is mobile really necessary?
DESCRIPTION
Ifla puerto rico presentation on usability design and heuristics for mobile library sitesTRANSCRIPT
Is mobile really necessary?Aaron Tay & Tiffini Travis
#mbusability and #wlic2011
Trends in mobileTrendspotting
One billion smartphone users by 201365% of teen mobile users access the internet
40% watching videos on their phone
87% of blacks and Hispanics own a cell phone
Pew Research, 2010
“they take advantage of a much wider array of their phones’ data functions
compared to white cell phone owners”
The question is not is it necessary
Dean groom "Romantic Dinner"
What's the best way to
design it
Dean groom no cell phones
Usability testing is a tool to discover if users are using the
site as it was intended or if they use it in unanticipated ways
Danielle BeckerOnline June/July 2011
mobile usabilityPast findings
Mobile activity is secondary
Users consult sites for quick information
Reading comprehension is diminished in mobile format
Make an app instead of a mobile friendly site
Kreueger, M. Clickz.com
mobile usability problems Past findings
Making it difficult to touch and manipulate
Trying to do too much
When it comes to copy, short is too long.
Kreueger, M. Clickz.com
mobile library usersPast findings
55% were in favour of being able to use the catalogue with their mobile phones (Mills,
2009)
University of Edinburgh survey of users search library catalogue was reported by users
as the 2nd most popular activity on their mobile phones next to check library opening
hours (Paterson, 2010).
users are likely to use their mobile phones to get “quick hits of data” only 10% were
reading academic content on their mobile (CDL 2010).
53% said they would like to search mobile databases from their mobile either “frequently”
or “occasionally” (CDL 2010)
3Heuristic evaluationPaper testsTask oriented usability testing with users
Types usability testing
Heuristic evaluation is a good method for finding both major and minor problems in a user interface.
the probability for finding a given major usability problem at 42 percent on the average for single evaluators in six case studies (Nielsen 1992).
The corresponding probability for finding a given minor problem was only 32 percent.
Heuristic evaluation
ResearchQuestionResearch
QuestionResearch
Question
RESARCHQUESTION
RESEARCH
RQ1: What are the most popular features included in mobile databases?
RQ2: How well do students navigate mobile databases to find information?
RQ3: What are student attitudes towards using mobile library websites and databases?
Methodology Develop a heuristic checklist for mobile library site usability
Develop modified heuristic for library databases- mainly context/scope
Conduct usability testing of two library sites and two database sites
Methodology Examined 13 mobile and app data bases for interface design
Examined 40 library mobile sites
Extensive literature review of library and mobile usability
3Interface designUser characteristicsContent/purpose
Heuristic Categories
64% success rate when specifically designed for
mobile devices Neilsen Mobile Usability
53% success rate for mobile use of sites
Interface Design:the basic characteristics needed for users to navigate the site, formatted for major mobile devices, load time, designed consistently and easily learned so it is familiar upon many visits. For libraries, which are notorious for horrible site design, the lack of physical space on a mobile interface is a blessing. Very few pages we examined had too many links or text to space ratio.
81% Browse the Internet
77% Search the Internet
88% Take action within a day
95% Look for local information
User Characteristics
Another element of design is making sure your users can use the site. intuitive labeling of links, learnability, predictability, uses clear and concise language and minimize the user error. The error rate of formal usability testing with users is a key indicator of the need to revise site design.
"There is no future for providing
mobile access on smart phones to
traditional library content in digital
form: electronic articles and ebooks"
Kosternetworkedblogs.com 2011
Content/ Purpose
This last element is extremely important for libraries as it directly relates to what we do: provide content. As mobile learning is increasingly the buzz in higher education, the library needs to be ready and able to provide access to all the content that can be converted to mobile format.
Part one results Interface design
Part one results Interface design
Linked from home page?
Fits multiple formats?
Visual display?
Navigation?
Part one results Interface design
Part one results Interface design
Linked from home page?
Fits multiple formats?
Visual display?
Navigation?
Part one results User characteristics
Part one results User characteristics
Jargon free?
Users needs?
User feedback?
Task difficulty?
User attitudes
Part one results User characteristics
Jargon free?
Users needs?
User feedback?
Task difficulty?
User attitudes
Part one results Content/scope
Part one results Content/scope
Sufficient help?
Contact info?
Basic info?
Variety of links to mobile friendly
content?
Part one results Content/scope
Sufficient help?
Contact info?
Basic info?
Variety of links to mobile friendly
content?
Part one results Content/scope
Full citation on first page ?
Links to articles are mobile friendly
Help screens/feedback?
Easily sent to PC?
Heuristic results
All had Basic services100% displayed on avg screen size 50% link from home page30% had auto-direct 50% link to full site 90% linked to library catalog30% offer option for feedback from users
Implications
• Mobile library sites are including access to additional content beyond basic services
• Most prevalent interface includes icons and labelled links
• Research indicates there is a wide variance on user preference for content on mobile library sites
Next steps
• Task-based usability testing with undergraduate students
• Compare heuristic analysis with actual results
Selected referencesBecker, D. (2011)Test-driving your website. Online, 38-41.
Griggs, K., Bridges, L.M., Rempel, H.G. (2009). library/mobile: Tips on designing and developing mobile web sites. Code4Li Journal
Heo, J., Ham, D., Park, S., Song, C., & Yoon, W. (2009). A framework for evaluating the usability of mobile phones based on multi-level, hierarchical model of usability factors. Interacting with Computers, 21(4), 263-275. doi:10.1016/j.intcom.2009.05.006
Ji, Y., Park, J., Lee, C., & Yun, M. (2006). A Usability Checklist for the Usability Evaluation of Mobile Phone User Interface. International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction, 20(3), 207-231. doi:10.1207/s15327590ijhc2003_3
Kreuger, M. (august 2011) Jakob Neilsen on usability for mobile sites and apps. Retrieved from clickz.com
Mills, K. (2009) M-Libraries: information use on the move. Available: http://arcadiaproject.lib.cam.ac.uk/docs/M-Libraries_report.pdf
Selected referencesNielsen, J. (2005). Ten Usability Heuristics. Retrieved Aug 1, 2011, from http://www.useit.com/papers/heuristic/heuristic_list.html
Nielsen, J. (2009). Mobile Usability. Retrieved Aug 1, 2001, from http://www.useit.com/alertbox/mobile-usability.html
Paterson, L. & Low, B. (2011) "Student attitudes towards mobile library services for Smartphones", Library Hi Tech, Vol. 29
Pew Research. (2010). Mobile Acess 2010. Retrieved Aug 1, 2011, from http://www.pewinternet.org/Reports/2010/Mobile-Access-2010/Summary-of-Findings.aspx
Tay, C. H. A. (2010). What are mobile friendly library sites offering? A survey. Musings about Librarianship Retrieved Aug 1, 2011, from http://musingsaboutlibrarianship.blogspot.com/2010/04/comparison-of-40-mobile-library-sites.html
Travis, T. & Elaina Norlin (2002). Testing the competition: Usability of commercial information sites with academic library websites. College & Research Libraries 433-448.
Tiffini Travis [email protected]
Twitter: @Mojo_GirlInfo: www.csulb.edu/~ttravis
Aaron Tay [email protected]: @aarontayBlog:musingsaboutlibrarianship.blogspot.com
Paper: Iflatravis.blogspot.com