2006 Redesign of the UMBC Library Resource Website

Redesign of the UMBC Library Resource Site

Group 3 Site Design Team

Christopher Paul Charles SchwarzJonathan St. CyrJustin JohnsonKendra Joseph

Introduction• Our mission

−To design a consistent and easier to use interface for UMBC students, faculty, and staff to reduce stress in their efforts to conduct research while enhancing the user experience

− In other words,• “Don’t Make Me Think”

Source: Krug, Steve. Don’t Make Me Think. 2nd ed.

Introduction (cont’d)• Identify

−Essential problems our new design will solve

−Main users and sponsor groups and balance their needs

−Options and information the new design will give users to address their problems and needs

Introduction (cont’d)• Methodology

−User Analysis• Conduct open-ended question

interviews with students, faculty, and staff

−Benchmarking• Identify best trends and practices

on competitor sites

Introduction (cont’d)• Methodology (cont’d)

−Interview Stakeholders• Interviewed three UMBC research

librarians

Chuck• Users

• User behaviors and searching

Benchmarking• Better use of white space

− Items in the UMBC website were not chunk together

−Chunked categories should be displayed neatly

• Requires categories that are simple to understand−Use terms the use can relate to: Find

it, Get it, Use it

• Provide global navigation on every relevant page

• Place contact information on every page

• Provide an easy scan tutorial on how to use search catalog

Interviews of User/Stakeholders

• Background Information of Interviews− Interviews were conducted to

uncover consistent issues faced while interacting with the site.

− Interviewees ranged from freshman to senior status. Some were also staff that worked in the library.

−From interviews, discovered that students only use site when directed.

Interviews of User/Stakeholders

• Results From Interviews−Trouble searching for journal and

reference articles that fit their research (too much content to muddle through)

−Users often gave up and resorted to the use of other search engines

−Users found the nomenclature of the library’s resource page to technical and difficult to interpret

−Felt the need for larger search boxes to enter queries

−The need for information to be placed in more exclusive categories

−Employees state the site lacks a site map

Lessons LearnedProblems Solutions

Information is embedded Provide broader categories therefore eliminating some unnecessary steps to get to

information needed

Site may be too complex Offer tutorial on how to use and navigate website

Site is not appealing Better use of color schemes

No site map within portal Provide a site map

Search bar on main page searches only journals by default

Offer an advanced search option on the main page with

subcategories for magazines, newspapers, etc.

Terminology is too complex Use user-centric terminology

Site does not make users want to return to the site

Enhance ease of use and performance with global

navigation schemes and simplified language.

Site Map

Page

Application

Database

UMBC Homepage

Library Homepage1.0

My UMBC2.0

My Library1.3

Account Info1.3.1

Account Activity1.3.2

Help1.2

FAQ1.2.1

Email1.2.2

Find1.1

Faculty Services1.3.4

IM1.2.4

Search1.1.1

Tutorial1.1.2

Reserves1.1.3

Catalog/books1.1.1.1

MagazinesNewspapers

1.1.1.2

Academic Journals1.1.1.3

Audio/Visual1.1.1.4

CheckedOut

Books

BooksRequested

Search Books1.1.2.1

Search Audio/Visual1.1.2.2

Search Journals1.1.2.3

Search Magazines1.1.2.4

Phone1.2.3

ILL1.3.3

Show Requests1.3.3.1

Cancel Requests1.3.3.2

Welcome to the AlbinO.Kuhn Library & Gallery

ResearchLibraryAthleticsArts/CultureAdmissionsAbout Academics

Find

Help

My Library

Starting Research

How do I select a research topic?How do I find background information on my topic?What are scholarly, or peer-reviewed, journal articles?How do I cite my sources?

Finding Information How do I find scholarly journal articles?

FAQContact Info

Phone #IM

Links to other pages with info on these topics

Scrollable to reach other sections of FAQ’s about

databases, saving & printing etc.

Welcome “User’s Name” Greets user by name

Welcome to the AlbinO.Kuhn Library & Gallery


Find

Help

My Library

Phone a Librarian

410-455-2346

Phone reference available during Reference Desk hours

Contact a Subject Librarian

For in-depth reference assistance, contact a subject specialist

FAQContact Info

Phone #IM

Link to a page containing a list of majors and corresponding

librarian phone #


Welcome to the Albin O. Kuhn Library & Gallery


Find

Help

My Library


Text box displaying all materials currently requested

Current Requests

Conservatives without conscience / John W. Dean.

Liberalism is a mental disorder : Savage solutions / Michael Savage.

My Account Account Activity ILL Faculty Services

RequestInterlibrary Loan

Show Status forLocal Holds

Cancel Requests

Content Inventory

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

Level 4

Navigation Label Content Type Page Title Content

Content Developer

1 Library

Homepage HTML text; Library/home Library Home Page Group 3

hyperlinks

1.1 Find hyperlinks Library/find Find Page

1.1.2 Tutorial HTML text; Library/tutorial Tutorial Page

hyperlinks

1.1.2.1

Search Books Tutorial

HTML text,images Library/tutorial/search books Search Books Page

1.1.2.3

Search Journals Tutorial

HTML text,images

Library/tutorial/search journals Search Journals Page

1.1.2.4

Search Magazines Tutorial

HTML text,images

Library/tutorial/search magazines

Search Magazines Page



Find

Help

My Library




CancelRequests

Enter your ILLiad Username:

osmith1Enter your ILLiad Password:

***********

Data entry box

Data entry box

Log in button

Text informing the user what data is required to access

account

Text informing the user what data is required to access

account

First Time Users Click Here


Cancel Requests

Log In



Find

Help

My Library


Text box displaying all materials currently requested

Current Requests

Conservatives without conscience / John W. Dean.

Liberalism is a mental disorder : Savage solutions / Michael Savage.




Cancel Requests

Cancel Selected

Application FlowSCREEN(S) USER ACTION DATA INPUT DATA OUTPUT/DISPLAY

1.1 “Find” link on library homepage

Click on “Find” link Displays all content on the “Find” web page

1.1 “Find” web page

Reads the three options: "Search," "Tutorial," "Reserves"

List of three "Find" options: “Search,” “Tutorial,” and “Reserves”

1.1 “Find” web page

Click on the “Search” link Displays all of the content on the “Search” web page

1.3 "Reserves" web page

Click on the "Reserves" link Displays all the content on the "Reserves" web page

Conclusion• Albin O. Kuhn

Library and Gallery− Our mission is to

assist patrons in meeting their research needs and assisting them in their never ending quest for knowledge.

2006 Redesign of the UMBC Library Resource Website

Internet

Transcript of 2006 Redesign of the UMBC Library Resource Website