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104 th Annual CLA Conference: Building our Strengths

104 th Annual CLA Conference: Building our Strengths. 104 th Annual CLA Conference: Building our Strengths. Presented by Members of the California State University, Los Angeles Library Web Team:. Scott Breivold Media, Communications & Arts Librarian

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104 th Annual CLA Conference: Building our Strengths

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  1. 104th Annual CLA Conference: Building our Strengths

  2. 104th Annual CLA Conference: Building our Strengths

  3. Presented by Members of the California State University, Los Angeles Library Web Team: Scott BreivoldMedia, Communications & Arts Librarian Chad KahlInformation Literacy & Community College Outreach Librarian Stephen SottongEngineering, Computer Science & Psychology Librarian Holly YuWeb Development & History Librarian

  4. Overview • We began our site redesign project by: • Setting goals and priorities for the project • Conducting usability studies • Initial goals included: • Streamlining content, structure, and layout • Giving the site a new look and feel -- making the site more intuitive, aesthetically appealing, in-tune with the University’s new web site design • Utilizing new techniques and technology for displaying content (cascading menu and database-driven pages) to improve accuracy/currency and simplify maintenance

  5. Conducting Usability Studies

  6. Realities of Recruitment - Old Site • Much more difficult than anticipated • 200+ volunteers…still had difficulty scheduling • Planned to use four groups of five • Lower division, upper division, graduate, faculty/staff/other • Of 20 originally selected, only half participated • Contacted 40 people for 17 slots • Met demographic goals for college and gender • Did not meet demographic goals • status, age, ethnicity, non-native English speakers • Offered inducements – copy cards and food • Grant funded

  7. Realities of Administration • Labor intensive • Sub-group of five members plus two administrative assistants • Difficult to get two members to observe and record • Original plan: one moderator, two observers -- happened infrequently • Massive amount of data recorded and entered • Old site: 12 test and 8 debriefing questions multiplied by 17 users equaled 340 cells of information • Audio-recorded sessions for clarification

  8. Realities of Testing • Questions asked almost as important as answers • Some questions were leading • In reality, it is difficult to test the research "process" • Process consists of many smaller tasks • Can only quantify "tasks" • Requires both quantitative and qualitative analysis

  9. Key Findings - Old Site • Native vs. non-native English speakers • Non-native speakers had difficulty with 47.2% of answers • Native speakers had difficulty with 30.3% of answers • Experienced Internet users were less critical of site • Users ignored graphics and scanned text • No one used help screens • Faculty and staff only group that claimed to use them

  10. More Key Findings - Old Site • Questions missed by at least half of users • What is the title of any newspaper article about Jack Lemmon? (94.1% could not answer this) • Where can you find the magazine Sports Illustrated? • Where can you find information online showing how to do your research paper’s reference list in MLA format? • List three databases for finding journal articles in accounting.

  11. Usability Testing - New Site • Problem questions – still had improvement • What is the title of any newspaper article about Jack Lemmon? -- 71.4% in new site vs. 94.1% in old site • List three databases for finding journal articles in accounting -- 42.9% missed in new site vs. 47.1% in old site • 8 of 12 questions missed by one or fewer users • 2 of the 4 problem questions (missed 50+% in old site) were correctly answered by all users

  12. Streamlining Content,Structure & Layout

  13. Issues Identified by Usability Studies • Confusing language / terminology • Too busy / text heavy / link heavy • Lack of consistent look and feel on all pages • “What’s New” graphics viewed as ads and ignored • Needs a search feature • Database page layout was hard to use and time-consuming to update

  14. Catalog & Databases not found, despite attempts to highlight Graphics Ignored Too many links Old Site

  15. Old Database Page

  16. Examined Current Usage Statistics

  17. Objectives • Re-categorize content / links on homepage and reduce the number of links • Integrate a searching capability by implementing a search engine, and FAQs • Provide a consistent navigational structure • Use database-driven pages to manage 140+ online resources • Implement style sheets and templates for easy maintenance and updating • Reduce content redundancy • Remove library jargon, and simplify terminology

