Intention of the Research
The purpose of this research is to have the good insights on how might we improve the user experience of the National Library Board applying the user research methods. The duration was 5 weeks and 6 days. My role and responsibilities for this research journal was as an UX researcher, observer for the research insights.
A statutory board, the National Library Board (NLB) was established since 1st September 1995. It is managing the National Library which is a network of public libraries and a digital library as well.
Sim, Cheryl, 27 March 2015, National Library Board — https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/infopedia/articles/SIP_2015-03-23_150155.html
Overcoming the
Pandemic Outbreak
As we all aware, it's not possible to go out for the research purpose during this period. So the shadowing process, screen observations and interviews were done via Zoom app since the participants are more familiar with the Zoom.
The positive facts of conducting the research methods over the Zoom were that both the participants and myself didn't face much time consuming and didn't need to travel for the meetings.
Inviting the Participants
Since everyone is working from home, inviting the participants for a focus group was totally no issue. There were 5 interviews conducted which 5 participants were interviewed individually through the Zoom. 3 of them are in the same industry. At last, I included myself in order to have an immerse point of view for the research.
Understanding the Participants' Behavioral
A simple task which instructs to browse the NLB website and borrow a book was given to each participant. I have been watching the participants' activities as the shadowing process via the Zoom from the start and all the Zoom sessions were recorded by their admissions. The activities, emotions and quotes were noted down during the shadowing process. After that revised and finalised them while looking back at the records.
Participant's Perspective
The activities, emotions and thoughts tracked from users were turned into Empathy Map. As I noticed through her movements, she tended to rely on the search and filtering functions. Her frustration upon the range of recommendations and delay periods changed to satisfactory when she was able to check the book's availability. The thoughts of wanting the wide filtering and sorting can clearly predicted via her speeches during the borrowing process.
Participants' Perspective
All the observations turned to opportunities which would solve the problems that the user was experiencing. The process broke down from the interpretations to the opportunities behalf of the users.
Opportunities Worksheet
Conducting the User Interviews
In order to get the full understanding about participants' reading experience, I prepared the questions for letting them explain more. I came out with the comfort questions so that the interviewees can rest assured. The initial questions were planned to know about how the interviewees used to browse for books. After that, the questions were leading to being more friendly. Then I concluded with the feedback questions from them. After hearing their answers, I got the clear insights about the desired clusters of data.
Conducting the User Interviews
Insights from Data Clusters
After finishing with the user interviews, I made the categorised groups from the clusters of data. Most of the participants prefer to choose books from the daily book recommendations, categorised recommendations, etc rather than typing in and searching. Some of them would like to have more sort options for the book search results. Exceptionally, the loading time for the website cannot help much but it affects the user experience in the way as in being impatient. Affinity Diagram combining the interviews data, observed data from the participants and the secondary research data can be seen beside.
Insights from Data Clusters
Focusing on the Persona
Janet is working as a digital marketing executive. She is responsible for creating the marketing and content strategy. To fulfil her goals of raising the brand awareness and the lasting digital connection with clients, she needs to have more trendy and innovative ideas which are relying on the reading resources most of the time. She needs to know the options of platforms to promote the contents and she is having trouble finding the eBooks resources written about the efficient marketing software.
Focusing on the Persona
Phases of the Interaction Process
A journey map beside visualised the scenario of how Janet goes through to browse and borrow a book. The phases of the Journey Map adopted the data received from the previous research processes. The user's actions, behaviours and emotions are indicated as the follow up contents. Opportunities which the experience of browsing and reading books can be improved and enhanced presented at the last part of the Journey Map.
Phases of the Interaction Process
Illustrating the Steps
These sketches from the storyboard beside will express as a story of Janet visually with the scenarios and captions. This storyboard will be helpful as in indicating her environments, emotions and how she behaves. I focused on this storyboard as simple as I can with her face expressions so that it's easier to memorise.
Illustrating the Steps
Research Analysis and Communication
Once the research parts are done, now is the time to indicate the areas of concerns, opportunities and issues based on the key findings, the usage of different methods and activities identified before stages. These are the highlights for the research analysis and communications:
- The Perferences — Participants' preferences of their favourite, interests, why NLB, things they dislike and suggestions.
- Their Perspectives — The particular perspectives from the participants about NLB website.
- Different Rankings from Individual Participants — Received different results of priorities from the interface issues recognized by the participants.
- Useful Suggestions — Perceived same and different suggestions for the improvement and amendment of NLB website from individual participants.
Collecting Intentional Data
I did 4 Survey measurements using the Google Forms with the focus areas of Browsing Process and Book Recommendation among the participants from individual fields. I intentionally gathered their preference catalog type and favourite kind of book, why do they prefer those types and their interests to have a wide understanding about how the search and filtering results could be improved. Followed by the question of the browsing process simplicity and attractiveness of the website. Also asked for the satisfaction and suggestions for the enhancements.
Collecting Intentional Data
Rating the Violated Heuristics
Then I conducted the Heuristic Evaluation via Google Sheets. First listed down the heuristics I noticed after that I chose the 4 evaluators by briefing them how they are meant to interact with the points that I listed down. It was measured with the Severity Ratings.
Rating the Violated Heuristics
Breaking Down the Issues and Metrics
The metrics showed that more than half a day browsing of three days per week. The other websites used are Open Library, Google Play Books and Libby App. The first time user couldn't find the search bar at first glance, more optimized recommendations needed, the complexity of the terms used, unclear book covers and descriptions are recognised as the issues as well as unable to click on some components.
Breaking Down the Issues and Metrics
Proposing the Opportunities
Some opportunities have been proposed under the two HMW statements.
How might we enhance the website to have less difficulties for browsing process?
- Put a noticeable icon within the search box at the home page.
- Provide more sort options since individual users have their own preferred sort options.
- Standardise and simplify the wording terms for all the naming of the components.
- Enlarge book covers with clearer descriptions.
How might we optimise the recommendation of books more efficiently?
- Make sure all the components clickable at the recommended books section.
- Good to show "People who borrowed this also borrowed" recommendation for every book details.
- Genre should be provided for the recommendations.
The Hindrance During the Research
All the research processes went through quite well because of the things that I noted down and video records that I can watch back anytime. Except that there were no face to face meeting and interviews to conduct for the meetup researching experience.