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Usability evaluation of an NHS library web site

Ebenezer, Catherine (2003) Usability evaluation of an NHS library web site. Health Information and Libraries Journal 20(3).

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Abstract

Objectives: To carry out a usability evaluation of the recently launched South London and Maudsley NHS Trust library website. Methods: A variety of standard methodologies were employed; content and design evaluation of selected comparable sites; focus groups; a questionnaire survey of library and Web development staff; heuristic evaluation; observation testing; card sorting/cluster analysis, and label intuitiveness/category membership testing. All participants were staff of or providers of services to the trust. Demographic information was recorded for each participant. Results: Test participants' overall responses to the site were enthusiastic and favourable, indicating the scope and and content of the site to be broadly appropriate to the user group. Testers made numerous suggestions for new content. Usability problems were discovered in two main areas: in the organisation of the site, and in the terminology used to refer to information services and sources. Based on test results, proposals for a revised menu structure, improved accessibility, and changes to the terminology used within the site are presented. Conclusion: Usability evaluation methods, appropriately scaled, can be advantageously applied to NHS library web sites by an individual web editor working alone.

EPrint Type:Journal Article (On-line/Unpaginated)
Keywords:health libraries; web usability testing, National Health Service; web site evaluation
Subjects:Human Computer Interaction
Information Seeking Behaviors
World Wide Web
ID Code:240
Deposited On:01 September 2003
Alternative Locations:http://members.lycos.co.uk/ebenezer1954/publications.htm
Eprint Statistics:View statistics for this eprint
Tell A Colleague:Tell a colleague about it.

E.g. Barak A. Psychological applications on the Internet: a discipline on the threshold of a new millennium. Applied and Preventive Psychology 1999 8 231-246; Bremer J, Beresein EV. Computers in Psychiatry Today. Academic Psychiatry 2000 24(3) 168ff.; Kramer T, Kennedy R. Useful websites for psychiatrists. Academic Psychiatry 22(2) 141f.; Tantam D. A guide to the Internet for psychotherapists. Psychiatric Bulletin 2001 25(1) 29-30; Holden G, Rosenberg G, Meenaghan T. Information for social work practice: observations regarding the role of the World Wide Web. Social Work in Health Care 2000 32(1) 1-8; Ward R, Haines M. Don’t get left behind – get online. Practice Nurse 1998 16 164-166; Aitchison J, Miller C. Favourite web sites of UK GPs [WWW document]. URL <http://www.inpharm.com/netfocus/trends/articles_010.html>; Fleck E, Levy, S. Internet support for nurses and midwives. Professional Nurse 2000 14(4) 280-282

cf. Anthony, D. The Internet “haves” and “have nots” in nursing. Presentation given at Healthcare Computing Conference, Harrogate, March 20-22 2000.

cf. Yeoman, A, Cooper, CJ. Urquhart C, Tyler A, editors. The value and impact of virtual outreach services: report of the VIVOS project. Aberystwyth: DIL, University of Wales, Aberystwyth, 2001

Palmer, K. Signposts to information for mental health workers: a research project funded by South and West Health Care Libraries Unit. Bournemouth: Bournemouth University Library and Information Services, 1999.

cf. Diaz, K. The role of the library web site: a step beyond deli sandwiches. Reference and User Services Quarterly 1998 38(1) 41-43; Stover M. The mission and role of the library web site [WWW document]. 1997. URL <http://www.library.ucsb.edu/universe/stover.html>

Fowler, S. Appendix B: usability tests. In: GUI design handbook [online monograph]. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1998. URL <http://www.fast-consulting.com/appb.htm>

Levi MD, Conrad FG. Usability testing of World Wide Web sites [WWW document]. 1998. URL <http://stats.bls.org/ore/htm_papers/st960150.htm>

Veldof, JR, Prasse, MJ, Mills.VA. Chauffeured by the user: usability in the digital library

Journal of Library Administration 1999 26(3/4) 115-140

Monash University ITS usability workshop [WWW document]. 2001. URL <http://www.its.monash.edu.au/web/slideshows/usability/all.htm>

Veldof, JR. Building user-centered library web sites on a shoestring. Presentation given a WILS World, 2000 [WWW document]. URL <http://www.wils.wisc.edu/events/ww2k/ww2kpres/veldof/>

