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This study aims to develop a measurement instrument, which involves four usability dimensions of efficiency, effectiveness, satisfaction, and learnability, as a way of assessing the usability of academic digital libraries.

To generate measurement items, previous research related to usability frameworks, usability guidelines, and empirical usability tests was reviewed. The measurement instrument was then verified in terms of reliability and validity, empirically using data from 230 actual users of an academic digital library. To ensure the reliability of the instrument, internal consistency of measurements, measurement item reliability, and construct reliability were examined. Construct validity, which consists of convergent validity and discriminant validity, was also examined on the basis of confirmatory factor analysis using structural equation modeling.

The usability evaluation instrument suggested in this study comprises four dimensions: efficiency, effectiveness, satisfaction, and learnability, and three to four items were identified to measure each dimension.

To date, while many of the usability studies have relied on either experimental methods or inspection methods, few studies have been conducted to identify evaluation measures that can assess the usability of a digital library from a survey method. This study is one of a few studies to develop a measurement instrument tailored to academic digital library environments.

The purpose of the paper is to present usability heuristics for the evaluation of public library web services.

Heuristics for library services are based on Nielsen's classical list of heuristics and results of previous usability research of library web services. A total of 15 public library web sites were evaluated on the basis of these applied heuristics. One part of the study was supported through usability tests. The results of these studies were utilized to evaluate the applied heuristics.

The applied heuristics are divided into three categories: heuristics critical from the usability viewpoint; heuristics concerning major problems; and heuristics connected to minor usability problems but still important and concerning conventions of web design. The use of the heuristics and the results they give are evaluated to provide a basis for their use in future.

The applied heuristics lists have been tested in two different studies, and the combined list based on them has so far been utilized in practical evaluation, but has not been formally tested.

The heuristics for library web services presented in this paper can be applied to usability evaluation of public library web services.

Library web sites should be user friendly, because the services are meant for all citizens. The applied heuristics for public library web services provide a starting point for usability evaluation that can be continued with other methods.

The aim of this paper is to define the main directions and emerging challenges in adoption of general usability principles by the memory institutions.

Theoretical analysis of usability concepts, usability management processes, methods and evaluation criteria found in the Human‐Computer Interaction professional literature and ISO standards is performed.

Usability should become a part of quality management activities in memory institutions and will change and expand traditional practices in this sphere. ISO standards and theoretical models may be applied to create a framework for usability management in memory institutions both on strategic and operational levels. However, further research in the scope of joint cultural heritage services, audiences, contexts of use and applied technology in the sector of memory institutions should be performed. The main challenges on the way towards the usability framework are cultivation of partnership culture and multidisciplinary teamwork in development and provision of ICT‐based services and application of complex and overlapping recommendations provided by volumnious ISO standards.

The main value of the paper is the comprehensive analysis of state‐of‐the‐art in usability and provision of the main directions and challenges of usability adoption in memory institutions. This analysis maps the future research and practical activities necessary for successful adoption of usability management in libraries, museums and archives.

The present study aims to review the literature concerning Digital Libraries (DLs) and user interfaces in order to identify, determine, and suggest evaluation criteria for a DLs user interface. Accordingly, this study's objectives are threefold: explore which criteria exert a significant relationship with the DLs user interface; identify a set of criteria that appears to be useful for evaluating DLs user interface; and determine evaluation criteria that have more frequency and occurrence in the related texts reviewed.

To do it, first, identifying related texts was necessary. Consequently, keywords such as “DLs user interface evaluation”,” DLs user interfaces”, “DLs evaluation”, “DLs usability”, “user interface evaluation”, “DLs research”, “web sites user interface evaluation”, “user interface standards”, and the like have been searched in the web as well as in some leading databases including Emerald, Proquest, SagePub, ScienceDirect, LISA, ERIC, ACM, and Springer. After identifying and accessing more than 100 evaluative works and some related articles, theoretical and empirical, nearly 50 sources were chosen for final examination.

After reviewing related texts, three major categories are identified: user interface and DLs; DLs and usability; and other studies related to user interface; each one of three identified categories has its own subcategories. Additionally, 22 evaluation criteria for assessing DLs interface have been identified.

The review does not claim to be comprehensive.

