Shaping User ExperienceElectronic Resources and Libraries 2012Tara Carlisle, University of North Texas LibrariesKate Crane, Texas Tech UniversityAna Krahmer, University of North Texas Libraries

Usability and the Digital Library

As a librarian, what set of assumptions do you make about your users when you create digital library resources?  

Usability DefinedUsability studies how users engage a given product. It draws from the principles of user-centered design, which places successful user interaction with a product as key to redesign.

Usability is not a focus group—we are not testing whether users like the product (solely); rather we are testing their ease-of-use or navigational success of a product.

D.E.A.R.

0Discovery0Evaluation0Analysis0Reporting

Usability Triangle

See

Say Do

Usability Research Methods

0Active Intervention0Eye Tracking0Pre- and Post-Test Surveys0Retrospective Recall0Think Aloud Protocol0Movement Tracking (mouse clicks, dwell time, time on

task)0Observing User Behavior

M.E.E.L.S.

0Memorability0Errors0Efficiency0Learnability0Satisfaction

Test Plan

0Client0Research Description0Goals0Users/target audience0Tasks0Methodology0Test Script0Analysis0Reporting

Paper Prototyping

It’s your turn!

Iterative Design

Iterative design is a process whereby the usability test results of a product lead to multiple stages of redesign. This means users give feedback on the product at all points in the product’s design: from planning, to building, to finishing the product. Iterative design centers the user in building products and systems.

A Case Study

Usability Testing