Marmion, D. Library web page design: are we doing it right? Information Technology and Libraries 2001 20(1) 2-3

Gullikson, S, Blades, R; Bragdon, M; McKibbon, S, Sparling, M; Toms, EG. The impact of information architecture on academic web site usability. Electronic Library 1999 17(5) 293-304

Matylonek, J. Cluster analysis in Web design: presentation given at the ASIS PNC Bridging the gap: innovations in information services conference, September 17-18 1999 [WWW document]. URL <http://osulibrary.orst.edu/staff/matylonj/cluster/sld001.htm>

cf. Halub, LP. The value of Web-based library services at Cedars-Sinai Health System.Bulletin of the Medical Library Association 1999 87(3) 256-259; Yeoman, A, Cooper, CJ, Urquhart, C, Tyler, A, editors. The value and impact of virtual outreach services: report of the VIVOS project. Aberystwyth: DIL, University of Wales, Aberystwyth, 2001; Harrison, JM, Tod, A, Morris-Docker, S, Black, R, Millen, K. The impact of access to the World Wide Web on evidence based practice (of nurses and professions allied to medicine) [WWW document]. 2001. URL <http://www.shef.ac.uk/uni/projects/impact/>; Drezner, J L. A study of Internet use by physician treating HIV patients [online serial]. Medscape HIV/AIDS 1998 4(3). URL <http://www.medscape.com/medscape/HIV/journal/1998/v.04.n.03/>

Department of Health. NHS identity guidelines: web sites [WWW document]. 2000. URL <http://www.doh.gov.uk/nhsidentity/websites.htm>. These have subsequently been revised.

E.g. Benjes, C, Brown, JF. How usable is your web site? Usability tasks [WWW document]. 1998. URL <http://www.usc.edu/hsc/nml/lis/staff/usable/questions.PDF>; Bernstein, M. Judging web sites: usability or criticism? [WWW document]. 2000.

URL <http://www.eastgate.com/HypertextNow/archives/Merit.html>; Campbell, N, Walbridge, S, Chisman, J, Diller, KR. Discovering the user: a practical glance at usability testing. Electronic Library 1999 17(5) 307-311; Campbell, N, Chisman, J, Diller, KR, Walbridge, S. Usability assessment methodologies. In: Campbell, N, Chisman, J, Diller, KR, Walbridge, S. Designing for the user: how to test for usability: A preconference at ACRL X: Crossing the Divide, Washington State University, March 15, 2001 [WWW document]. URL http://www.vancouver.wsu.edu/fac/diller/usability/contents.htm; Cardwell, C, Hunker, SD. Necessary steps in library web site revision: previewing and beta-testing. In: IOLS 2000 proceedings: New York, May 17-18th, 2000. Medford: Information Today, 2000; pp. 23-33; Fichter, D. Head start: usability testing up front. Online 2000 25(1) 79-81; Instone, K. Usable Web [web site]. URL <http://usableweb.com>; Kaiser, J. 2001. Criteria for web site evaluation [WWW document]. URL <http://webdesign.about.com/library/weekly/aa071801a.htm>; Lee, AT. 1998. Web usability: a brief review of the research [WWW document]. URL

<http://pw1.netcom.com/~atlee/webusabreview.html>; Levi, MD, Conrad, FG. Usability testing of World Wide Web sites [WWW document]. 1998. URL <http://stats.bls.org/ore/htm_papers/st960150.htm>; McMurdo, G.Evaluating Web information and design. Journal of Information Science 1998 24(3) 192-204;

Murray, G, Costanzo, T. Usability and the Web: an overview [WWW document]. National Library of Canada Network Notes 1998 61. URL

<http://collection.nlc-bnc.ca/100/201/301/netnotes/netnotes-h/notes61.htm>; Spool, JM (1998). Web site usability: a designer’s guide. San Francisco: Morgan Kaufmann, 1998; Spool, JM. 2001. The usability of usability [WWW document]. URL <http://www.webword.com/interviews/spool2.html>

e.g. Dewey, BI. In search of services: findability of links on CIC university libraries’ web pages. Information Technology and Libraries 1999 18(4) 210-213; Dickstein, R, Mills, V.