  18. Methods Used • Web team divided into small groups • Usability Studies • Structure • Design • Streamlining content • Category chart • Card sorting • Database driven approach

  19. Content Re-organization • Categories • About the Library • Doing Research • Services • Help • Navigational Structure • Navigation bar • Search functions • Text equivalent page

  20. Header Navigation Bar • About the Library • Doing Research • Services • Help • Find Books, etc. • Find Articles, etc. • Search • Index • FAQ

  21. Implemented Cascading Menus

  22. New Database Page

  23. Giving the Site a New Look & Feel

  24. Our redesign process . . . • Examined library and commercial web sites for design concepts, color schemes, navigational approaches, etc. • Exchanged URLs and ideas -- lots of “virtual” brainstorming! • Design sub-group created numerous mock-ups

  25. And so we developed mockups…

  26. And more mockups…

  27. And still more mockups… Somewherearound 80 in all…

  28. Other Influences at Work… • Campus homepage design and departmental design standards were about to change… • University Public Affairs Office intervened • required use of newly designed header graphics • placed some restrictions on design/color scheme • Wanted cascading menus similar to campus page • Encouraged to include a multi-source search box

  29. Current CSULA homepage New CSULA homepage

  30. And so we went from…

  31. To…

  32. Developed a Secondary Page Template…

  33. OPAC Interface also Enhanced

  34. Old Database Page was a Frame Set…

  35. New Database Page Eliminates Frames

  36. Following Post-Usability Testing, Refinements Were Made . . .

  37. Utilizing New Techniques and Technology

  38. About Cascading Menus

  39. Cross-browser Issues • Can be done • requires using 2 graphics per menu item • lots of time to create graphics • difficult to maintain • load times of one minute+ at 56k • 1.5K per graphic • Alternative • text based menus • page loads quickly • easy to maintain • only works with modern browsers • IE5+, NS6+, Mozilla1+ • must create text alternate for older browsers

  40. Resizable Header • Maintains position of all header elements • Uses two resizable data elements in table: <tr width="100%"> <td width="200"><a href="http://www.calstatela.edu"><img border="0" src="image/campusleft.gif" width="200" height="70" alt="California State University, Los Angeles homepage"></a></td> <td width="50%" valign="bottom"><img src="image/border.gif" alt="" width="100%" height="1" border="0"></td> <td width="360"><img border="0" src="image/libmid.gif" width="360" height="70" alt="California State University, Los Angeles Library"></td> <td width="50%" valign="bottom"><img src="image/border.gif" alt="" width="100%" height="1" border="0"></td> <td width="200"><img src="image/libright.gif" width="200" height="70" border="0" alt="California State University, Los Angeles Library"></td> </tr>

  41. Resizable Header - cont.

  42. Maintaining Uniformity • Used a single style sheet for all pages • sets background colors • sets page fonts • defines color scheme • Want to use database driven pages • single point for data updates • pages updated immediately • Used client-side includes • define content in one place • automatically update all pages

  43. About Database-Driven Web Technologies • Four major technologies • ASP: Active Server Pages • JSP: Java Server Pages • PHP: PHP • CFM: ColdFusion • All technologies work the same • psuedo-tags inserted • evaluated by server • results inserted in page

  44. Which One? • Which one does your organization use? • internal support • training • mentoring • reduced cost • What is your server & platform? • Windows: ASP • UNIX: JSP/PHP/CFM • LINUX: PHP • Money? • No money: PHP • Development tools available • used FrontPage to create pages

