Re-envisioning how to find resources at your library.
FICTIONAL CLIENT
AREA
DURATION
Jackson Country Library
UX Research & Product Design
5 weeks
TOOLS
Figma
Overview
UX RESEARCH
I performed primary and secondary research as well as contextual inquiry. I analyzed this data to gather insights to guide design decisions.
PRODUCT DESIGN
I used insights gathered from research to ideate design solutions, build prototypes, then test those designs and iterate to create a refined and user tested solution.
INFO PAGE IS CLUTTERED
This page is cluttered, hard to scan, and provides too much initial information. Multiple rental options for the same book at different libraries add to the complexity.
Noticeable problems with the current JCL interface
LOCATING BOOKS & RESOURCES IS DIFFICULT
All that is provided to help a user find the book is the specific library and the call number. The button to find this information wasn’t easy to find as well.
BROWSING EVENTS IS VISUALLY OVERWHELMING
Although nice, the filtering tools feel overwhelming, and the preview for events has a lot of information that's hard to digest from poor visual design.
The Goals
01
Increase user posting follow-through by decreasing barriers and friction to users.
02
Simplify UI to be less distracting but still maintain the playful nature of the brand.
03
Improve the navigation and interactions to be more intuitive and easy to use.
THE GOAL
Design a library platform that empowers its visitors to quickly and easily find desired books, events and other resources.
Secondary Research
ONLINE FINDINGS
According to the Pew Research Center in 2016, 48% of those aged 16 and older have visited a public library in person in the last year. Two-thirds of library visitors borrow print books; around half go to read, study, or engage with media.
COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS
As well as looking at the existing Jackson County Library mobile interface, I looked at other library apps to find what worked well and what could become potential pain points to avoid.
SF PL
NYC PL
Libby
BKLYN PL
Primary Research
CONTEXTUAL INQUIRY
I visited the Jackson County Public Library in Medford, Oregon, and familiarized myself with the process of navigating a physical library, as well as locating a book using the library’s resources and the Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC) system.
USER INTERVIEWS
I conducted interviews with both frequent library users and individuals who do not utilize the library. This was crucial, as I wanted to develop a solution that caters to the needs and challenges faced by not just current library patrons, but also those who have yet to explore this valuable resource.
INTERVIEWEE A
“I mostly look at the fliers here at the library to stay up to date on events”
INTERVIEWEE B
“Honestly, I never go to the library, and I have no idea how to locate a book if I did.”
Qualitative Analysis
AFFINITY DIAGRAMING
While conducting in-person interviews, I jotted down the participants' responses to my questions and other relevant thoughts. Next, I grouped them by similarity, discerning which issues were experienced by a majority of users and which were more individualized. This method provided me with a clearer understanding of the shared pain points among the users.
USER JOURNEY MAPPING
After organizing common thoughts with an affinity diagram, I further empathized through the use of a user journey map. This allowed me to identify pain points throughout the journey, and brainstorm potential solutions for each of them.
User Insights
01
Increase user posting follow-through by decreasing barriers and friction to users.
03
Improve the navigation and interactions to be more intuitive and easy to use.
02
Simplify UI to be less distracting but still maintain the playful nature of the brand.
User Insights
1. FINDING ITEMS AT THE LIBRARY CAN BE DIFFICULT
Most libraries use the Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC) system. Even if the interviewee had learned DDC in school, some don't remember, or feel intimidated.
2. RETURNING ITEMS ON TIME IS A STRUGGLE
Many interviewees noted that they didn't trust themselves to return books on time or didn't like the hassle of having to physically return books.
3. DECISIVE USER VERSUS EXPLORATIVE USER
Some users come to the library with a specific book in mind while others come to browse what's new or displayed that week.
Humanizing The Findings
PERSONA
A busy parent of two was chosen as my primary persona because according to the librarians I spoke with, the most common regular at the library was a parent with kids. Moving forward I referenced the persona when needing design direction.
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Ideating Based On Research
BRAINSTORMING & WIREFRAMING
After reviewing user insights, user journey maps, and personas, I brainstormed a range of features to address pain points.
With these ideas in mind, I proceeded to create wireframes of possible solutions, utilizing the crazy 8’s technique to generate multiple design variations for each page.
I then identified the most promising designs, and integrated them into a rough sketch of the proposed application's overall appearance.
SITE MAP & ARCHITECTURE
I wanted to create a sitemap to further clarify the organization of the app, and features to make sure that information was found in locations that would make sense to the user.
Refining Interactions
USER WIREFLOWS
After establishing the structure of the product, I proceeded to test critical user flows against existing designs. This allowed me to identify potential pain points in advance and prevent them from occurring in the final design.
Searching & Book Page Wireflow
Browsing Events & Add To Calendar Wireflow
FINDINGS FROM WIREFLOWS
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The location of the “shelf map” button needed to be moved closer to the location dropdown.
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The location of the “put on hold” button needed to be moved to be below the location dropdown.
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The location dropdown needed to be included on the shelf map page to avoid having to go back and forth between pages.
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Rather than having separate pages for each type of book rental option, such as ebooks vs physical books, put a book type dropdown above the location dropdown.
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Feedback & Iterations
USABILITY TESTING
I conducted tests with 3 participants to enhance my comprehension of user requirements and to verify the usability of the low-fidelity prototype.
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Users would like a calendar viewing option to be included on the events page.
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Users thought that holds and saved books would be found on the “My Library” page rather than the “Profile” page where I had placed them.
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I needed to change the wording of the confirmation pop-up buttons to be clear that it is confirming an action.
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Users liked the idea of the reward system of gaining stars for returning items on time.
NEEDED CHANGES FOUND FROM USER TESTING
Visual Iterations
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Users can easily browse categories of resources available at libraries, making resources that users may not have known existed more visible and accessible.
Search A Variety Of Resources At Your Library
Reflection
With the large amount of resources that the library offered, it was a challenge to find a way to organize access to all of it while not overwhelming the user and emphasizing what resources users cared most about.
From user testing, it was found that the rewards system was well-liked and had promise in helping users stay on top of returning resources. However, this system is very reliant on a business’s willingness to participate in this program to support its local library. In a similar vein that Kellogg’s Box Tops financially supports schools and brings positive PR to the company, the hope is that local businesses would see the value in participating.
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Users can search events based on time, and location. After finding an event they are interested in, a user can add it to their phone's calendar or turn on in-app notifications for the event.
Find & Save Events
Users can find rentals, due dates, past rentals, holds and saved resources all in one location.
Organized Personal Library
Interactive Prototype
Below is an interactive figma prototype. Click the expand button in the top right corner to interact with a larger prototype.
The shelf map can be used as a visual guide for users who need help in searching for the resource they want at their library.
A Shelf Map To Find Resources
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Users can receive points for returning resources on time. Points can be redeemed for deals and free items from participating businesses. Notifications will remind users of due dates as well as upcoming events.
Rewards System & Motivation
Users can filter books and other resources with popular filtering options, allowing the user to take more control of their browsing experience.
Filter Books & Other Resources Easily
This design greatly reduces useful information into a dropdown selection from the current book page design.
A shelf map is available to aid users in finding the book.