Usability testing at the University of Arizona library: how to let the users in on the design

Information Technology and Libraries 2000 19(3). Also at URL <http://www.lita.org/ital/1903_mills.html>; Campbell, N, Chisman, J, Diller, KR, Walbridge, S. 1999. Usability testing web page [web page]. URL <http://www.vancouver.wsu.edu/fac/diller/usability/contents.htm>;

Hennig, N, Duke, D, Skuce, S. 2001. MIT Libraries’ web advisory group web redesign February 1999-June 2001 [WWW document]. URL <http://macfadden.mit.edu:9500/webgroup/project.html ; Hennig, N.

Card sorting usability tests of the MIT Libraries' web site: categories from the users' point of view. In: Campbell, N, editor. Usability Assessment of Library-Related Web Sites: Methods and Case Studies. LITA Guide 7. Chicago: LITA, 2001; p. 88-99; McMullen, S. 2000.

Usability testing and library web site redesign at Roger Williams University [WWW document]. URL <http://gamma.rwu.edu/users/smcmullen/usable.html>;

McMullen, S. Usability testing in a library web site redesign project. Reference Services Review 2001 29 (1): 7-22; Smart, L, Butros, M, Cowles, E, Tait, J, Tingle, B, Valdez, E, Westbrook B. 1999. Anatomy of a more usable design: UCSD libraries include audience perspective in web site development process [WWW document].

URL <http://libraries.ucsd.edu/about/usability.html>

Whalen J. 1996. A study of library web sites [WWW document]. URL <http://rylibweb.man.ac.uk/pubs/libraries.html>

Stover, M, Zink, SD. World Wide Web home page design: patterns and anomalies of higher education library home pages. Reference Services Review 1996 24(3) 7-20

Clyde, LA. The library as information provider: the home page. Electronic Library 1996 14(6) 549-558

Quintana, Y, Bardyn, T. Evaluating health libraries on the World Wide Web: design guidelines and future development. Biblioteca Medica Canadiana 1996 18(2) 61-64. Also URL <http://www.yuriquintana.com/papers/96bmc/index.html>

Cottrell, J, Eisenberg, MB (1997). Web site design for information problem-solving: maximizing value for users. Computers in Libraries 1997 17(5) 52-57

Cohen, LB, Still, JM (1999). A comparison of research university and two-year college library web sites: content, functionality and form. College and Research Libraries 1999 60(3) 275-289

Misic, MM, Johnson, KL (1999). Benchmarking: a tool for web site evaluation and improvement. Internet Research: Electronic Networking Applications and Policy 1999 9(5) 383-392

Dewey, BI. In search of services: analysing the findability of links on CIC university libraries’ web pages. Information Technology and Libraries 1999 18(4) December 210-213

Sowards, SW. A typology for ready reference web sites in libraries [online serial]. First Monday 1998 3(5). URL <http://www.firstmonday.dk/issues/issue3_5/sowards/>

Osorio, N. Web sites of science-engineering libraries: an analysis of content and design [serial online]. Issues in Science and Technology Librarianship 2001 Winter. URL <http://www.library.ucsb.edu/istl/01-winter/refereed.html>

Tannery, NH. Academic medical center libraries on the Web. Bulletin of the Medical Library Association 1998 86(4) 541-543.

McGillis, L, Toms, EG. Usability of the academic library web site: implications for design

College and Research Libraries 2001 62 355-367

Veldof, JR. Build it right: user centered design for library tutorials and home pages: invited session for WILSWorld 1999 Conference in Madison, Wisconsin (June 7, 1999) [WWW document]. URL <http://www.tc.umn.edu/~jveldof/WILSWorld99/usercentred.html>

31 McCready, K. Designing and redesigning: Marquette libraries’ web site

Library Hi Tech 1997 15(3/4) 83-89

Fuller, DM, Hinegardner, PG. Ensuring quality Website redesign: the University of Maryland’s experience. Bulletin of the Medical Library Association 2001 89(4) 339-345

e.g. by Nielsen, J. 2000. Why you only need to test with five users [WWW document]

URL <http://useit.com/alertbox/20000319.html>

The activities of the preliminary phase cannot be described here in detail for reasons of space. A complete account of the project is available from the author.

Davis, LM. 2000. Effect of systematic usability testing on web site development and facilitation [WWW document]. URL <http://web.missouri.edu/~Imd9f6/ResearchUsability.html>

Rhodes, JS. 2001. Usability metrics [WWW document]. URL <http://www.webword.com/moving/metrics.html>; Nielsen J. 2001. Usability metrics [WWW document]. URL <http://www.useit.com/alertbox/20010121.html>

Dong J, Martin S, Waldo P. A user input and analysis tool for information architecture [WWW document].

