What Do Users Want from Our Website?

What Do Users Want from Our Website?

A User Study of the UC San Diego Library Website

SuHui (Sue) HoDigital User Experience Librarian

Agenda

• Discussion of our study• Methodologies• Process – how I did it• Research findings• What I learned – UX culture and stakeholder buy-ins

UC San Diego

• Large public research university

• One of the UCs• Student

population: 30,000

Image credit: Łukasz Lech

The Library

• One library• Centralized– Academic Services– Collection Services– Enterprise Services

Image credit: http://ucpa.ucsd.edu/ & marshillonline

My Position

• New position• Expert in UX• Main UX researcher

Academic Services

Digital User Services Director

Web Managing

Editor

Digital User Experience Librarian

Purpose of Study

• Library research process• Website goals • Website tasks • Navigation and information architecture • Content and terminology

Methodologies

• Interview• “XO” exercise of navigational menus• Participatory design - draw their ideal library home

page

Interview

• Major/Subject Discipline/Level• Information research process• What do you usually do on the library’s website?

XO Exercise

• Homepage and Menus

Follow-up Questions

• Likes• Dislikes• Confusions• Suggestions

• Participatory design – design an ideal website for yourself

Recruitment

• Homepage carousel• Eye-catching • Incentive $20• Students within a week• Faculty – 1 responded

and 2 via liaisons

Demographics

• 10 users– 4 Undergrads– 3 Grads– 3 Faculty

Scheduling

• LibCal My Scheduler• Choose a time within 2

weeks

Automatic Confirmation

• Hi Joe,

This email confirms your appointment:

When: 1:00pm Friday, February 27, 2015 Geisel Library Usability Lab With: Suhui Ho (suhui@ucsd.edu)  

The Usability Lab is on Geisel Library’s 2nd floor. To reach the room, turn left when you enter Geisel Library and proceed to the west wing toward the Research Assistance Desk. A librarian will meet you at the desk.  

If you should have any difficulty, you can ask at any service desk for assistance.

I look forward to seeing you. Many thanks.

To cancel this appointment visit:  http://ucsd.libcal.com/cancel_app.php?i=108876&c=6b71879f8e2e648a7c61ae929189afb3

• SuHui Ho, Digital User Experience Librarian 858-xxx-xxxx

Data Analysis

• Collect and organize the data

UX Findings

• The library website is a tool for me– Utilitarian– Simple– Task oriented

UX Findings

• Top Tasks– Catalogs – Off-Campus Access– Reserves– e-Journals– My Library Account– Databases A-Z

– Hours– Reserve a Study Room

Resources

Study Space

UX Findings

• User needs differ according to– Discipline– Level of scholarship

• Audience navigation

UX Findings

• Common practice among all levels:– Known item searching– Easy access to catalog and e-journals– Easy access to a few good databases

UX Findings

• Everyone (including faculty) wants to search!

UX Findings

• They want to

Explore

UX Findings

• They want

Help

• Terminology• Placement

UX Findings

• Menu items got little to no use:

What I learned & Tips

• Planning• UX Culture– Not just usability tests– Guidance & education– Stakeholder buy-ins

• Collaboration

What I learned & Tips

• Look for quick wins– Guerrilla style UX– Tech tools

Questions?

suho@ucsd.edu