Guiding choices: implementing a library website usability study
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is go better understand website usability by community college students. The usability study team sought data that would help to guide in a website redesign.
Design/methodology/approach
Librarians led students through sessions that followed the usability testing approach defined by Nielsen (2012) which emphasizes the ease of use of the Web interface. This study compared the results from the existing library website and a prototype website.
Findings
The study’s findings emphasized the need for balance between the variety of services and content that the website provides. This is especially true given that so many community college students are underprepared for college-level courses.
Research limitations/implications
The study was limited by available time and the clinical nature of the usability session.
Practical implications
The study results underscore the significant challenge facing library website designers. The various online services exist in pockets that are only partially integrated and, therefore, require students to make decisions and predictive judgments as they navigate the site.
Originality/value
Overall, this study emphasized the need for balance between the variety of services and content that the website provides.
Keywords
Citation
Swanson, T.A., Hayes, T., Kolan, J., Hand, K. and Miller, S. (2017), "Guiding choices: implementing a library website usability study", Reference Services Review, Vol. 45 No. 3, pp. 359-367. https://doi.org/10.1108/RSR-11-2016-0080
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2017, Emerald Publishing Limited