URL <http://www-3.ibm.com/ibm/easy/eou_ext.nsf/Publish/410/$File/EZSortPaper.pdf>

The EZsort program and the accompanying card sorting utility USort are available from IBM at <http://www-3.ibm.com/ibm/easy/eou_ext.nsf/LicenseView3/410> .

e.g. Young, V. Focus on focus groups. College and Research Libraries News 1993 54(7) 391-394; Valentine, B. Undergraduate research behaviour: using focus groups to generate theory. Journal of Academic Librarianship 1993 19(5) 300-304; Gaffney, G. Usability techniques: card sorting [WWW document]. URL <http://www.infodesign.au>

Nielsen, J. 2001. Search: visible and simple [WWW document]. URL <http://www.useit.com/alertbox/20010512.html>

Head, A. Web redemption and the promise of usability. Online 1992 23(6) 21-32

e.g. Gaffney, G. 2000. Usability techniques: card sorting [WWW document]. URL <http://www.infodesign.au>; Hennig, N. Card sorting usability tests of the MIT Libraries’ web site: categories from the user’s point of view. In Hennig, N. editor. Usability assessment of library-related web sites: methods and case studies. Chicago: LITA, 2001; pp. 88-89

e.g. Nielsen, J. 2000. Why you only need to test with five users [WWW document]. URL <http://www.useit.com/alertbox/20000319.html>; Campbell, N, Chisman, J, Diller, KR, Walbridge, S. Discovering the user: a practical glance at usability testing. Electronic Library 1999 17(5) 307-311.

Spool, J, Schroeder, W. 2000. Testing web sites: five users is nowhere near enough [WWW document]. URL <http://www.winwriters.com/chi01.htm>

France, RK, Nowell, LT, Fox, EA, Saad, RA, Zhao, JZ. Use and usability in a digital library search system [WWW document]. URL <http://opac3.cc.vt.edu/Papers/Use_usability.html>

McGillis, L, Toms, EG. Usability of the academic library web site: implications for design

College and Research Libraries 2001 62 355-367

Spivey, MA. The vocabulary of library home pages: an influence on diverse and remote end-users. Information Technology and Libraries 2000 19(3)151-156

cf. Dewey, B. In search of services: analysing the findability of links on CIC university libraries’ web pages. Information Technology and Libraries 1999 18(4) December 210-213

Naismith, R, Stein, J. Library jargon: student comprehension of technical language

used by librarians. College and Research Libraries 1989 50 543-552

Sowards, S. A typology for ready reference web sites in libraries [online serial]. First Monday 1998 3(5). URL <http://www.firstmonday.dk/issues/issue3_5/sowards/>

Westberg, EE, Miller, RA. The basis for using the Internet to support the information needs of primary care. Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association 1999 6(1) 6-25

Bernstein, M. Judging web sites: usability or criticism? [WWW document].

URL <http://www.eastgate.com/HypertextNow/archives/Merit.html>

McGillis L, Toms EG. Usability of the academic library web site: implications for design

College and Research Libraries 2001 62 355-367

E.g. Barak A. Psychological applications on the Internet: a discipline on the threshold of a new millennium. Applied and Preventive Psychology 1999 8 231-246; Bremer J, Beresein EV. Computers in Psychiatry Today. Academic Psychiatry 2000 24(3) 168ff.; Kramer T, Kennedy R. Useful websites for psychiatrists. Academic Psychiatry 22(2) 141f.; Tantam D. A guide to the Internet for psychotherapists. Psychiatric Bulletin 2001 25(1) 29-30; Holden G, Rosenberg G, Meenaghan T. Information for social work practice: observations regarding the role of the World Wide Web. Social Work in Health Care 2000 32(1) 1-8; Ward R, Haines M. Don’t get left behind – get online. Practice Nurse 1998 16 164-166; Aitchison J, Miller C. Favourite web sites of UK GPs [WWW document]. URL <http://www.inpharm.com/netfocus/trends/articles_010.html>; Fleck E, Levy, S. Internet support for nurses and midwives. Professional Nurse 2000 14(4) 280-282

cf. Anthony, D. The Internet “haves” and “have nots” in nursing. Presentation given at Healthcare Computing Conference, Harrogate, March 20-22 2000.

