Helping users find the need-to-know information on a library website can be difficult, especially if the site’s structure itself confuses them or leads them to unexpected places. But designing content with end users in mind helps us create the content they’re looking for, while user testing to see where content is expected to be helps us lead them in the right direction. Over the past year, the Chester Fritz Library (CFL) at the University of North Dakota has been working on a complete site overhaul from the ground up. The current CFL site started small over eight years ago and grew as new content was requested. A review of the site showed that that content was often incorrect, unnecessary, or duplicated; links were outdated; and site navigation was confusing. Without a doubt, change was necessary! During this presentation, you’ll find out how user testing (via card sort software) helps determine where users expect content to be, allowing site designers to update their entire information architecture (IA) and simplify their navigational structure. You’ll also learn how identifying content owners makes content clean-up easier to finish and simpler to maintain. We’ll walk through steps that anyone can take to make sure their IA informs site navigation in a way that leads users the way they need to go. We’ll also discuss how to identify important content and distill it in a way that helps users get what they need without becoming frustrated. Do you have a legacy site that is confusing your users? Then this session is for you!
