Redesign of the UMBC Library Resource Site
Group 3 Site Design Team
Christopher Paul Charles SchwarzJonathan St. CyrJustin JohnsonKendra Joseph
Introduction• Our mission
−To design a consistent and easier to use interface for UMBC students, faculty, and staff to reduce stress in their efforts to conduct research while enhancing the user experience
− In other words,• “Don’t Make Me Think”
Source: Krug, Steve. Don’t Make Me Think. 2nd ed.
Introduction (cont’d)• Identify
−Essential problems our new design will solve
−Main users and sponsor groups and balance their needs
−Options and information the new design will give users to address their problems and needs
Introduction (cont’d)• Methodology
−User Analysis• Conduct open-ended question
interviews with students, faculty, and staff
−Benchmarking• Identify best trends and practices
on competitor sites
Introduction (cont’d)• Methodology (cont’d)
−Interview Stakeholders• Interviewed three UMBC research
librarians
Chuck• Users
• User behaviors and searching
Benchmarking• Better use of white space
− Items in the UMBC website were not chunk together
−Chunked categories should be displayed neatly
• Requires categories that are simple to understand−Use terms the use can relate to: Find
it, Get it, Use it
• Provide global navigation on every relevant page
• Place contact information on every page
• Provide an easy scan tutorial on how to use search catalog
Interviews of User/Stakeholders
• Background Information of Interviews− Interviews were conducted to
uncover consistent issues faced while interacting with the site.
− Interviewees ranged from freshman to senior status. Some were also staff that worked in the library.
−From interviews, discovered that students only use site when directed.
Interviews of User/Stakeholders
• Results From Interviews−Trouble searching for journal and
reference articles that fit their research (too much content to muddle through)
−Users often gave up and resorted to the use of other search engines
−Users found the nomenclature of the library’s resource page to technical and difficult to interpret
−Felt the need for larger search boxes to enter queries
−The need for information to be placed in more exclusive categories
−Employees state the site lacks a site map
Lessons LearnedProblems Solutions
Information is embedded Provide broader categories therefore eliminating some unnecessary steps to get to
information needed
Site may be too complex Offer tutorial on how to use and navigate website
Site is not appealing Better use of color schemes
No site map within portal Provide a site map
Search bar on main page searches only journals by default
Offer an advanced search option on the main page with
subcategories for magazines, newspapers, etc.
Terminology is too complex Use user-centric terminology
Site does not make users want to return to the site
Enhance ease of use and performance with global
navigation schemes and simplified language.
Site Map
Page
Application
Database
UMBC Homepage
Library Homepage1.0
My UMBC2.0
My Library1.3
Account Info1.3.1
Account Activity1.3.2
Help1.2
FAQ1.2.1
Email1.2.2
Find1.1
Faculty Services1.3.4
IM1.2.4
Search1.1.1
Tutorial1.1.2
Reserves1.1.3
Catalog/books1.1.1.1
MagazinesNewspapers
1.1.1.2
Academic Journals1.1.1.3
Audio/Visual1.1.1.4
CheckedOut
Books
BooksRequested
Search Books1.1.2.1
Search Audio/Visual1.1.2.2
Search Journals1.1.2.3
Search Magazines1.1.2.4
Phone1.2.3
ILL1.3.3
Show Requests1.3.3.1
Cancel Requests1.3.3.2
Welcome to the AlbinO.Kuhn Library & Gallery
ResearchLibraryAthleticsArts/CultureAdmissionsAbout Academics
Find
Help
My Library
Starting Research
How do I select a research topic?How do I find background information on my topic?What are scholarly, or peer-reviewed, journal articles?How do I cite my sources?
Finding Information How do I find scholarly journal articles?
FAQContact Info
Phone #IM
Links to other pages with info on these topics
Scrollable to reach other sections of FAQ’s about
databases, saving & printing etc.
Welcome “User’s Name” Greets user by name
Welcome to the AlbinO.Kuhn Library & Gallery
ResearchLibraryAthleticsArts/CultureAdmissionsAbout Academics
Find
Help
My Library
Phone a Librarian
410-455-2346
Phone reference available during Reference Desk hours
Contact a Subject Librarian
For in-depth reference assistance, contact a subject specialist
FAQContact Info
Phone #IM
Link to a page containing a list of majors and corresponding
librarian phone #
Welcome “User’s Name” Greets user by name
Welcome to the Albin O. Kuhn Library & Gallery
ResearchLibraryAthleticsArts/CultureAdmissionsAbout Academics
Find
Help
My Library
Welcome “User’s Name” Greets user by name
Text box displaying all materials currently requested
Current Requests
Conservatives without conscience / John W. Dean.
Liberalism is a mental disorder : Savage solutions / Michael Savage.
My Account Account Activity ILL Faculty Services
RequestInterlibrary Loan
Show Status forLocal Holds
Cancel Requests
Content Inventory
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Level 4
Navigation Label Content Type Page Title Content
Content Developer
1 Library
Homepage HTML text; Library/home Library Home Page Group 3
hyperlinks
1.1 Find hyperlinks Library/find Find Page
1.1.2 Tutorial HTML text; Library/tutorial Tutorial Page
hyperlinks
1.1.2.1
Search Books Tutorial
HTML text,images Library/tutorial/search books Search Books Page
1.1.2.3
Search Journals Tutorial
HTML text,images
Library/tutorial/search journals Search Journals Page
1.1.2.4
Search Magazines Tutorial
HTML text,images
Library/tutorial/search magazines
Search Magazines Page
Welcome to the Albin O. Kuhn Library & Gallery
ResearchLibraryAthleticsArts/CultureAdmissionsAbout Academics
Find
Help
My Library
Welcome “User’s Name” Greets user by name
RequestInterlibrary Loan
Show Status forLocal Holds
CancelRequests
Enter your ILLiad Username:
osmith1Enter your ILLiad Password:
***********
Data entry box
Data entry box
Log in button
Text informing the user what data is required to access
account
Text informing the user what data is required to access
account
First Time Users Click Here
My Account Account Activity ILL Faculty Services
Cancel Requests
Log In
Welcome to the Albin O. Kuhn Library & Gallery
ResearchLibraryAthleticsArts/CultureAdmissionsAbout Academics
Find
Help
My Library
Welcome “User’s Name” Greets user by name
Text box displaying all materials currently requested
Current Requests
Conservatives without conscience / John W. Dean.
Liberalism is a mental disorder : Savage solutions / Michael Savage.
My Account Account Activity ILL Faculty Services
RequestInterlibrary Loan
Show Status forLocal Holds
Cancel Requests
Cancel Selected
Application FlowSCREEN(S) USER ACTION DATA INPUT DATA OUTPUT/DISPLAY
1.1 “Find” link on library homepage
Click on “Find” link Displays all content on the “Find” web page
1.1 “Find” web page
Reads the three options: "Search," "Tutorial," "Reserves"
List of three "Find" options: “Search,” “Tutorial,” and “Reserves”
1.1 “Find” web page
Click on the “Search” link Displays all of the content on the “Search” web page
1.3 "Reserves" web page
Click on the "Reserves" link Displays all the content on the "Reserves" web page
Conclusion• Albin O. Kuhn
Library and Gallery− Our mission is to
assist patrons in meeting their research needs and assisting them in their never ending quest for knowledge.