cf. Yeoman, A, Cooper, CJ. Urquhart C, Tyler A, editors. The value and impact of virtual outreach services: report of the VIVOS project. Aberystwyth: DIL, University of Wales, Aberystwyth, 2001

Palmer, K. Signposts to information for mental health workers: a research project funded by South and West Health Care Libraries Unit. Bournemouth: Bournemouth University Library and Information Services, 1999.

cf. Diaz, K. The role of the library web site: a step beyond deli sandwiches. Reference and User Services Quarterly 1998 38(1) 41-43; Stover M. The mission and role of the library web site [WWW document]. 1997. URL <http://www.library.ucsb.edu/universe/stover.html>

Fowler, S. Appendix B: usability tests. In: GUI design handbook [online monograph]. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1998. URL <http://www.fast-consulting.com/appb.htm>

Levi MD, Conrad FG. Usability testing of World Wide Web sites [WWW document]. 1998. URL <http://stats.bls.org/ore/htm_papers/st960150.htm>

Veldof, JR, Prasse, MJ, Mills.VA. Chauffeured by the user: usability in the digital library

Journal of Library Administration 1999 26(3/4) 115-140

Monash University ITS usability workshop [WWW document]. 2001. URL <http://www.its.monash.edu.au/web/slideshows/usability/all.htm>

Veldof, JR. Building user-centered library web sites on a shoestring. Presentation given a WILS World, 2000 [WWW document]. URL <http://www.wils.wisc.edu/events/ww2k/ww2kpres/veldof/>

Marmion, D. Library web page design: are we doing it right? Information Technology and Libraries 2001 20(1) 2-3

Gullikson, S, Blades, R; Bragdon, M; McKibbon, S, Sparling, M; Toms, EG. The impact of information architecture on academic web site usability. Electronic Library 1999 17(5) 293-304

Matylonek, J. Cluster analysis in Web design: presentation given at the ASIS PNC Bridging the gap: innovations in information services conference, September 17-18 1999 [WWW document]. URL <http://osulibrary.orst.edu/staff/matylonj/cluster/sld001.htm>

cf. Halub, LP. The value of Web-based library services at Cedars-Sinai Health System.Bulletin of the Medical Library Association 1999 87(3) 256-259; Yeoman, A, Cooper, CJ, Urquhart, C, Tyler, A, editors. The value and impact of virtual outreach services: report of the VIVOS project. Aberystwyth: DIL, University of Wales, Aberystwyth, 2001; Harrison, JM, Tod, A, Morris-Docker, S, Black, R, Millen, K. The impact of access to the World Wide Web on evidence based practice (of nurses and professions allied to medicine) [WWW document]. 2001. URL <http://www.shef.ac.uk/uni/projects/impact/>; Drezner, J L. A study of Internet use by physician treating HIV patients [online serial]. Medscape HIV/AIDS 1998 4(3). URL <http://www.medscape.com/medscape/HIV/journal/1998/v.04.n.03/>

Department of Health. NHS identity guidelines: web sites [WWW document]. 2000. URL <http://www.doh.gov.uk/nhsidentity/websites.htm>. These have subsequently been revised.

E.g. Benjes, C, Brown, JF. How usable is your web site? Usability tasks [WWW document]. 1998. URL <http://www.usc.edu/hsc/nml/lis/staff/usable/questions.PDF>; Bernstein, M. Judging web sites: usability or criticism? [WWW document]. 2000.

URL <http://www.eastgate.com/HypertextNow/archives/Merit.html>; Campbell, N, Walbridge, S, Chisman, J, Diller, KR. Discovering the user: a practical glance at usability testing. Electronic Library 1999 17(5) 307-311; Campbell, N, Chisman, J, Diller, KR, Walbridge, S. Usability assessment methodologies. In: Campbell, N, Chisman, J, Diller, KR, Walbridge, S. Designing for the user: how to test for usability: A preconference at ACRL X: Crossing the Divide, Washington State University, March 15, 2001 [WWW document]. URL http://www.vancouver.wsu.edu/fac/diller/usability/contents.htm; Cardwell, C, Hunker, SD. Necessary steps in library web site revision: previewing and beta-testing. In: IOLS 2000 proceedings: New York, May 17-18th, 2000. Medford: Information Today, 2000; pp. 23-33; Fichter, D. Head start: usability testing up front. Online 2000 25(1) 79-81; Instone, K. Usable Web [web site]. URL <http://usableweb.com>; Kaiser, J. 2001. Criteria for web site evaluation [WWW document]. URL <http://webdesign.about.com/library/weekly/aa071801a.htm>; Lee, AT. 1998. Web usability: a brief review of the research [WWW document]. URL

