The Usability Group has been working hard! Our last task force project was to evaluate the recently implemented LibGuides.
LibGuides is a commercial, web-based content management system used to present the library's various subject and technology-based guides. Librarians can quickly and easily create guides to resources in a simple, modular format. LibGuides provides "boxes" in different content format types, designed to better display certain types of information (for example: links of web resources, RSS feeds, or delicious tags).
First, we conducted a focus group to better understand the research habits of undergraduate students. Then we conducted a "guerilla" test (aka simple or discount usability) to build on the focus group findings which demonstrated that the language currently used to describe our LibGuides (e.g., "research guides") is confusing and misleading regarding the actual content found on LibGuides pages.
The two reports for this project can be found here.
Thanks to the task force project managers (Shevon Desai & Julie Piacentine) and the group members (Barbara Beaton, Jennifer Bonnet, Bill Dueber, and Karen Reiman-Sendi) for all their hard work!