006 CustomizationJune 5, 2006 ImplementationAugust 2006 Usability TestingJune & September 2007 Focus Groups

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Milner Library Homepage

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Milner Library Database Page

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Milner Library Advanced Search

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Milner Library Results Page

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Usability Testing Details

• Purpose– To study ease of use for new users

• Participants– 4 Undergraduate Students & 3 Graduate Students– 4 Males & 3 Females– 1 Science, 6 Social Sciences & 0 Humanities

• Tasks/Questions– See separate handout or

http://www.library.ilstu.edu/page/1199Williams & Bonnell

Usability Testing Highlights

• Quick Search Box– No participants realized that Quick Search box

only included 12 resources.Action: Revised subheading to say, “Search 12 Selected Library Resources Simultaneously”

• Library Catalog– No participants used the “Include Milner Catalog”

option on Advanced Search page.Action: Automatically included the library catalog in most categories and subcategories.

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Milner Library Advanced Search

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Usability Testing Highlights

• Format– Several participants had difficulty finding material

by format.Action: Suggested vendor develop a limit by format option.

• Sort function– Some participants had difficulty finding and

understanding the sort function.Action: Changed alignment of drop down menu and changed wording of drop down menu.

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Milner Library Results Page

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Focus Group Details• Purpose– To gather students’ feedback on

• their use of Search It• their satisfaction with Search It, and• their ideas on integrating Search It into the library’s website

• Participants– 4 Undergraduate Students & 7 Graduate Students– 6 Males & 5 Females– 6 Science, 5 Social Sciences & 0 Humanities

• Questions– See separate handout or

http://www.library.ilstu.edu/page/1199Williams & Bonnell

Focus Group HighlightsUse

• Frequency– Use often: 6 (55%)

5 grads & 1 undergrad– Use occasionally: 5 (45%)

2 grads & 3 undergrads

• Discovery– 4 on their own– 2 from a librarian– 1 from a professor

"I started using Search It when I stumbled upon it one day, and it’s just really cool to search the databases, so ever since I saw it I started using it.”

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Focus Group HighlightsUse

• Why participants use Search It rather than something else– Faster/easier/less confusing– Good beginning point

• Participants use Search It in a variety of ways– To research unfamiliar topics– To find specific items– For thesis research

After two years on campus, participant doesn't understand “the different database thing.”

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Focus Group HighlightsUse

• Advanced Search Only– Use because Quick Search

hasn’t been helpful in the past.

• Quick and Advanced Search– Use both depending on

familiarity of topic– Try Quick Search first, then use

Advanced if unsuccessful

• Quick Search Only– No one relied completely on

Quick Search

“I start with [Quick Search] and then if it doesn’t pull up what I’m looking for then I’ll go to the Advanced…”

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Focus Group HighlightsUse

• Change in Research Process– Some changed little because

they preferred familiar tools– Some changed because it

broadened their horizons– Some changed because it

allowed them to easily find reliable sources

– Some do not give up on library research as quickly now.

“Still like to go with what I was taught as a freshman.”“…it’s broadened my perspective on what articles I can find in what databases.”“This whole concept of Search It is like their equivalent Academic Google….”

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Focus Group HighlightsSatisfaction

• Likes and Dislikes– Placement of Quick Search

box on library’s homepage– Reliability/logic of the results

• Helped with Assignment/Research– 5 of 7 respondents said

Search It helped

“A lot of time the word I put in, it brings up off the wall topics.”

“For me it has. I'm doing comprehensive literature reviews. It's a great way to say ‘have I gotten everything?’”

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Focus Group HighlightsWebsite Integration

• Participants did not like current placement on homepage– Right-hand column– Colors

• Most common suggestion was to move it above/below the 5 main options on the homepage

“As far as the placement on the website, goes, I find it could be better… It’s almost like it’s a calendar event which is something not here to stay…. That green background kind of puts it in the background…”

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Milner Library Homepage

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Calendar event?

Sponsored ads?

Focus Group HighlightsWebsite Integration

• University-related websites– University portal– Departmental websites– WebCT

• Wording/Graphics– On library’s site, use simple

wording– Outside library’s site, use

library’s logo/name

Maybe say … “Don't know where to find it … try this.”

Maybe say … “Need a place to start?”

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Focus Group HighlightsWrap-Up

• Additional Features– Limit by format– “More articles like this”

• Should the library keep Search It– 8 of 8 respondents said that

the library should keep Search It

“Students would be better off with Search It than without it.”

“If only to keep people from using Wikipedia and Google.”

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Questions?

Sarah C. WilliamsScience & Technology Librarianssteini@ilstu.edu

Angela BonnellGovernment Documents Librarianabonne@ilstu.edu

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