Hopefully, criteria such as feedback, ease of use, match between system and the real world, customization, user support, user workload, interaction, compatibility, visibility of system status, user experience, flexibility, and accessibility which have been less considered should be applied more in future, particularly user‐oriented, studies. Furthermore, it is expected that criteria mentioned here could help related bodies pay more attention to the evaluation of EISs, especially DLs interface.

It can be said that this study has contributed to the research into the evaluation of DL interface.

An intuitive library information gateway is critical to meeting the information needs of library users in the digital age. This article describes the process involved in redesigning a library Web site. In addition to first determining the goals and requirements for the library Web site, a user and task analysis was conducted for defining the library’s user base and the types of tasks which users might be performing at the site. Usability testing methods, such as observational interviews, provided fresh insights about how users are interacting with the library Web interface as they approach various information seeking tasks. These usability studies uncovered problems related to unclear terminology, proper use of color, size, and location for navigational links, and the need for context sensitive help, built‐in redundancy, and clear and consistent navigation.

This paper aims to describe the process, testing, and data analysis of redesigning a library's homepage to create a more user‐centered experience.

A survey and a usability test were conducted to collect data on users' interactions. The goals were to make design changes catered to users' needs, prior to migrating the site to a content management system.

Recommendations are made to improve the usability of the Ursula C. Schwerin library homepage, as well as considerations for future testing.

This case study will be useful for librarians and web programmers implementing usability tests for the first time. It will also be useful for those focusing on developing a more user‐centered homepage.

The positive addiction recovery website (https://positiveaddictionrecovery.com) has been created following a successful pilot study of a programme of work known as positive addiction recovery therapy (PART). The aim of the website is to disseminate PART to an online audience, extending its reach to a larger population. The purpose of this study is to explain the process of creating this online resource and to conduct a user evaluation to understand how well received the website is likely to be to its target audience.

An implementation framework cognisant of positive computing, positive technology, contemporary understanding of human–computer interaction and knowledge acquired from the delivery of eHealth interventions from the past decade was used to create the website. To understand user opinion of the resultant website, data were collected using the mobile application ratings scale user version.

By adopting a tailored implementation framework, with appropriate determinant factors of wellbeing and evidenced theoretical input, a website resource was created that users considered engaging and informative. The findings also suggest that participants appreciated the importance of intended behavioural change, having interacted with the interventions on the website.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, the website is the first online version of PART, a new programme of work aimed at people in addiction recovery.

The construction site operates under a hazardous environment that requires a high level of understanding in building systems to minimise accidents. However, the current building education generally adopts paper-based learning approaches that lack hands-on experiences. Furthermore, to achieve Industrial Revolution 4.0 in line with any unforeseen pandemic, the most optimum solution is to transition from physical to technological-based building education. This paper aims to address the problems by proposing a game-based virtual reality (GBVR) for building utility inspection training.

The feasibility of the GBVR for building the utility inspection training approach is validated on a sample of undergraduate engineering students through user experience (survey) and performance-based comparisons against traditional paper-based training method.

The results show that the developed GBVR training has higher system usability in terms of visual output and knowledge retention than paper-based training due to visualisation technologies. The GBVR training method has also higher user-friendliness because of the higher motivational and engagement factors through the adoption of virtual reality and game-based learning.

GBVR training required a longer training duration and achieved a lower performance score (effectiveness) but can be improved by transitioning into hands-on tasks. This study has the potentials to be extended to vocational training platforms for competency development in the construction workforce by using cutting-edge extended reality technologies.

This paper portrays the benefits of integrating virtual reality technology in building education to overcome the low practicality and engagement of paper-based training.

The number and range of organisations developing a Web site is growing rapidly. Many of these Web sites are developed in‐houseeven though the skills and resources required for developing a successful site may not be available. It is argued that some of the limitations in terms of resources and skills inherent in the small‐scale in‐house development environment can be overcome through the adoption of an informal Web site development model and suitable usability methods. Presents an informal development model synthesised from a review of development case studies and published Web research literature. This model identifies the main stages and tasks of development. A review of information gathering and usability methods currently being employed is integrated into the model. The importance of understanding user and information provider needs is discussed. A number of common usability methods are then examined in greater detail. The appropriateness of the model and methods for the small‐scale in‐house development environment is considered.