Usability Test

1. Library website
 Athens State University: http://www.athens.edu/library/

1. Representative Users
A. College student – “typical” college student (20-23 years old)
B. College student – older (30 years old and older) student going to
college for the first time or returning to complete undergraduate
degree
C. College professor/instructor
D. K-12 Teacher
E. Member of the community with no connections to the university

2. Describe Setting
 The ideal setting for the test is in the Athens State University
Library itself. The benefit of this location for the test allows for quick
responses between the test giver and the test taker.

1. Design a Usability Test for Website

A. Test One: Find the hours for the library.
B. Test Two: Find the database collections.
C. Test Three: Try to renew a book.
D. Test Four: Check out a book from the inter-library loans.
E. Test Five: Find the e-books collection.

2. Collect Data
A. Method for Detailing Observations – participants will fill out a
survey as they access the site and explore it. The survey will be
online to allow better compilation of data. The survey can be
access while the participants perform the tests.
B. Survey/Exit Questionnaire
1. What problems did you find with the following tests? If no
problems were found, answer “none” in the box provided.
a. Find the hours for the library.
b. Find the database collections.
c. Try to renew a book.
d. Check out a book from the inter-library loans.
e. Find the e-books collections.
1. Was it easy to perform these tasks? If not, why?
 2. What other problems did you find while on the library’s
website?
3. What changes would you like to see done to the website?

1. Report Findings
A. Detail Methods of Presenting Findings (charts, graphs, narratives)
– the method of findings is the narrative. Each letter represents
the selection of patrons from above; they are in the same order
as the patrons above.
1. What problems did you find with the following tests? If
no problems were found, answer “none” in the box
provided.
a.Find the hours for the library.
i. Finding the hours took several clicks. It wasn’t
easy to find, nor was it easily labeled.
ii. I couldn’t find them.
iii. The hours were not in an obvious place; it took
some time to find.
iv. They weren’t in the best of locations.
v. They were on the main page.
a.Find the database collections.
i. There are many choices: AVL or articles, so I
wasn’t sure which one to choose.
ii. I found three possibilities, so I’m not sure which
one to choose.
iii. The article databases were easy to find as well
as the Alabama Virtual Library.
iv. Easy to find with nice amount of options to use
in selection.
v. I couldn’t figure out which one was the
database. Articles and the AVL are listed.
a.Try to renew a book.
i. Since it wasn’t obviously labeled, I was able to
find it on the “How Do I?” link.
ii. It wasn’t easily labeled.
iii. It was not in an obvious place.
iv. It should be labeled better.
v. I couldn’t find it.
a.Check out a book from the inter-library
loans.
 i. I found it, but after going through several links.
ii. I don’t know what that is.
iii. Just like the others, it wasn’t easy to find.
iv. I had to stop a moment to think where it would
be, but I found it.
v. I’m not sure what that is.
a.Find the e-books collections.
i. None.
ii. None.
iii. None.
iv. None.
v. None.
1. Was it easy to perform these tasks? If not, why?
a. All but one took some to find.
b. No. The tasks were hidden.
c. They were easy, but they could have been better had they
been in a better location.
d. Easy, but time consuming with some.
e. No because I couldn’t find some.
1. What other problems did you find while on the library’s
website?
Only problems listed were changing font color and size to be
readable.
2. What changes would you like to see done to the
website?
All participants want the links better designed. Dropdown links
would be much better for navigation.
A. “How will I effectively make recommendations to the
website authors/designers/managers?”
• Upon reading the results of the survey, the
recommendation to organize the links will be made. The
specific recommendation is to rename the links and have
the links be accessible via a dropdown menu to ensure the
users will be able to check for a specific piece of
information or service quickly without having to browse
links multiple times. Another recommendation is to change
the font color from the white to a black as well as increase
font size.
The information the patrons want is on the website; it is
just not organized for the patrons. The all-encompassing
recommendation is to organize the site into more user-
friendly terms.