Page 223 - DLIS001_FOUNDATION_OF_LIBRARY_AND_INFORMATION_SCIENCE

Foundation of Library and Information Science

Notes
The usability is recognized as an important quality factor of any modern website. Usability
testing has since become the focus of considerable attention both for commercial and
academic Web sites. Usability tests revealed that the way material is arranged, labelled,
and presented on the Web (the site’s ‘information architecture’) has a major impact on
users and their ability to operate a site effectively. Head and Fichter each furnished a good
synopsis of usability testing and delineated the possible hazards for test givers and test
takers which are likely to be encountered.
Norlin & Winters also provided an excellent “how to” guide aimed specifically at libraries
and library staffs who wish to conduct usability testing. Avouris et al proposed the
techniques for usability evaluation of a website and described their use. They discussed
the applicability of the developed techniques in a wide area of Web based applications
and their importance in the context of today’s Web applications development. Most
notably, Rubin’s Handbook of Usability Testing and Dumas & Redish’s a Practical Guide
to Usability Testing provided invaluable ideas and input in the process of instrument
development. Rubin outlined the four types of usability tests (i.e. exploratory; assessment;
validation/verification; and comparison). He further promotes the User Centred Design
(UCD) philosophy, and described five attributes common to organizations practicing
UCD:

1. a phased approach that includes user input and feedback at all crucial points;
2. a multi-disciplinary team approach;
3. concerned management;
4. a “learn as you go” perspective; and

5. usability goals and objectives.
Additionally, Rubin offers a detailed overview of the entire process including all aspects
of planning, budgeting, test design and execution, as do Barnum and Dumas & Redish.
Dumas & Redish gave important insights into the interpersonal aspects of the testing
process, such as the consideration given to human-computer interaction and the impact of
certain behaviours on those giving and taking the tests.
Nielsen and Spool have created effective website design guidelines and provided extensive
practical advice and hints. Nielsen developed heuristic evaluation method for quick, cheap,
and easy evaluation of a user interface design and provided a list of ten recommended
heuristics for usable interface design. Constantine, Morville and Rowlands also presented
their viewpoints on good practices for design. McClements & Becker suggested that useful
hints and design features must be included. Keevil developed Web Usability Index Checklist
on the models provided by Ravden & Johnson and Chignell & Keevil which have a series
of questions that could be answered with a “Yes” or “No”. The Human Computer Interface
(HCI) checklist of Ravden & Johnson has 120 detailed questions while Chignell & Keevil
model have more than 180 questions. Fraser et al supplemented the literature by providing
an important reminder about accessibility in the interface design with respect to users
with disabilities, a feature curiously absent in many studies. Owen further emphasizes
that accessibility should not be ignored in visual design of a site. Harley & Henke conducted
an experimental analysis of two commonly-used methods for exploring the use of university
based Web based resources: Transaction log analysis (TLA) and online site surveys.
Chisenga conducted a usability test for university libraries’ home pages in Sub-Saharan
Africa and concluded that libraries are mainly providing general information about
themselves and its services on their home page. Battleson et al have given a comprehensive
case study for usability tests of academic library website of University of Buffalo. Houghton
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