usability express: recipe for libraries
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Presentation at Computers in Libraries 2011TRANSCRIPT
Usability Express: Recipe for Libraries
Bohyun Kim (@bohyunkim) Digital Access Librarian
Medical Library
Marissa Ball (@unlikelylib)f
Emerging Technologies Librarian f
Green Library
Computers in Libraries, Washington D.C. March 23, 2011
“ Usability is like cooking: everybody needs the outcome, (and) anybody can do it reasonably well with a bit of training. ”
- Jakob Nielsen, “Anybody Can Do Usability”
Why Usability?
Bohyun Kim & Marissa Ball - 3/23/2011 Computers in Libraries 2011
http://xkcd.com/773/
Bohyun Kim & Marissa Ball - 3/23/2011 Computers in Libraries 2011
Users don’t …
• Read content on a web page. • Want to learn how to properly use a web site.• Visit your web site every day. • Return to a site where they could not achieve
what they set out to do.
• Users are always on the move.
Bohyun Kim & Marissa Ball - 3/23/2011 Computers in Libraries 2011
From Don't make me think! : a common sense approach to Web usability by Steve Krug.
Bohyun Kim & Marissa Ball - 3/23/2011 Computers in Libraries 2011
From Don't make me think! : a common sense approach to Web usability by Steve Krug.
Bohyun Kim & Marissa Ball - 3/23/2011 Computers in Libraries 2011
On the average Web page, users have time to read at most 28% of the words during an average visit;
20% is more likely.
From Harald Weinreich, Hartmut Obendorf, Eelco Herder, and Matthias Mayer, "Not Quite the Average: An Empirical Study of Web Use,"
in the ACM Transactions on the Web, Vol. 2, No. 1 (February 2008).
Bohyun Kim & Marissa Ball - 3/23/2011 Computers in Libraries 2011
Users and designers do not think alike.
A usable website looks right to users.
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Usable = ‘Fit for Use’
• Intuitive to use• Easy to recover from being lost/a mistake• Conducive to users’ performing tasks• No need to learn at the first visit• No need to recall at repeated visits
• No frustration = Happy user-experience
Bohyun Kim & Marissa Ball - 3/23/2011 Computers in Libraries 2011
Libraries and Usability
Bohyun Kim & Marissa Ball - 3/23/2011 Computers in Libraries 2011
Why is it so hard tomake a library website
user-friendly?
Libraries offer a lot!
• Many systems - But almost all are information silos
• Many different services - In terminology often foreign to users
• Many details, forms, and departments- Often confusing rather than informing
Bohyun Kim & Marissa Ball - 3/23/2011 Computers in Libraries 2011
Libraries often get these wrong:
• Pre-conceived notions of importance• Lack of research on users behavior• Belief that design can change user behavior• Design based upon a committee
→ Slow, design lacking unity, and represents insiders’ opinions more than users’
• Writing unsuited for the web
Bohyun Kim & Marissa Ball - 3/23/2011 Computers in Libraries 2011
Common Usability Problems
& Examples
1. Clutter / Noise 2. Dated look 3. Too subtle design4. Unclear terms / library jargon5. Redundant or unnecessary content6. Bad writing 7. Design against convention8. Unintuitive navigation
Usual Suspects
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• Promote all things → Nothing stands out.
• Users have no idea where to focus/start.• Information overload
→ Stress
1. Clutter / Noise
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You don’t think libraries do this to users, but…
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ABC Library
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ABC Library
ABC Library
ABC Library
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ABC Library
ABC Library
ABC Library
ABC LibraryABC
ABC Library
ABC Library
ABC Library
ABC Library
ABC
ABC
ABC
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ABC Library
• Improve by taking things out rather than adding them.
• Be aware of clutter creeping in.• Users are happy to click ‘as long as’
– it is mindless &
– they know that they are getting closer.
1. Clutter / Noise
Bohyun Kim & Marissa Ball - 3/23/2011 Computers in Libraries 2011
• Lowers the credibility of the site.• Users suspect outdated content.
2. Dated Look
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ABC Library
ABC
ABC Library 2
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• Replace old icons, images, typography.• Update a CSS file to give a new look.• As long as the site architecture is sound,
serves the same group, and has clear task pathways that work, no need to redesign.
