Usability Testing and Redesign of Library Web Pages at Lund University, Faculty of Engineering: A Case Study Applying a Two-Phase, Systematic Quality Approach

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Main Authors: Persson, Ann-Christin, Langh, Maria, Nilsson, Jessica
Format: Recurso educativo Open Access
Language:en
Published: 2010
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author Persson, Ann-Christin
Langh, Maria
Nilsson, Jessica
author_facet Persson, Ann-Christin
Langh, Maria
Nilsson, Jessica
Persson, Ann-Christin
Langh, Maria
Nilsson, Jessica
collection Education Resources Information Center
contents Usability Testing and Redesign of Library Web Pages at Lund University, Faculty of Engineering: A Case Study Applying a Two-Phase, Systematic Quality Approach Persson, Ann-Christin Langh, Maria Nilsson, Jessica Usability Web Sites Design Academic Libraries Engineering Education College Students College Faculty Use Studies Case Studies Foreign Countries Introduction: The Lund University Faculty of Engineering's LibQual+[R] survey 2007 showed that students and faculty had difficulties finding the information they needed at the libraries' Websites. To be able to improve the Websites, we needed to find out how the users navigated the Websites, as well as what content they needed. Method: Twenty-four students and faculty members were filmed and audio-taped while performing tasks with the Websites as tools. Analysis: The films were analysed according to the search path the participants used (usefulness) and the time each task took (effectiveness). The participants' perception of ease of use and finding what they need on the Websites were also analysed. Results: The results show that students want to search for books without having to use the catalogue and that they like graphic-based Web pages, which stand out from the rest of Lund University's Website. Faculty members scroll for links and do not want informative texts; rather they want more of a local connection such as lists of publications from the department and suggestions of what journals to publish in. Conclusions: The usability study clearly showed what worked and what did not work on the three Websites and provided an insight into the different needs of our user groups. It led to a complete rethinking and redesign of the Websites. (Contains 6 figures and 3 tables.)
format Recurso educativo Open Access
id eric_EJ912762
institution ERIC Institute of Education Sciences
language en
publishDate 2010
record_format eric
spellingShingle Usability Testing and Redesign of Library Web Pages at Lund University, Faculty of Engineering: A Case Study Applying a Two-Phase, Systematic Quality Approach
Persson, Ann-Christin
Langh, Maria
Nilsson, Jessica
Usability
Web Sites
Design
Academic Libraries
Engineering Education
College Students
College Faculty
Use Studies
Case Studies
Foreign Countries
Usability Testing and Redesign of Library Web Pages at Lund University, Faculty of Engineering: A Case Study Applying a Two-Phase, Systematic Quality Approach Persson, Ann-Christin Langh, Maria Nilsson, Jessica Usability Web Sites Design Academic Libraries Engineering Education College Students College Faculty Use Studies Case Studies Foreign Countries Introduction: The Lund University Faculty of Engineering's LibQual+[R] survey 2007 showed that students and faculty had difficulties finding the information they needed at the libraries' Websites. To be able to improve the Websites, we needed to find out how the users navigated the Websites, as well as what content they needed. Method: Twenty-four students and faculty members were filmed and audio-taped while performing tasks with the Websites as tools. Analysis: The films were analysed according to the search path the participants used (usefulness) and the time each task took (effectiveness). The participants' perception of ease of use and finding what they need on the Websites were also analysed. Results: The results show that students want to search for books without having to use the catalogue and that they like graphic-based Web pages, which stand out from the rest of Lund University's Website. Faculty members scroll for links and do not want informative texts; rather they want more of a local connection such as lists of publications from the department and suggestions of what journals to publish in. Conclusions: The usability study clearly showed what worked and what did not work on the three Websites and provided an insight into the different needs of our user groups. It led to a complete rethinking and redesign of the Websites. (Contains 6 figures and 3 tables.)
title Usability Testing and Redesign of Library Web Pages at Lund University, Faculty of Engineering: A Case Study Applying a Two-Phase, Systematic Quality Approach
topic Usability
Web Sites
Design
Academic Libraries
Engineering Education
College Students
College Faculty
Use Studies
Case Studies
Foreign Countries
url https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ912762