Website Usability

Scripts & Questions

Round One (March, 2005)

Usability Testing of Library's Website

Date:

Interviewer:

1st Recorder:

2nd Recorder:

Student:

Student's email:

Opening Remarks

Thanks for coming in, for being willing to participate in the Library's effort to improve its website. This session will last less no more than half an hour. My name is (Tracy, Paula, Linda) and these are my colleagues (Tracy, Paula and Linda). We're librarians here at BU. Our goal is to understand what works and what doesn't work about the website so that we can make it easier to use. We aren't testing your library skills. If you can't find something we ask about, it's not your fault, it's the fault of the website and that's what we're trying to get at. The more you tell us as we go along, the better we'll understand what is working, what's not working, and how we might change the site.

I'll be asking you questions and my colleagues will be taking notes so we can make the most of your feedback. I'll be reading from a script to ensure consistency across all tests. Do you have any questions?

OK, let's get started. Remember, the more you talk out loud about what you're thinking, the more we'll learn.

Original Question for Student	Follow-up Questions
1 . Using the library website, can you tell if the library has any books written by Marc Bekoff?	If the student is unsuccessful, the librarian should ask, what word or phrase were you looking for, but did not find?

2 . Using the library website, can you find an electronic copy of Journal of Asset Management ?

If the participant goes to the catalog and stops, the librarian should ask, "Is there somewhere else on the library website to look for this?"
If the student still does not find the eJournals list, the librarian should ask, "What word or phrase were you looking for, but did not find?"

3 . Using the library website, can you find a print copy of Journal of the American Helicopter Society ?

If the student is unsuccessful, the librarian should ask, what word or phrase were you looking for, but did not find?

4 . Using the library website, how would you get a book or article we do not own?

If students did not make it to the ILL page, the librarian should ask, "what word or phrase were you looking for, but did not find?"

5 . Using the library website, how would you find a journal article about depression?

If the students navigate to a database through research guides or similar, the librarian should praise the student and show her the indexes and databases link and ask, "Is there a better way to word that?"
If the student is unable to get to a location to find an article, the librarian should ask, "What word or phrase were you looking for, but did not find?"

Exit Questions

6 . How would you change the library's website to make it more useful for you?

7 . What do you find useful on the library's website?

8 . Is there anything you would like to tell us about the library's website?

Closing Remarks

Thanks very much for coming in today and sharing your impressions with us. Here are our business cards in case you'd like to get in touch with us later on. May we get in touch with you by email if we have any questions about today's interview? Here's a gift certificate to Barnes & Noble as a small thanks for your participation.

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