Thanks to all who attended last month’s Remote User Testing roundtable, and thanks to Emma Boettcher (UChicago) and Eileen López for co-convening.
Pressing Areas for Testing CARLI is moving forward with the migration to Alma/Primo in June 2020. User testing is not centralized through CARLI, in part because individual institutions are able to make many local customization (for example, search scopes, top-level menus, naming and ordering of facets). Many attendees had planned to do user testing this spring, so that work will either need to be done online or postponed until after go-live in June. Other areas for testing include website or institutional repository development that was in process prior to COVID-related closures. Remote Card Sorting with OptimalSort Eileen López gave a brief presentation about a study she conducted on the University of Chicago Library’s intranet. This study served two purposes: testing the organization of content across multiple pages via a card sorting exercise and evaluating the utility of two platforms (OptimalSort and Qualtrics ) for conducting this sort of study. After reviewing the features and functionality of both platforms, Eileen determined that Qualtrics could not support an open card sort. She used OptimalSort’s free trial, which allows users to create an unlimited number of tests of with up to 10 participants and 30 cards each, to conduct this project. The built-in tools made grouping and analysis of reports much easier than anticipated. Other Strategies for Remote Testing Attendees shared several strategies they’ve tried:
Remote testing presents different logistical challenges that in person. Participants have to use their own equipment rather than yours which will result in more authentic feedback about how your tool will function in the real world – but also means that you can’t control the environment, internet connection, device speed, etc in order to ensure that your tool is what is being tested. It is possible that your participant may not be able to access the thing you need to test! Recruitment is also proving to be challenging in an environment where communication with patrons is often discouraged. Some attendees mentioned working with student workers or other affiliated student groups to conduct testing. Others are reaching out to pools of previous participants. All of these groups bring with them the caveat that they may be familiar with the library and its systems. Remaining Questions The roundtable closed with a discussion of future plans – or, rather, the difficulty of balancing work that can feasibly be done right now with the needs of our institutions longer term. Questions included:
Library UX Chicago held our annual year-end event on Friday, December 15 from 1pm-4pm at DePaul University's Richardson Library. This year we experimented with a slightly new format for the event; in addition to our annual lightning talks, we set aside time to workshop project ideas. Library UX Chicago: Year Three, Elizabeth Edwards LIGHTNING TALKS As in previous years, we held lightning talks so people could share their work or present on a topic related to user experience, assessment, or design in libraries. Testing Microcopy, Emma Boettcher, University of Chicago Display of Archival Collections in EXPLORE Chicago Collections, Kate Flynn, University of Illinois-Chicago Deck the Halls: Getting Our Message into Students' Residential Life, Janet Olson, Northwestern University Learning from Indigenous Studies Scholars, Gina Petersen and Scott Garton, Northwestern University Service Design: A Team Approach to Continuous Improvement, Kimberly Shotick and Katie Ediger, Illinois Institute of Technology Railslibraries info Redesign: Post-go-live User Research and Tweaks, Brian Smith, RAILS WORKSHOP After our lightning talks, we broke into groups to discuss your ideas, projects, challenges, or works-in-progress. HAPPY HOUR Happy hour plans are being developed and will be announced by email to the Library UX Chicago Google Group and in person at the event. Friday, November 11, 2016: 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Richard J. Daley Library, UIC A LibGuides Showcase Event! We heard from six local librarians and library staff who manage, create, update, or assess guides in unique or effective ways. After the presentations, we gathered for an informal discussion about best practices, systems migrations and customizations, and other related topics. Tuesday, November 10, 2015 · 6:00 PM
Depaul University: John T. Richardson Library Usability testing involves asking people to use a website or application and observing them while they perform tasks and “think-out-loud”. It produces actionable results in just a few minutes and takes the guesswork out of improving websites and apps. This Usability Testing Pop-Up Lab was led by design consulting firm PIXO and leave equipped to run your own low-cost usability tests and reveal challenges people face while using your technology. This event took place in the Scholars Lab of the DePaul University's Richardson Library. http://library.depaul.edu/services/Pages/Scholars-Lab.aspx Wednesday, July 22, 2015 · 8:30 AM
Richard J. Daley Library, UIC This LibraryUX Chicago special workshop was on understanding user needs and behaviors, featuring Gemma Petrie, UX expert and Senior Design Researcher at Mozilla Foundation. Through a combination of discussion and hands-on activities, the goal was to have participants leave this session with the practical tools and methods necessary to begin applying UX concepts at their home institutions. LibraryUX Chicago is a local assessment and user experience group, formed to share information, receive training, and leverage local expertise to enhance current practices. Using Interviews in Design Research, Gemma Petrie |
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