University of Applied Sciences HTW Chur,
Swiss Institute for Information Research (SII)
Prof. Dr. Bernard Bekavac
Project management ElibEval
+41 81 286 24 70
bernard.bekavac@htwchur.ch

Usability evaluation of online library services

To ensure that web applications are fit for purpose and user-friendly, it is important to take the necessary steps at an early stage. This is why the "ElibEval" project was set up to carry out evaluations as the online services which were being introduced as part of "e-lib.ch" were being developed.

The studies focus on two main aspects:

• Usability (the factors affecting the interaction between users and the application)
• Usefulness (relevance to the user of the content that is being made available)

The "ElibEval" project focuses mainly on usability evaluations. Various methods oriented towards experts and users are applied:

• Heuristic evaluations
• Focus groups
• Formative usability tests

The aim of these procedures is to ensure that the online services are continuously developed and their quality improved. The analysis is carried out in close cooperation with the "ACCEPT" project run by the Geneva School of Business Administration, which concentrates primarily on aspects of usefulness.

As well as carrying out these evaluations, the "ElibEval" project is also responsible for developing analytical tools and concepts, intended to offer general support for the providers of academic information resources in carrying out their own usability evaluations.