Browsing by Author "Smith, Andy"

Now showing 1 - 7 of 7
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    Designing and Implementing a Dark Mode for a Library Website
    (WEAVE, 2023) Maixner, Gary; Smith, Andy
    Dark mode, also known as night mode, is an alternative way of viewing content on a webpage. Rather than having dark text on a light background, dark mode displays light text on a dark background. In fall 2022, the Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) University Library launched a dark mode as an option for web users. We present some considerations for design and implementation for those interested in adding a dark mode to their website.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Innovative Data-Driven Methods to Improve Digital User Experience
    (2016-05-24) Lee, Yoo Young; Smith, Andy; Calvert, Lisa; Snajdr, Eric
    This presentation was held in 8th Qualitative and Quantitative Methods in Libraries (QQML) International Conference, London, United Kingdom. Digital user experience (DUX) is a combination of art and science. From an artistic point of view, DUX should provide a simple, clean and engaging web or mobile interface. In order to design such an artistic interface which guarantees the best user experience, scientific user research must be conducted to better understand users’ needs, their motivation to use websites, as well as their web behavior. This paper will explore new trends of qualitative and quantitative user research methods in each DUX stage in order to build excellent user experience on the library website. In general, DUX is comprised of 6 stages: Planning, user research, design, development, launch, and quality control. At Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) University Library, a variety of qualitative and quantitative usability research was conducted in different settings. This, along with data from Google Analytics and Google Webmaster Tools, were used before launch in order to know the users. After launch, user experience research was conducted during multiple library instruction sessions to ensure users had a good experience on the website. This paper will address diverse user research methods and discuss tools used during DUX research conducted from January 2014 to December 2015. In addition, the paper will compare pros and cons of DUX methods; discuss practical tips on how to apply data gathered from user research to design and improve websites; and share lessons learned such as DUX research planning, challenges, and effective methods in each DUX stage.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Innovative Data-Driven Methods to Improve Digital User Experience
    (2016) Lee, Yoo Young; Smith, Andy; Calvert, Lisa; Snajdr, Eric
    This article is a conference proceeding for the 8th International Conference on Qualitative and Quantitative Methods in Libraries. Digital user experience (DUX) is a combination of art and science. From an artistic point of view, DUX should provide a simple, clean and engaging web or mobile interface. In order to design such an artistic interface which guarantees the best user experience, scientific user research must be conducted to better understand users’ needs, their motivation to use websites, as well as their web behavior. This paper explores qualitative and quantitative user research methods in each DUX stage in order to build excellent user experience on the library website. In general, DUX is comprised of 6 stages: planning, user research, design, development, launch, and quality control. At Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) University Library, a variety of qualitative and quantitative usability research was conducted in different settings. This, along with data from Google Analytics and Google Webmaster Tools, were used before launch in order to know the users. After launch, user experience research was conducted during multiple library instructional sessions to ensure that users had a good experience on the website. This paper addresses diverse user research methods and discuss tools used during DUX research conducted from January 2014 to December 2015. In addition, the paper will compare pros and cons of DUX methods; discuss practical tips on how to apply data gathered from user research to design and improve websites; and share lessons learned such as DUX research planning, challenges, and effective methods in each DUX stage.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    IUPUI University Library's Drupal Adventure
    (2009-05-06) Smith, Andy
    Presentation Abstract: Three years ago IUPUI University Library decided to move from a static website to a content management system (CMS). Many proprietary and Open Source systems were investigated. In the end, the Drupal Open Source CMS project was selected for development of a new library website. We have learned many Drupal lessons along the way and I would like to share some of what we've discovered. This will include a look at several of the modules available for Drupal, including library specific ones, which can greatly expand Drupal's capabilities. However, since not all modules are created alike, I would also like to point out what to look for when examining a module to see if it will fit your needs. Another very powerful aspect of Drupal is its themes. Through the use of template files, the look and feel of an entire website can be easily maintained. With a little PHP programming and some detective work in the Drupal forums, we have created several themes for special purposes. While modules and themes are great, the true value of a website comes from its content. Allowing quick and easy editing of pages for a multitude of users was a primary consideration when choosing our CMS. For this task, we have taken advantage of Drupal's taxonomy system. While not the only way to control editing rights in Drupal, taxonomy terms combined with a couple of modules has worked well for us. Finally, code only last so long; bugs and security holes will crop up. As with all Open Source projects, Drupal's updates and upgrades are in the hands of its development community. I will conclude with a description of how University Library handles updates and what challenges are ahead of us in making a full system upgrade.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Journey from subjective to objective: Capturing user experience
    (2016-04-06) Lee, Yoo Young; Snajdr, Eric; Calvert, Lisa; Smith, Andy
    This presentation was delivered at the Designing for Digital 2016 held in Austin, Texas. It is the norm to conduct usability testing for library's websites. Often, these tests focus only on effectiveness or efficiency rather than measuring users’ experiential perspectives This presentation will introduce a variety of UX evaluation methods – different from usability – and cover UX research conducted in the fall 2015 semester.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Keeping Users in the Dark: The Design and Implementation of a Dark Mode for a University Library Website
    (2022-05-25) Maixner, Gary; Smith, Andy
    Dark modes of websites have become a popular feature for users in recent years. While the option to create a contrast mode has existed for decades at the system level, what we are seeing now are designs not only focused on accessibility, but also usability. Library personnel at the Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis University Library took it upon themselves to follow this trend and begin the design, development, and implementation of a dark mode version of the library’s website. This involved some trial and error in the initial prototype, taking feedback from users, and then writing the new stylesheet.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Reservations about the Reservation System: Using the Springshare API to Build a Better Room Reservation Front End
    (2021-03-23) Maixner, Gary; Smith, Andy
    For the last half decade, the Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) University Library has used the Springshare LibCal room reservation system in order to allow students to reserve study rooms. We have 50 study rooms that are separated into three categories based on size. In Fall 2019, we had over 15,000 reservations made in the system. As most libraries, our study rooms are a big draw to our space. While the LibCal is standard in libraries and comes with a robust set administrative features, we had always found the default grid for room reservation problematic for our users. This is for several key reasons. • Reservations are difficult to use on mobile devices • Scrolling is necessary for accessing the next three days worth of reservations • Users must rely on email in order to manage reservations • Difficult to make a reservation quickly