<http://pw1.netcom.com/~atlee/webusabreview.html>; Levi, MD, Conrad, FG. Usability testing of World Wide Web sites [WWW document]. 1998. URL <http://stats.bls.org/ore/htm_papers/st960150.htm>; McMurdo, G.Evaluating Web information and design. Journal of Information Science 1998 24(3) 192-204;

Murray, G, Costanzo, T. Usability and the Web: an overview [WWW document]. National Library of Canada Network Notes 1998 61. URL

<http://collection.nlc-bnc.ca/100/201/301/netnotes/netnotes-h/notes61.htm>; Spool, JM (1998). Web site usability: a designer’s guide. San Francisco: Morgan Kaufmann, 1998; Spool, JM. 2001. The usability of usability [WWW document]. URL <http://www.webword.com/interviews/spool2.html>

e.g. Dewey, BI. In search of services: findability of links on CIC university libraries’ web pages. Information Technology and Libraries 1999 18(4) 210-213; Dickstein, R, Mills, V.

Usability testing at the University of Arizona library: how to let the users in on the design

Information Technology and Libraries 2000 19(3). Also at URL <http://www.lita.org/ital/1903_mills.html>; Campbell, N, Chisman, J, Diller, KR, Walbridge, S. 1999. Usability testing web page [web page]. URL <http://www.vancouver.wsu.edu/fac/diller/usability/contents.htm>;

Hennig, N, Duke, D, Skuce, S. 2001. MIT Libraries’ web advisory group web redesign February 1999-June 2001 [WWW document]. URL <http://macfadden.mit.edu:9500/webgroup/project.html ; Hennig, N.

Card sorting usability tests of the MIT Libraries' web site: categories from the users' point of view. In: Campbell, N, editor. Usability Assessment of Library-Related Web Sites: Methods and Case Studies. LITA Guide 7. Chicago: LITA, 2001; p. 88-99; McMullen, S. 2000.

Usability testing and library web site redesign at Roger Williams University [WWW document]. URL <http://gamma.rwu.edu/users/smcmullen/usable.html>;

McMullen, S. Usability testing in a library web site redesign project. Reference Services Review 2001 29 (1): 7-22; Smart, L, Butros, M, Cowles, E, Tait, J, Tingle, B, Valdez, E, Westbrook B. 1999. Anatomy of a more usable design: UCSD libraries include audience perspective in web site development process [WWW document].

URL <http://libraries.ucsd.edu/about/usability.html>

Whalen J. 1996. A study of library web sites [WWW document]. URL <http://rylibweb.man.ac.uk/pubs/libraries.html>

Stover, M, Zink, SD. World Wide Web home page design: patterns and anomalies of higher education library home pages. Reference Services Review 1996 24(3) 7-20

Clyde, LA. The library as information provider: the home page. Electronic Library 1996 14(6) 549-558

Quintana, Y, Bardyn, T. Evaluating health libraries on the World Wide Web: design guidelines and future development. Biblioteca Medica Canadiana 1996 18(2) 61-64. Also URL <http://www.yuriquintana.com/papers/96bmc/index.html>

Cottrell, J, Eisenberg, MB (1997). Web site design for information problem-solving: maximizing value for users. Computers in Libraries 1997 17(5) 52-57

Cohen, LB, Still, JM (1999). A comparison of research university and two-year college library web sites: content, functionality and form. College and Research Libraries 1999 60(3) 275-289

Misic, MM, Johnson, KL (1999). Benchmarking: a tool for web site evaluation and improvement. Internet Research: Electronic Networking Applications and Policy 1999 9(5) 383-392

Dewey, BI. In search of services: analysing the findability of links on CIC university libraries’ web pages. Information Technology and Libraries 1999 18(4) December 210-213

Sowards, SW. A typology for ready reference web sites in libraries [online serial]. First Monday 1998 3(5). URL <http://www.firstmonday.dk/issues/issue3_5/sowards/>

Osorio, N. Web sites of science-engineering libraries: an analysis of content and design [serial online]. Issues in Science and Technology Librarianship 2001 Winter. URL <http://www.library.ucsb.edu/istl/01-winter/refereed.html>

Tannery, NH. Academic medical center libraries on the Web. Bulletin of the Medical Library Association 1998 86(4) 541-543.

