User Experience (UX) Design for Libraries

Citation

Calvert, P. (2013), "User Experience (UX) Design for Libraries", The Electronic Library, Vol. 31 No. 3, pp. 400-401. https://doi.org/10.1108/EL-04-2013-0075

The title is slightly misleading; this is not about library usability per se, but the usability of the library's web site. Once that is understood, the audience of the book becomes much clearer. The authors are experienced in the art and science of evaluating web sites and are willing to pass on their inside knowledge of what works and what does not. A few telling points will go a long way. The majority of library web sites are too big, they say, and that is hard to argue with if one thinks about sites that we know. Cutting the size of the site by removing content best put elsewhere, in an intranet, for example, would make the site much easier to navigate.

The book starts by describing what should be done before the usability testing starts: decide what you want the web site to do, based upon that the end‐users need, and then set up a team to oversee the testing. The usability test itself is explained. Those familiar with web design will know the main techniques, all of which are described here. The use of “personas” is well established amongst web designers and here the authors explain how to plan and create the right personas for your web site. Sections like this are followed by a Q&A, such as “how many personas should I create?” followed by an answer based upon the author's practical experience. Other techniques that beginners will need to know about are the use of card sorting – apparently simple yet very effective, and it can be used in many different contexts – and the design of wireframes. While both card sorting and wireframes are simple ideas, their practical application in web design and usability testing does not come without experience, and that is what the authors give to the reader.

There are useful chapters on marketing, including, as one would expect, the use of social media; and on the use of metrics such as web analytics. The A/B test was new to me, proving that we can always learn something new. I liked this book and will recommend it to any librarians who will be working on their web site any time soon. In addition to the content there are several useful suggestions for software that will assist with the usability testing.