Hello everyone,
Thanks to those of you who attended last Thursday’s session. For those unable to come, here’s a brief overview.
Annie Bélanger, Yifei Zhao, and Helena Calogeridis presented on the work of they and the Library’s Web Content Management System Team have been doing relating to the beta site.
First, Annie spoke about aspects of information architecture with respect to navigating and making the best use of terminology (her PowerPoint presentation is attached).
Then Yifei and Annie presented two re-worked versions of the beta site’s mega menu.
- http://www.libtest.uwaterloo.ca/beta3/index.php (Annie’s version)
- http://www.libtest.uwaterloo.ca/beta/index.php (Yifei’s ‘Start your research’ version)
And lastly, Helena spoke about usability testing initiatives, which include:
- A new Usability Testing group libUsability@library.uwaterloo.ca
- Members: Aziz Aboueleinin, Helena Calogeridis (facilitator), Marian Davies, Rose Koebel, Larisa Smyk, Agnes Zientarska-Kayko
- The group will be using 2 new software systems:
- Usabilla allows for content based task-based testing and heat mapping
- TreeJack allows for navigational structure testing in a rapid way
- Phase I Usability Testing
- A comprehensive report summarizing 2011 testing was completed in November 2012 – Usability Report for the Library Website Redesign Project: Phase I.
- Phase II Usability Testing
- Phase II, now underway, will include a selected re-testing of our initial task-based tests from Phase I. In replicating the task-based portions of the original study, we will be able to determine if we have been successful in improving overall user experience with the goal of creating an intuitive experience for our users that meets their needs.
- Phase III Usability Testing
- Once the new website has been launched, an ongoing to commitment to usability testing and user experience enhancements will be an integral part of the future of the University of Waterloo library website. Quick, easy surveys and feedback mechanisms will be developed to help to identify what is working well and what needs improvement.
Please continue to send feedback on these designs and the original beta via the form https://uwaterloo.ca/library/web-redesign/send-your-feedback-library-wcms-team.
In the meantime, happy holidays!
Kathy Szigeti and Jane Forgay
on behalf of the Web Content Management System Team
