Quick Searching at the Library: A usability study on combining web scale discovery tools for the ultimate search interface

Editor's Notes

• #2 Sarah Users turning to online search engines like Google instead of the library’s website and search tools Focus on meeting users where they are with the types of search interfaces that they are accustomed to seeing and using Growth of library resources and the amount of information available to users needs to be addressed in a way that allows for easier access and organization Today we’ll discuss Usabiilty study performed at UNC in Spring 2013 and how it shapes the current UNC library website’s search widget How usability testing can benefit our users and ourselves
• #3 BOTH Who we are
• #4 EMILY UNC Libraries adopting summon and moving to a new website Introduction of Summon and Library Website Redesign User experience department goals (Emily provide?) Kim added The UX dept will: Focus on creating a patron experience that is a seamless connection between the library’s services, collections, physical spaces and virtual presence. Oversee the web content/presence to create unified user experience. Coordinate service policies and projects that have impact across multiple Library departments to ensure a consistent user experience. Use evidence-based decision-making (from web analytics, usability studies, focus groups, surveys, interviews and observational studies) to inform current and future library services.
• #5 First Project - new library website Website goals: Discovery, Access, Services, Branding, and Device Neutrality. -KV
• #6 Sarah Set out to do something useful for the library system at UNC for both librarians and students/faculty Findings of the Pew Research Center and OCLC Pew: Internet makes today’s students more self-sufficient researchers; expect to access information quickly and easily; research = “googling” OCLC: decrease in library website use from 2005 to 2010 Web scale discovery tools and their uses Creates a single entry point to library resources (print and electronic) Fill gap between what users know of the Internet and library resources Purpose was to parse out certain aspects of the users’ opinions on: Using the library’s new Articles + Catalog tool (click to show results page image) Combination of two discovery tools: Endeca and Summon Search widget layout preferences These aspects included: Expectations met based on search results How easy each search widget was to navigate If they would use the combined search again for their day-to-day researching
• #7 Sarah Details about the actual test Jakob Nielsen: usability testing is comprised of 3 components Representative users Representative tasks for users to perform Observation of the users performing tasks Participants were recruited using a questionnaire Self-selected for follow-up 13 participants 4 undergraduates, 3 graduates, 1 doctoral, 5 faculty From art history to political science to psychology Demographic and preliminary questions about recent library website use Series of 6 tasks based on common library tasks (compare two search widget interfaces; search for a book, an article, database) Used Techsmith’s Morae usability testing software to record each participants thoughts and interactions with the widgets Concluded with viewing of new website mockup with questions about how it compares visually to the current/old site Methodology Focus on both what participant said and what they actually did
• #8 www2.lib.unc.edu/instruct/newsite/test.html www2.lib.unc.edu/instruct/newsite/test2.html Tasks 1 & 2 Show simple search page then show tabbed search page. Answer questions twice based on each page. Looking at this search page what do you expect to be searching? How would you search for a book using this search page? How would you search for an article using this search page? If you wanted to search a specific database, where would you look or click? Thinking about the search widgets you just observed, which display do you prefer? Simple Tabbed Why do you prefer that display? Only if results working; perform search after 1A and potentially cut 1B-1D in interest of time: Observe the following search: You are starting on research related to water conservation in North Carolina in relation to UNC’s campus wide theme of “Water in Our World.” Using the search page in front of you, find a book or journal article that you would use to research this topic. What are your thoughts on the effectiveness of this search tool? How satisfied are you with the results? What is your first reaction when you see the results on this page? (Include or not? Could show an example results page from live site) What are your thoughts on this combined results screen? (Include or not? Could show an example results page from live site)
• #11 Sarah Examples 9 of the 13 participants stated they preferred the tabbed search widget over the non-tabbed one 8 out of these 9 actually used the tabs 5 of the 13 did not actually notice the tabs until they were pointed out Faculty considered the needs of their students when researching, not just themselves They assumed students would prefer and work better with the simple/non-tabbed interface to the tabbed one Participants and users will follow the paths they know and are comfortable with when accessing library resources Participants would potentially change their search habits to save time in the future Participants like the options that a tabbed search widget provide them Must conform to what students/users know and what they can use based on their online experiences Simple search widget is flexible for future and is effective enough to handle current users’ needs Most seemed fine with using the combined search results page as a jumping off point into the library’s more detailed search interfaces, Summon and Endeca Many mentioned being overwhelmed by the sheer number of results No mention of lack of facets > Happy with ability to jump into each individual interface (Endeca, Summon)
• #12 Application of findings (Emily) Changes to site plans Everything goes into a single search box Combined search naming problems How we contextualize how we saw users using the site vs. what they said they wanted How results were used usability results can convince staff to rethink their perception about library practices. -KV Beefing up Best Bets
• #13 Sarah Back to Jakob Nielsen: usability testing is comprised of 3 components Representative users Representative tasks for users to perform Observation of the users performing tasks Hard evidence from your users to back up what you already think/know about your site/tool Teaching your users how to use your website as much as them teaching you how a typical user will use your site
• #14 SARAH Previous usability test at UNC comparing results layouts (Duke, VCU, NCSU) User preference for single column, but 2 column was pursued due to budgetary considerations When creating library search tools, not only are we creating for our current users, but also for future ones as well Trend to simplify library search widgets > UNC following Allowing users to shape the websites that we create through usability testing will improve the services and tools we provide them, rather than forcing them to be shaped by the tools So do a usability test then do it again and again as your tools/site develop/change (iterative process)