  45. Actual Page Display

  46. Code Needed for One Table &lt;!--webbot bot=&quot;DatabaseRegionStart&quot;startspan</p><p>s-columnnames=&quot;Name,LoginName,Title,Unit,Phone,Email,Office,EmployeeType,DepartmentLiaison,DepartmentContact,Name,Expr1,Expr2,Expr4,Expr3&quot;</p><p>s-columntypes=&quot;202,202,202,202,202,202,202,202,202,202,202,202,202,202,202&quot;</p><p>s-dataconnection=&quot;Library&quot; b-tableformat=&quot;TRUE&quot; b-menuformat=&quot;FALSE&quot;</p><p>s-menuchoice s-menuvalue b-tableborder=&quot;TRUE&quot; b-tableexpand=&quot;TRUE&quot;</p><p>b-tableheader=&quot;TRUE&quot; b-listlabels=&quot;TRUE&quot; b-listseparator=&quot;TRUE&quot;</p><p>i-ListFormat=&quot;0&quot; b-makeform=&quot;TRUE&quot; s-recordsource</p><p>s-displaycolumns=&quot;DepartmentLiaison,Expr1,Title,DepartmentContact&quot;</p><p>s-criteria s-order</p><p>s-sql=&quot;SELECT *,'&amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;http://www.calstatela.edu/library/hmpgs/'+PersonnelDirectory.LoginName+'.htm&amp;quot;&amp;gt;'+DepartmentLiaison.Name+'&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;' AS Expr1,DepartmentLiaison.DepartmentContact AS Expr2, PersonnelDirectory.Title ASExpr4, &amp;lt;br&amp;gt; DepartmentLiaison.DepartmentLiaison AS Expr3&amp;lt;br&amp;gt;FROMPersonnelDirectory INNER JOIN&amp;lt;br&amp;gt; DepartmentLiaison ONPersonnelDirectory.Name = DepartmentLiaison.Name&amp;lt;br&amp;gt;WHERE (DepartmentLiaison.DepartmentLiaison= 'English') OR&amp;lt;br&amp;gt; (DepartmentLiaison.DepartmentLiaison ='Asian American &amp;amp; Pacific Asian studies') OR (DepartmentLiaison.DepartmentLiaison= 'Communication Studies') OR (DepartmentLiaison.DepartmentLiaison = 'LiberalStudies') OR(DepartmentLiaison.DepartmentLiaison = 'Modern Languages &amp;amp;Literatures') OR (DepartmentLiaison.DepartmentLiaison = 'Music') OR (DepartmentLiaison.DepartmentLiaison= 'Philosophy') OR (DepartmentLiaison.DepartmentLiaison = 'Theatre Arts&amp;amp; Dance') OR (DepartmentLiaison.DepartmentLiaison = 'Art') &quot;</p><p>b-procedure=&quot;FALSE&quot; clientside SuggestedExt=&quot;asp&quot; s-DefaultFields</p><p>s-NoRecordsFound=&quot;No records returned.&quot; i-MaxRecords=&quot;256&quot;i-GroupSize=&quot;0&quot;</p><p>BOTID=&quot;0&quot; u-dblib=&quot;_fpclass/fpdblib.inc&quot;u-dbrgn1=&quot;_fpclass/fpdbrgn1.inc&quot;</p><p>u-dbrgn2=&quot;_fpclass/fpdbrgn2.inc&quot; tag=&quot;TBODY&quot;</p><p>local_preview=&quot;&amp;lt;tr&amp;gt;&amp;lt;td colspan=64 bgcolor=&amp;quot;#FFFF00&amp;quot;align=&amp;quot;left&amp;quot; width=&amp;quot;100%&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&amp;lt;fontcolor=&amp;quot;#000000&amp;quot;&amp;gt;Database Results regions will notpreview unless this page is fetched from a Web server with a web browser. Thefollowing table row will repeat once for every record returned by thequery.&amp;lt;/font&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/td&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/tr&amp;gt;&quot;</p><p>preview=&quot;&amp;lt;tr&amp;gt;&amp;lt;td colspan=64 bgcolor=&amp;quot;#FFFF00&amp;quot;align=&amp;quot;left&amp;quot; width=&amp;quot;100%&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&amp;lt;fontcolor=&amp;quot;#000000&amp;quot;&amp;gt;This is the start of a DatabaseResults region.