McGillis, L, Toms, EG. Usability of the academic library web site: implications for design

College and Research Libraries 2001 62 355-367

Veldof, JR. Build it right: user centered design for library tutorials and home pages: invited session for WILSWorld 1999 Conference in Madison, Wisconsin (June 7, 1999) [WWW document]. URL <http://www.tc.umn.edu/~jveldof/WILSWorld99/usercentred.html>

31 McCready, K. Designing and redesigning: Marquette libraries’ web site

Library Hi Tech 1997 15(3/4) 83-89

Fuller, DM, Hinegardner, PG. Ensuring quality Website redesign: the University of Maryland’s experience. Bulletin of the Medical Library Association 2001 89(4) 339-345

e.g. by Nielsen, J. 2000. Why you only need to test with five users [WWW document]

URL <http://useit.com/alertbox/20000319.html>

The activities of the preliminary phase cannot be described here in detail for reasons of space. A complete account of the project is available from the author.

Davis, LM. 2000. Effect of systematic usability testing on web site development and facilitation [WWW document]. URL <http://web.missouri.edu/~Imd9f6/ResearchUsability.html>

Rhodes, JS. 2001. Usability metrics [WWW document]. URL <http://www.webword.com/moving/metrics.html>; Nielsen J. 2001. Usability metrics [WWW document]. URL <http://www.useit.com/alertbox/20010121.html>

Dong J, Martin S, Waldo P. A user input and analysis tool for information architecture [WWW document].

URL <http://www-3.ibm.com/ibm/easy/eou_ext.nsf/Publish/410/$File/EZSortPaper.pdf>

The EZsort program and the accompanying card sorting utility USort are available from IBM at <http://www-3.ibm.com/ibm/easy/eou_ext.nsf/LicenseView3/410> .

e.g. Young, V. Focus on focus groups. College and Research Libraries News 1993 54(7) 391-394; Valentine, B. Undergraduate research behaviour: using focus groups to generate theory. Journal of Academic Librarianship 1993 19(5) 300-304; Gaffney, G. Usability techniques: card sorting [WWW document]. URL <http://www.infodesign.au>

Nielsen, J. 2001. Search: visible and simple [WWW document]. URL <http://www.useit.com/alertbox/20010512.html>

Head, A. Web redemption and the promise of usability. Online 1992 23(6) 21-32

e.g. Gaffney, G. 2000. Usability techniques: card sorting [WWW document]. URL <http://www.infodesign.au>; Hennig, N. Card sorting usability tests of the MIT Libraries’ web site: categories from the user’s point of view. In Hennig, N. editor. Usability assessment of library-related web sites: methods and case studies. Chicago: LITA, 2001; pp. 88-89

e.g. Nielsen, J. 2000. Why you only need to test with five users [WWW document]. URL <http://www.useit.com/alertbox/20000319.html>; Campbell, N, Chisman, J, Diller, KR, Walbridge, S. Discovering the user: a practical glance at usability testing. Electronic Library 1999 17(5) 307-311.

Spool, J, Schroeder, W. 2000. Testing web sites: five users is nowhere near enough [WWW document]. URL <http://www.winwriters.com/chi01.htm>

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Spivey, MA. The vocabulary of library home pages: an influence on diverse and remote end-users. Information Technology and Libraries 2000 19(3)151-156

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Naismith, R, Stein, J. Library jargon: student comprehension of technical language

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Sowards, S. A typology for ready reference web sites in libraries [online serial]. First Monday 1998 3(5). URL <http://www.firstmonday.dk/issues/issue3_5/sowards/>

Westberg, EE, Miller, RA. The basis for using the Internet to support the information needs of primary care. Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association 1999 6(1) 6-25

Bernstein, M. Judging web sites: usability or criticism? [WWW document].

URL <http://www.eastgate.com/HypertextNow/archives/Merit.html>

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