Joplin Public Library

At-a-Glance

The Joplin Public Library’s website redesign focused on improving navigation and content discovery for its users. Through interviews with librarians, archival research, and user testing, I gained a comprehensive understanding of user behaviors and expectations for library websites. I conducted a content audit and developed a detailed sitemap to guide the proposed information architecture, focusing on clear organization and usability. Testing methods like tree tests and first-click tests further refined the design, ensuring it aligned with user needs and provided a positive overall user experience.

Timeline

8 weeks

My Role

UX Designer

Researcher

Information Architect

Tools Used

Figma

Optimal Workshop

LucidChart

Problem

The Joplin Public Library’s website struggled to support its vast array of content, making navigation and information discovery a challenging process for its users.

Solution

I redesigned the Joplin Public Library website to align it with user expectations through research, testing, and a comprehensive analysis of the site’s information architecture. The proposed redesign had a clearer focus on content organization and usability, ultimately resulting in a positive overall user experience.

Methodology

I conducted interviews with librarians from the Johnston Public Library and Beaverton City Library, using a predetermined question set to understand user goals, behaviors, and needs on library websites. These insights were supplemented with archival research, analyzing three articles and one webpage to establish a baseline understanding of library website usability. This combination of qualitative interviews and external research provided a comprehensive view of user behavior and expectations for online library platforms.

Sitemap

I conducted a content audit of the current Joplin Public Library platform, analyzing existing pages to determine what should be repurposed, reworked, or removed, and identifying new content to enhance the user experience. Using insights from the audit, I developed a comprehensive sitemap outlining the structure of the proposed information architecture.

User Testing

To refine the proposed information architecture for the Joplin Public Library, multiple user testing methods were used. In a tree test, 11 participants completed tasks to identify where they expected to find key resources, revealing challenges in locating children’s resources, digital databases, and library card information.

Wireframes

Using insights from the tree testing session, I further refined the design into tangible wireframes.

Using the drafted wireframes, I conducted first-click testing with 4 participants, which showed an improved understanding of content navigation and discovery while highlighting future areas for improvement.

 

What I Learned

Working on the Joplin Public Library platform demonstrated the importance of aligning information on a website with the mental models of its users. I got a firsthand view into how small changes, like refining labels or regrouping content, can have a significant impact on usability. Interviewing librarians and conducting various tests throughout the process helped to reinforce the importance of gathering diverse perspectives and information to create a well-rounded product.

The Joplin Public Library did not commission any of the work outlined above.