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Web Advisory Group Home > Minutes > 11/21/2001


Minutes 11/21/2001

Present: Duke (minutes), Hennig, Skuce


1. Improving contact information on homepage

WAG recently received feedback that it is difficult to quickly find a phone number to call from our homepage. We will incorporate into the homepage footer (and eventually the footers of most pages) a "Contact us" link. This will link to a page that Nicole has mocked up which simply lists each library and its main contact number (this page in turn links to each library's homepage, as well as other useful links such as "Ask Us!" and the staff directory).


2. Usability testing for Archives site

We started planning for usability testing of the Archives recently launched web site redesign. Stephen will speak to Lois and Nora from Archives about creating questions for the test and finding volunteers to take the tests. We will try to test approximately 5-8 people. Stephen, Nicole, Darcy and hopefully someone from Archives will be observers. Stephen will try to have the questions ready for review at our 12/19 meeting.


3. Getting feedback from staff on the new site

Now that the new website is fully implemented, we are starting to plan more usability tests of the site. This presents a good opportunity to get feedback and ideas from our own staff on the site, and perhaps try testing out some of these ideas. Nicole will send out an email next week to staff outlining the possible venues for providing feedback as well as what opportunities there will be to learn where we are, where we are headed, and our process for making future decisions.


4. Incorporating ideas from Jakob Nielsen's new book

Jakob Nielsen's new book, Homepage Usability: 55 Websites Deconstructed, contains a list of helpful criteria to use in questioning homepage design. The group decided to take these criteria and apply them to a few of our major "homepages" and see how we stand up.

 

Next meeting:

Wednesday, December 5, 2-3:30 PM; 10-500 (Nicole's Office)

http://libstaff.mit.edu/webgroup/minutes/20011121.htm


Web Advisory Group Home > Minutes > 11/21/2001