Sharon Public Library Site Redesign
Library Director, requested a reorganization and redesign of their website. The motivation for the redesign was to improve the findability of content to assist users in finding information about events and complete key tasks such as searching and reserving content, managing accounts, and locating library hours and contact information. Rather than rewriting the content, the strategy was to reorganize it using information architecture practices.
Problem
The Sharon Public Library requested a redesign of their site’s current user interface and information architecture. The library has an abundance of information that is inaccessible to users in that it is difficult to find. The goals the Sharon Public Library have identified for the redesign are:
the reorganiziation of the current information on the site so that users can easily find
the on-line catalog
information on library events
downloading library forms
create a system that is simple for the library staff to use.
Approach
We conducted user research, and analyzed the navigation schemes and structure of the Sharon Public Library website in order to reorganize the site. We focused on the users, the resources and services provided by the library, and the taxonomy and labeling of those resources and services. This research will enable us to build a system that will be simple enough for library staff to use and maintain. We provided a gantt chart to illustrate the timeline for the six week project to keep stakeholders up to date on our research and deliverables.
A research study was conducted focusing on the users of the Sharon Public Library to provide a user centered solution. Interviews were conducted with 2 Librarians from the Pittsburgh Public Library system. The interviews consisted of approximately 15 questions and lasted around 20 minutes. Librarians were asked a series of questions to help identify user needs and goals of the patrons that use the library’s website. A literature review was done to supplement the interviews.
Key Findings from the interviews with the librarians revealed:
Who: The primary group of library users identi ed included middle school and high School Students, as well as parents of children (toddlers - elementary grades). While a secondary group consisted of older adults nearing retirement age and up.
Goals/Tasks: Common goals and tasks were downloading e-books, reserving physical books, checking the calendar for children centered library events. Less common tasks consisted of signing up for computer classes, checking user accounts, reserving rooms for study groups/meetings.
Frustrations: Primary users listed frustrations such as accessing the physical building because of holiday schedules or library hours, finding events that don’t interfere with their work schedule, or getting updates when a new program is announced.
Skills/Tech: Primary users tend to be tech savvy. They use a laptop at work or a tablet at home, they use their smart phone and are familiar with many downloaded apps.
We used those finding to create three library user personas and a task list.
Navigation Structure
The global navigation of the site consists of a hybrid organizational scheme. This scheme incorporates chronological, topical, metaphorical, audience-oriented, and functional navigation items. Too many schemes makes the site navigation less intuitive. Confusing labels can possibly hide important information such as the library hours living in the “Holiday Schedule” navigation tab.
Keeping the hybrid organizational scheme while combining some navigational items into more topical navigation items. The eMedia tab will be kept as is since this was one of our high priority items in the research.
The global main navigation at the top of the page will be kept as a sticky header and remain consistent across the pages as the user navigates the website.
Breadcrumbs will be utilized on all pages to help the users understand where they are at any time in the navigation structure.
Local Resources will be changed to Resources this change will bring all resource pages under one tab as well as moving resource pages from “Adult Services” under a more appropriate label.
Testing
TreeJack testing was used with the sitemap we created. 5 participants were recruited to test the new labeling and taxonomy of the updated sitemap. The TreeJack testing study was then conducted to identify usability of the new taxonomy and what revisions need to be made. Results of the test are as follows:
• 5 out of 5 participants successfully located the library calendar.
• 4 out of 5 participants found where to place holds and reserve online.
• 5 out of 5 participants found where to download ebooks.
• 4 out of 5 participants found where to ask a librarian.
After testing our sitemap with the Treejack study we made edits and created a wire frame based on the feedback from our participants. 4 new participants were then recruited to test the new wire frame of the updated sitemap. The Chalkmark one click testing study was then conducted to identify usability of the updates to the site’s wire frame and if further revisions need to be made. We used the same questions as the previous test with some edits and an additional question since our adjustments were based on the results of those initial questions.
Annotated Wireframes
Wireframes were designed to address all the high, medium, and low priority tasks that we identified in the Persona Task table. They also include the changes recommended in the Treejack and Chalkmark study results.
Results
The new information architecture and wireframe designs were successful.
The new sitemap we created based on the Treejack study was then retested and gave us the following results:
• 5 out of 5 participants successfully located the library calendar.
• 4 out of 5 participants found where to place holds and reserve online.
• 5 out of 5 participants found where to download ebooks.
• 4 out of 5 participants found where to ask a librarian.
After testing our sitemap with the Treejack study we made edits and created a wire frame based on the feedback from our participants. 4 new participants were then recruited to test the new wire frame of the updated sitemap.
Lessons Learned
This project provided a chance to conduct an extensive content audit using Treejack and Chalkmark. Understanding user groups and breaking them down into personas to identify the way in which they use the site helped determine the order of tasks and entry points to address. Time permitting another round of testing or two would have been beneficial.
Sharon Public Library PDF