&amp;lt;/font&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/td&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/tr&amp;gt;&quot;--&gt;&lt;!--#include file=&quot;_fpclass/fpdblib.inc&quot;--&gt;</p></font><font color="#800000" size="1"><p>&lt;%</p><p>fp_sQry=&quot;SELECT *,'&lt;a href=&quot;&quot;http://www.calstatela.edu/library/hmpgs/'+PersonnelDirectory.LoginName+'.htm&quot;&quot;&gt;'+DepartmentLiaison.Name+'&lt;/a&gt;' AS Expr1,DepartmentLiaison.DepartmentContact AS Expr2, PersonnelDirectory.Title ASExpr4, DepartmentLiaison.DepartmentLiaison AS Expr3 FROM PersonnelDirectoryINNER JOIN DepartmentLiaison ON PersonnelDirectory.Name =DepartmentLiaison.Name WHERE (DepartmentLiaison.DepartmentLiaison = 'English')OR (DepartmentLiaison.DepartmentLiaison = 'Asian American &amp; Pacific Asianstudies') OR (DepartmentLiaison.DepartmentLiaison = 'Communication Studies')OR (DepartmentLiaison.DepartmentLiaison = 'Liberal Studies')OR(DepartmentLiaison.DepartmentLiaison = 'Modern Languages &amp; Literatures')OR (DepartmentLiaison.DepartmentLiaison = 'Music') OR (DepartmentLiaison.DepartmentLiaison= 'Philosophy') OR (DepartmentLiaison.DepartmentLiaison = 'Theatre Arts &amp;Dance') OR (DepartmentLiaison.DepartmentLiaison = 'Art') &quot;</p><p>fp_sDefault=&quot;&quot;</p><p>fp_sNoRecords=&quot;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td colspan=4 align=leftwidth=&quot;&quot;100%&quot;&quot;&gt;No records returned.&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&quot;</p><p>fp_sDataConn=&quot;Library&quot;</p><p>fp_iMaxRecords=256</p><p>fp_iCommandType=1</p><p>fp_iPageSize=0</p><p>fp_fTableFormat=True</p><p>fp_fMenuFormat=False</p><p>fp_sMenuChoice=&quot;&quot;</p><p>fp_sMenuValue=&quot;&quot;</p><p>fp_iDisplayCols=4</p><p>fp_fCustomQuery=True</p><p>BOTID=0</p><p>fp_iRegion=BOTID</p><p>%&gt;</p></font><font color="#808080" size="1"><p>&lt;!--#include file=&quot;_fpclass/fpdbrgn1.inc&quot;--&gt;</p><p>&lt;!--webbot bot=&quot;DatabaseRegionStart&quot; i-CheckSum=&quot;59751&quot;endspan --&gt;</p>

  47. Additional Concerns • Access to server • requires special access • only certain software can load pages • SQL virus • yet another Microsoft specific virus • infected our campus server • activation of new server postponed indefinitely • translated dynamic page output to static page

  48. Client Side Includes • Create uniform content with “Client side includes” • translates JavaScript “document.write” statements • into this document.write("<table cellpadding='0' cellspacing='0' width='660' class='white-b' border='0'><tr><td><nobr><a ref='http://www.calstatela.edu/'><img src='http://www.calstatela.edu/library/image/header-logo2.gif' border='0' alt='University Home' width='160' height='34'></a><a href='http://www.calstatela.edu/library/'><img src='http://www.calstatela.edu/library/image/header-library2.gif' border='0' alt='University Library' width='190‘ height='34'></a><a href= 'http://www.calstatela.edu/'><img src= 'http://www.calstatela.edu/library/image/header-CSULA2.gif' border='0' alt='University Home' width='214' height='34'></a><a href='http://www.calstatela.edu/library/'><img src='http://www.calstatela.edu/library/image/header-bldg2.gif' border='0' alt='University Library' width='96' height='34'></a></nobr></td></tr></table>")

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