2. Dated Look
Bohyun Kim & Marissa Ball - 3/23/2011 Computers in Libraries 2011
• Users scan web pages like a billboard while driving a car at 60 miles/hr.
• Subtlety in web design often backfires.• Good web design ≠ Good print design
3. Too Subtle Design
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ABC Library
ABC Library
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ABC Library
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ABC Library
ABC Library
ABC Library
• Make visually clear what’s most important, valuable, popular.
• Provide a clear visual hierarchy on the page.• Break pages up into clearly defined areas.
3. Too Subtle Design
Bohyun Kim & Marissa Ball - 3/23/2011 Computers in Libraries 2011
• Test your site with new users.– Card sorting method
4. Unclear Terms/Library Jargon
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ABC Library
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ABC Library
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ABC Library
• Replace all jargons with plain terms.• Do not use the product names that the
vendors picked on your library website!• Use a short description if necessary.
4. Unclear Terms/Library Jargon
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• Redundant content creeps in as time goes by.– Welcome, Introduction, etc.
• Unnecessary content = Small talk– Users have no interest in small talk.
• Answer users’ questions, not yours.• Serve content that users can grab and go.
5. Redundant/unnecessary Content
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• Make a content inventory.• Review content by category & purpose.• Remove overlapping, redundant, unnecessary
content.
5. Redundant/unnecessary Content
Bohyun Kim & Marissa Ball - 3/23/2011 Computers in Libraries 2011
• Rewrite a page to be the half of its length.• Then cut more! • Do:
– Use clear headings.– Make paragraphs short.– Start with the key point.– Make content easy to scan (*bullets)
6. Bad Writing
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5/6
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5/6
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ABC Library
• The best ally of usability is convention.• Anything that prompts a pause and thinking
is bad. Surprise
Confusion Agony over choice
Stress
7. Design against Convention
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ABC Library 7
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ABC Library
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ABC Library
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Where am I?
• Don’t underestimate the value of convention.• Be creative without sacrificing usability.• Convention implies:
– Obvious & predictable = familiarity– No need to learn how to use– No need for explanation/description
→ User satisfaction
7. Design against Convention
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• Is it an information architecture issue?• If so, use usability testing methods to find out
what navigation structure / organization of content makes sense to users.
8. Unintuitive Navigation
Bohyun Kim & Marissa Ball - 3/23/2011 Computers in Libraries 2011
Planning & ConductingUser Testing: quick, cheap & easy
The User-centered Design Cycle“Usability is an iterative process of testing/redesign, retesting/redesign, & retesting/redesign.” (Luther)
Bohyun Kim & Marissa Ball - 3/23/2011 Computers in Libraries 2011
Classic Testing Cycle• Profiling• Planning• Place• Participants• Materials & Scripts• Sessions• Debriefing• Analyzing• Recommendations
Bohyun Kim & Marissa Ball - 3/23/2011 Computers in Libraries 2011
testing
retesting
redesign
Who are they?
Bohyun Kim & Marissa Ball - 3/23/2011 Computers in Libraries 2011
Profiling…it’s not just for law enforcementFocus groups, surveys, and analytics data can all help you build your user profiles and determine which users to focus on
“Usability studies should be targeted to specific users in order to derive an accurate result” (Nathan)
Bohyun Kim & Marissa Ball - 3/23/2011 Computers in Libraries 2011
Who are they?
How many users are needed?
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Happy LibraryUsers
“Ideal” sample size?• Varying “ideals” across usability literature,
however, the quick and dirty camp promotes the following-
“The ultimate user experience is improved much more by 3 tests with 5 users than by a single test with 15 users.” (Nielsen)
Bohyun Kim & Marissa Ball - 3/23/2011 Computers in Libraries 2011
Goals of Profiling• Inform testing methods• Inform design• Tell you what your users
really want/need out of your site- how does thisalign with your goals?
