Usability Testing, User-Centered Design, and LibGuides Subject Guides: A Case Study

• Published in: Journal of web librarianship Vol. 7; no. 1; pp. 83 - 94
• Main Authors: Sonsteby, Alec, DeJonghe, Jennifer
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Philadelphia, PA Taylor & Francis Group 01.01.2013; Routledge; Taylor & Francis; Taylor & Francis LLC
• Subjects: Academic Libraries; Alumni; Case Studies; College Students; Content management; End users; Exact sciences and technology; Guides; Information and communication sciences; Information processing and retrieval; Information retrieval. Man machine relationship; Information science. Documentation; LibGuides; Librarians; Libraries; Library Services; Minnesota; Online Systems; Research process. Evaluation; Sciences and techniques of general use; Studies; subject guides; Testing; Usability; Usability testing; Use Studies; User guides; user-centered design; Users (Information); Web site design; Minnesota; Guide; User; System; Result; Design; usability testing; World wide web; User oriented; Librarian; Topic; Web site design; Special purpose language; Evaluation; LibGuides; Student; Case study; Research worker; University; subject guides; Author; Library; user-centered design; Web site; Usability; Community
• ISSN: 1932-2909; 1932-2917
• DOI: 10.1080/19322909.2013.747366

Usability testing has become a routine way for many libraries to ensure that their Web presence is user-friendly and accessible. At the same time, popular subject guide creation systems, such as LibGuides, decentralize Web content creation and put authorship into the hands of librarians who may not be trained in user-centered design principles. At Metropolitan State University, researchers performed usability testing on LibGuides in order to see how patrons interact with guides. Researchers completed two rounds of usability testing on a total of ten students, one alumnus, and one community patron. The results indicate that patrons struggled most when encountering jargon, inconsistent language, and visual clutter. Based on their findings, researchers recommend ongoing usability testing of subject guides as well as the creation of a style guide to help librarians create usable, accessible guides.