Creating user-centred library website through usability testing: a case study at OUSL library

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to share the lessons learnt from conducting usability testing at the Website redesign project of the library of Open University of Sri Lanka (OUSL). Design/methodology/approach: Redesign project was carried out in a multi stepped process using several techniques and tools. A mixture of quantitative and qualitative data collecting methods was used to determine the user needs and expectations; recognize user-preferred terms and identify strengths; weaknesses of the existing Website and measure the standard of the redesigned Website. Findings: The results of the think aloud protocol (TAP) test on the existing library site indicated some problematic areas with respect to both Web design and Web content while the TAP test on redesigned site proved strength of the new site in terms of organization of information and navigation. The card sort protocol test produced a set of user preferred-terms and suggestions on organization of elements in the site’s homepage. The user survey and the focus group discussions revealed several issues that hinder the use of the library site and generated valuable insights to raise the standard of the new Website. Originality/value/conclusion: There are numerous evidences in the literature on library Website redesign projects that have been carried out in USA and European countries. However, there is hardly any evidence for such projects from Asian and African regions. Therefore, the content of this paper will contribute towards enriching the literature by extending boundaries and may provide some useful guidance for Asian librarians who are interested in creating a user-centered Websites.