This document discusses the importance of website usability. It provides tips for improving usability, including writing content for web readers, removing unnecessary words, simplifying the website structure and navigation, using clear and consistent labels, focusing on appearance and design, conducting usability testing with real users, and planning for continuous improvement through regular assessments. The key message is that websites should be designed based on user needs in order to provide an intuitive experience for accomplishing tasks efficiently.

1. Website
Usability
Amanda Etches-Johnson
CiL2010

2. Why usability?

3. “
Technologies don’t
become socially
interesting until they
become technologically
boring.
- Clay Shirky

4. “
Technologies don’t
become socially
interesting until they
become technologically
boring.
- Clay Shirky

5. “
Library websites are
unlikely to be socially
interesting if they’re
difficult to use.
- Aaron Schmidt

6. Website
priorities
interesting
easy

9. flash lincoln

15. ?!

16. 123
456

17. 1

18. website tips
write for
the web

19. How do you feel about reading this text?
This might be a perfectly acceptable
way to write a research paper or novel
but websites aren’t for reading. Sorry to
break it to you. People don’t want to
read your website. They want to find
your information. They’re on a mission
and all of the extra text you’re putting
on the screen is getting in the way of
letting them accomplish their goals.

20. website tips
Remove
unnecessary
words

21. website tips
Remove
words

24. content
pathway
content
home
content
pathway
content

25. 1.5

26. http://www.yourlibrary.org/
section/ref/12/list6/dir/
kids.html
http://yourlibrary.org/kids

27. 2

28. website tips
Redesign
your website

40. 3

41. website tips
Match labels
& pages

45. 4

46. Appearance
matters

47. Appearance
matters

49. 5

50. Whimsey

56. 6

57. Usability
testing in
five words

58. Watch people
use your
website

59. usability testing
non -
librarians

60. Find a magazine article

61. Find a magazine article

64. Five
second
test

66. crazyegg.com

67. Planning for
excellence

68. Planning for excellence
Usability
inventory

69. Planning for excellence
90 day
assessments

70. Planning for excellence
1. Forget current site
2. Gather planners
3. Determine audience
4. Assess & rank needs
5. Compare
6. Outline steps

71. The web is made of people

72. Make the web for people

73. ?!

74. :)!

75. after the break...
user needs
divide the dollar
card sort

76. user needs [ try this with your web team ]
[group 1] Amy is a 42-year old [group 2] Harrison is a 35-
mother and homemaker who year old lawyer who works
likes reading and cooking. At long hours and enjoys sports.
night, after she puts her kids to Harrison uses the web for all
bed, she likes playing cards his online banking, e-billing,
online. and other conveniences.
[group 3] Skye is 9. She uses [group 4] Randy is a 68-year old
the web for email, IM, retired school bus driver who is
homework and Webkinz.! new to the web. He has just
started communicating with his
grandkids over Skype.
[15 minutes,15 things]

77. divide the dollar [ try this with your users ]
$100
Divide the $ across features
according to importance
Explain why
Everything on your user
needs list must be valued
[10 minutes]

78. card sort [ try this with your web team & your users]
1 team
Group cards into categories
Label your categories
[10 minutes]

79. user testing [ try this with your users]
Watch people
use your
website

80. user testing [ try this with your users]
Watch people
use your
product

81. user testing [ try this with your users]
Watch people
use your
resource

82. user testing [ try this with your users]
Watch people
use your
service

83. resources

84. THANKS!
INFLUX.US
/SERVICES
/BLOG