Is Your Library’s Website an OBSTACLE COURSE? Laura Solomon Library Services Manager Ohio Public Library Information Network (OPLIN) @laurasolomon Meanlaura.com

Today’s agenda: 01 02 03 Rethinking site visitors Four case studies . The big take-aways

THE CONCEPTS

CONCEPT #1 Users are TASK-DRIVEN.

We have to get out of the user’s way LIBRARY WEBSITE

“People only notice design when it’s bad.” Erik Spiekermann, typographer

Users don’t care about your design. Unless it’s bad. CONCEPT #2 Users don’t care about your design. Unless it’s bad.

Why do libraries attempt to recreate the wheel? Ignorance Willful ignorance

Eugen Eşanu, Designer & Founder of Laroche.co “Before reinventing the wheel, you have to understand the value (time, effort, knowledge) that went into what you are trying to disrupt and innovate.” Eugen Eşanu, Designer & Founder of Laroche.co

Ignoring well-known conventions hurts users. CONCEPT #3 Ignoring well-known conventions hurts users.

“Without data, you’re just another person with an opinion.” W. Edwards Deming, data scientist

CONCEPT #4 Anecdotes are not data.

The four main concepts: Users are TASK-DRIVEN. Concept #3 Concept #2 Ignoring well-known conventions hurts users.. Users don’t care about your design. Unless it’s bad. Concept #4 Anecdotes are not data..

THE CASE STUDIES

Eugen Eşanu, Designer & Founder of Laroche.co When a person uses your site, you forget that she shouldn’t spend time thinking about… Where am I? Where should I begin? Where the f* did they put _____ ? What are the most important things on this page? Why did they call it that way? Is that an ad or part of the site? Eugen Eşanu, Designer & Founder of Laroche.co

CASE STUDY #1

OBSTACLE #1: The logo

OBSTACLE #2: The navigation

OBSTACLE #3: The jargon

Problematic library jargon Catalog or discovery tool: “catalog,” “COPAC,” “LINK+,” “Engine Orange” Fulfillment: “Find It @ UIC”, “360Link”, “Get it,” “location” Journal and database terminology: “Databases,” “Periodical,” “Serial” Research links: “Research guides,” “Reference Sources,” “E-shelf,” “Collections” Locations: “Course reserves,” “Reference” https://emilysingley.net/usablelibraries/top-5-problems-with-library-websites-a-review-of-recent-usability-studies/

Hoa Loranger, “Avoid Category Names That Suck” “Categories and hypertext act as signs and should give people a strong indication of what will happen before they click the link. People avoid clicking unknown items, or even worse, ignore them altogether.”  Hoa Loranger, “Avoid Category Names That Suck” https://www.nngroup.com/articles/category-names-suck/

OBSTACLE #4: The search

OBSTACLES, CASE STUDY #1 SEARCH JARGON NAVIGATION LOGO

CASE STUDY #2

OBSTACLE #1: Multiple searches

MENTAL MODELS

OBSTACLE #2: Redundant links

OBSTACLE #3: Icons without recognition or context

OBSTACLES, CASE STUDY #2 ICONS REDUNDANCY SEARCH

CASE STUDY #3

OBSTACLE #1: Wall O’ Text

Jakob Nielsen, “How Users Read on the Web” “They don't. People rarely read Web pages word by word; instead, they scan the page, picking out individual words and sentences.”  Jakob Nielsen, “How Users Read on the Web” October 1, 1997

https://www. business2community https://www.business2community.com/infographics/how-people-read-content-online-infographic-02087918

OBSTACLE #2: Problematic links

OTHER OBSTACLES

OBSTACLES, CASE STUDY #3 OTHERS LINKS TEXT

CASE STUDY #4

OBSTACLE #1: Placeholder text

OBSTACLE #2: Contrast

https://webaim.org/resources/contrastchecker

OBSTACLE #3: The carousel

http://www.uxdrinkinggame.com/drink/if-someone-says-carousel-drink/

“Users have learned to ignore content that resembles ads, is close to ads, or appears in locations traditionally dedicated to ads.” Kara Pernice, “Banner Blindness Revisited: Users Dodge Ads on Mobile and Desktop”

http://bradfrost.com/blog/post/carousels/

Carousel pros & cons LIBRARY USER Cons Pros Poor for accessibility Slows site down Users almost universally ignore these Often not usable on mobile Solves no problems for the user . e Pros Solves internal territory fights Crams more on the homepage Looks “cool” . LIBRARY USER

OBSTACLES, CASE STUDY #4 CAROUSELS CONTRAST PLACEHOLDERS

THE BIG TAKE-AWAYS

How libraries create obstacles “The best user experience is the one the user doesn’t notice.” Danny Halarewich IGNORANCE ANECDOTES LIBRARY FIRST

Stay in touch! Laura Solomon laura@oplin.ohio.gov www.meanlaura.com https://www.oplin.ohio.gov/files/obstacles_resources.pdf