Introduction to Website Usability

An ACRL Online Seminar
October 6-24, 2008

Registration for this course will open in September.

Course Description:
For very little investment in staff hours and training you can reap tremendous benefits by connecting with the users of your library website and web based applications through usability testing. This three-week course is designed for the librarian or library IT staff person who is interested in setting up a usability program but doesn’t know where to begin. Through a combination of reading assignments, online discussions, and hands-on activities, students will:

• Deepen their understanding of the value of usability testing when developing new web-based systems and services for their library.
• Develop a test protocol that meets their institutions requirements for research studies involving human subjects testing.
• Devise a strategy for recruiting test subjects from different user groups.
• Learn the most commonly used types of tests and where they fit into the iterative design cycle.
• Design and conduct a mental model, card sort, heuristic evaluation, and cognitive walkthrough test.
• Determine key user tasks for a web interface; develop test questions designed to elicit user responses that demonstrate those tasks, and test them using both paper prototypes and computer interfaces.
• Write summary results for user tests that are appropriate for the type of test, meet the needs of stakeholders, and contribute to the development of usable designs.
• Students completing the course will have created a custom usability toolkit that can be used to start a usability program or strengthen an existing user research program.

Introduction to Website Usability is a primarily asynchronous seminar, allowing participants to work through course material at times convenient to them throughout the week. A threaded discussion topic will be scheduled for each week of the course.  Participants may also choose to schedule live chats with one another or with instructors as they feel necessary. Specific material and activities are expected to be covered during each week of the course.

Schedule:
Week 1:
1.1. An Introduction to Usability Testing
1.2. Human Subject Research Studies and Your Institution
1.3. Recruiting Test Subjects

Week 2:
2.1. Iterative Design Cycle: When To Test? What Test to Use?
2.2. Mental Model Testing
2.3. Card Sort Test
2.4. Heuristic Evaluation and Cognitive Walkthrough

Week 3:
3.1. User Interface Testing: Key Tasks
3.2. User Interface Testing: Paper Prototypes
3.3. User Interface Testing: “live” website
3.4. Presenting Results to Stakeholders

Learning Outcomes:
By the end of this seminar, you will:

• Gain an understanding of the value of usability testing for website design.
• Write a research study protocol that meets the guidelines for human subjects studies at their institution.
• Develop a strategy for recruiting test subjects for different user groups at their institution.
• Be able to identify the appropriate usability test for a website design based on its position in the iterative design cycle.
• Learn to conduct a card sort test and translate results into website design elements.
• Develop a test protocol for conducting a heuristic evaluation and/ or cognitive walkthrough test of their library’s website.
• Determine key user tasks for a web interface, and develop test questions designed to elicit user responses that demonstrate those tasks.
• Develop active listening techniques and practice testing protocol by conducting a short paper prototype test.
• Increase their skill at user testing, and their confidence in the test protocol by conducting a “live” interface usability test.
• Write summary test results for 3 types of usability tests and determine the appropriate format and length of the report based on the type of test.

Instructor:
Nora Dimmock is the head of the Multimedia Center at the University of Rochester's Rush Rhees Library and the subject specialist for Film and Media Studies. She is an active member of the library's website usability team and the College Diversity Roundtable. Her research interests include usability, digital copyright issues, and popular culture collections in academic libraries.

Course Requirements:
Your participation will require approximately one to three hours per week to:

• Read the online seminar material
• Post to online discussion boards 
• Complete online exercises
• Complete a seminar evaluation form

Registration:
ACRL member: $135
ALA member: $175
Nonmember: $195
Student: $60

Registration will open in September 2008.

Register with Credit Card

• Click "register" next to "ACRL Introduction to Website Usability" (under October 2008 courses)
• You will need to log in with your ALA ID & password. If you do not have an ALA ID & password, you will be asked to create one in order to register.

Register by PO

• Download and complete the PO registration form.
• Submit the form along with your actual PO to ALA registration (fax or mail; see form for details).
• You will not be considered registered for the course until both your PO and the registration form have been received and processed by ALA registration.

Member rates apply to personal memberships only. Want to join ACRL or ALA?  Complete the online membership form, available on the ALA Web site. If you join ALA/ACRL within five days of registering, we will adjust your fee (please fax a copy of your completed registration form to ACRL at 312-280-2520).

Payment may be made by credit card or purchase order (PO) only.
If paying by PO, the PO number is required at the time of registration.

Class size is limited to 60 participants. Full refunds will be granted up to 14 days prior to the start of the seminar.