• Tells you who all of your user groups really are
Bohyun Kim & Marissa Ball - 3/23/2011 Computers in Libraries 2011
Happy LibraryUsers
Discount & Guerrilla Usability Methods• Simplified & informal• Varied & multiple
1. Focus groups & surveys2. Card sorting3. Contextual interviews & intercepts4. Paper prototyping
Bohyun Kim & Marissa Ball - 3/23/2011 Computers in Libraries 2011
Bohyun Kim & Marissa Ball - 3/23/2011 Computers in Libraries 2011
1. Focus Groups & User Surveys
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• Moderated discussions & written feedback• Will reveal qualitative feedback that will help to
inform and compliment the design process• Works well paired with other methods• Expect sessions to last 1-2 hours
Bohyun Kim & Marissa Ball - 3/23/2011 Computers in Libraries 2011
2. Card Sorting• Interactive tasks that result in developing optimal
Web site organization• Plan to have users group items into
categories and help you label these clusters
• Open vs. closed sorting• Expect the activity to last 1-2 hours
Bohyun Kim & Marissa Ball - 3/23/2011 Computers in Libraries 2011
3. Contextual Interviews & Intercepts• Based on observations of users in their
environment• Casual and informal• Ask Questions• “…next to the (formal) usability test itself, the
contextual interview is probably the best tool in the box.” (Pace)
Bohyun Kim & Marissa Ball - 3/23/2011 Computers in Libraries 2011
4. Paper Prototyping• Easy, disposable, adaptable, affordable• Allow your users to be creative• Create “screen shots” of various states/screens of
your site for users to interact with
Bohyun Kim & Marissa Ball - 3/23/2011 Computers in Libraries 2011
GOAL: Heuristics & User Expectations1. Visibility of system status2. Match between the system & the real world3. User control & freedom4. Consistency & standards5. Error prevention6. Recogniton, not recall7. Flexibility & efficiency of use8. Aesthetic & minimalist design9. Recognize, diagnose & recover from errors10.Help & documentation
Bohyun Kim & Marissa Ball - 3/23/2011 Computers in Libraries 2011
“…librarians are ideal professionals to be spearheading the move towards a usable web environment”
- Shelag K. Genuis
Usability Resources
• Steve Krug, Don’t Make Me Think, New Riders Press, 2005.• Steve Krug, Rocket Surgery Made Easy, New Riders Press, 2009.• Usability testing scripts and forms: http://www.sensible.com/• Jakob Nielseon, Ten Usability Heuristics
http://www.useit.com/papers/heuristic/heuristic_list.html• Jakob Nielseon, Anybody can do usability
http://www.useit.com/alertbox/anybody-usability.html• Jakob Nielson, How Little Do Users Read?
http://www.useit.com/alertbox/percent-text-read.html• Jakob Nielson, UseIt.com - http://www.useit.com/• 14 Heuristics by OCLC
http://www.oclc.org/usability/heuristic/set.htm• Usability.gov - http://usability.gov/• COI Usability Toolkit - http://usability.coi.gov.uk/• Usability Toolkit by Society for Technical Communications
http://www.stcsig.org/usability/resources/toolkit/toolkit.html
Bohyun Kim & Marissa Ball - 3/23/2011 Computers in Libraries 2011
• Usability Resources at University of Michigan Library http://www.lib.umich.edu/usability-library/usability-library-resources
• Susanna Davidson and Everyl Yankee, Website Design with the Patron in Mind, ALA, 2004.• LibSuccess Wiki – Web Design: http://www.libsuccess.org/index.php?title=Website_Design • Writing for the Web by Gerry McGovern
http://www.gerrymcgovern.com/guide_write_01.htm• Janice Redish, Letting Go of the Words: Writing Web Content that Works, Morgan Kaufmann,
2007.• How to do a content audit by Hilary Marsh
http://www.contentcompany.biz/articles/content_audit.html• Content Audit and Analysis
http://www.faithwarren.com/fwg/category/Content-Audit-and-Analysis.aspx• Content Inventory
http://www.adaptivepath.com/ideas/essays/archives/000040.php
• Bohyun Kim & Marissa Ball - 3/23/2011
Computers in Libraries 2011
Questions?
Additional References
Genuis, S.K. (2004). Website usability testing: a critical tool for libraries. Feliciter, 4, 161-167
Nathan, R.J. , Yeow, P.H., & Murugesan, S. (2008). Key usability factors of service oriented web sites for students: an empirical study. Online Information Review, 32, 302-324.
Pace, A.K. (2003). The usability toolbox. Computers in Libraries, January, 50-52.
Bohyun Kim & Marissa Ball - 3/23/2011 Computers in Libraries 2011