This is a brief re-hash of the data from a statewide heuristic usability study done by Laura Solomon in 2004.

1. Swimming or Sinking? Laura Solomon Library Services Manager OPLIN [email_address]

5. The Results

6. Communicating Information About the Library: Are we communicating?

7. Communicating the Purpose of the Site: Does the site *have* a purpose?

8. Content Writing: Do we know how to write for the Web?

9. Credits and Dates: Small but important

10. Graphic Design: How do we look?

11. Graphics & Animation: Are we using these wisely?

12. Library Specific Issues: Problems often seen on library web sites

13. Library Specific Issues: Problems often seen on library web sites (con’t)

14. LOLcat break

15. Links : Are we leading the way?

16. Navigation: Are we making it easy?

17. Search: Who has it?

18. Is it intuitive?

19. Tools & Welcomes: Things visitors DON’T WANT

20. Titles: They matter

21. The bottom line

22. Overall pass rate

23. Not swimming….

24. What can we do?

25. The Two-Minute Offense

26. What have we learned?

27. How do users THINK?

28. Quality counts

29. Scanning, not reading

32. Users want control

33. Don’t make users THINK

34. Make use of effective writing

35. Don’t be afraid of the white space

36. Don’t ignore conventions