importance of user research in web redesign projects (ola 2015)

Information Technology Serviceshttp://its.library.utoronto.ca


Importance of User Research in Web Redesign Projects

January 28, 2015OLA SuperConference 2015Gordon Belray & Lisa Gayhart



Welcome!



What is user research?

Image source: https://www.interaction-design.org/ux-daily/290/4-things-to-consider-when-you-develop-your-user-research-plans

Talking to people is

essential.

https://www.interaction-design.org/ux-daily/290/4-things-to-consider-when-you-develop-your-user-research-plans



Keep the conversation flowing

Image source: https://twitter.com/uoftlibraries/status/537639987060416512

Whiteboard feedback. Image credit: lisa Gayhart.

https://twitter.com/uoftlibraries/status/537639987060416512



Principles over process in project planning

Image source: http://www.uxbooth.com/articles/the-ux-chameleon-and-its-multidisciplinary-skin/

http://www.uxbooth.com/articles/the-ux-chameleon-and-its-multidisciplinary-skin/



Never stop iterating

Iteration 1 Iteration 4Iteration 2 Iteration 3 Iteration 5

Plan

Design

Develop

Test

Release

Assess

Plan

Design

Develop

Test

Release

Assess

Plan

Design

Develop

Test

Release

Assess

Plan

Design

Develop

Test

Release

Assess

Plan

Design

Develop

Test

Release

Assess

Workflow. Image credit: Gordon Belray.

Iterative project cycle. Image credit: “Sync” icon created by Rohinth MS from the Noun Project



Keep a record of all that good work



A cornucopia of methods and tools

● Environmental scan● Exploring current research and best practices● Expert review/heuristic analysis● Discussing with peers/subject matter experts● Personas and user journeys● Observations ● Interviews● Guerilla methods● Surveys● Focus groups● Task analysis● Card sorting● Content analysis● Open houses for in person feedback● Metrics: usage statistics, data from other projects,

etc.● More…. Example user journey. Image credit: Lisa Gayhart.



Data collection & analysis

Hmmm.....

D1: navigation issues

(6%)

D2: design issues

(25%)



Start with metrics (Google analytics)

Use Event Tracking

Grouped home page into categories (navigation, search, library tools etc.) with labels for each event

Analyze and interpret data

Know the old before embarking on the new



Categories

UofT linksBanner adsMain linksNavigation and drop down menus (100+ links)Search + tabs + all search optionsIcon toolsFeatured TitlesOther librariesNews, Workshops, Feature research



Home page event tracking by category

all outbound links tracking

custom defined sub categories



Searches by event labels

● 73% search all● 10% searches using

catalogue and article interface

● 2% using old catalogue (librarians only)



Adding tracking event

<a href="http://resource.library.utoronto.ca/hours/" onclick="_gaq.push(['_trackEvent', 'Service Link', 'Click','Hours']);">

<img alt="library hours" src="http://content.library.utoronto.ca/common/images/drupal/icons/clock.png" />

<br />Hours</a>

More information https://developers.google.com/analytics/devguides/collection/gajs/eventTrackerGuide



Pages by the numbers

Users looking for:

Library holdingsResearch resourcesLibrary informationStudy space and jobs



Device agnosticism or why we need responsive design

Sample months Dec-Jan 2014 to Dec-Jan 2015

Mobile /tablet use up 5% to nearly 11%

Users are mobile



The invisible numbers

There are no metrics for elements not on your site, is useful information buried or missing?

Promote the hard to find where it is substantiated, such as individual library hours

Increase collection visibility both material and electronic through coordinated content audits and creation



Translation and innovation using metrics

Augment while retaining key functionality and established user patterns

Definition through action Catalogue / Article - direct links to search interfaces + pre-applied facets

Promotion of Databases to search category

Dynamic library hours with links to top 6 libraries



Rethinking results



Creating recommendations from the data

● Largest impact for the largest audience

● Show, don’t tell

● Range of recommendations

● Reality - not all items culled from the data can be included

● Staging - phasing in findings into the project



User research helped us build a new www.library.utoronto.ca



The people have spoken! Key findings from our research.

1. A better web searching function that includes research guides.

2. Curated research resources that allow users to find a wide variety of tools in one spot, dedicated to a specific specialty or discipline.

3. A single listing of digital and non-digital collections held by the library and available to library users.

4. Clean, simple, intuitive homepage layout, navigation, and user experience that is similar in ease of use to commonly used tools such as Google and Wikipedia.

5. Direct connection to library through clear contact information, maps, library locations and hours, event listing, research assistance, liaison librarians.



Homepage evolution - less options, better content



More intuitive research resources



Easy access to people who can help



Lessons learned: Keep everyone informed



Essentials for a small or one person team

● Be at the table with the project team

● Engage staff across the library - find interested parties and put them to work

● Support principles over process

● Small but diverse test/feedback groups

● Use data you already have collected

● Make participation easy and be prepared to respond

● Be an advocate for the user

● Practice empathy



Two helpful resources to get you started

Buley, Leah. The User Experience Team of One: A Research and Design Survival Guide. Brooklyn: Rosenfeld, 2013. Print.

Schmidt, Aaron, and Amanda Etches. Useful, Usable, Desirable: Applying User Experience Design to Your Library. Chicago: ALA Editions, 2014. Print.



Keep in touch

Tour the sitehttps://alpha.library.utoronto.ca/

Get project updatesits.library.utoronto.ca/redesign

Lisa Gayhart | [email protected] Belray | [email protected]

https://alpha.library.utoronto.ca/

http://its.library.utoronto.ca/redesign

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

importance of user research in web redesign projects (ola 2015)

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