Usability Testing
Search Experience
Interaction Design
Academic Library UX
Overview
Skelton Library’s Primo interface is a central tool for students searching for articles, books, and digital resources. Despite being widely adopted across academic systems, the interface often presents usability challenges for novice users. A team of myself and two other team members conducted a usability study and proposed UX improvements to enhance discoverability, search clarity, and task efficiency.
High-Level Outcomes:
Identified top usability barriers related to search filters and terminology
Proposed IA and interaction design enhancements for clearer navigation
Improved user ability to complete common academic research tasks
Industry
My Role
Organization
[Timeline]
Business Problem
Users frequently struggle with locating materials on the current Primo interface. This results in:
Inefficient research workflows
Overreliance on librarian assistance
Missed or overlooked resources
Business Objective: Understand the current issues of the interface. In understanding these issues, engineers can enhance the user experience so users, mainly students, can independently and efficiently locate resources with minimal friction.
Research Questions
Can users locate and use advanced search features effectively?
Are filters, labels, and categories intuitive for academic research tasks?
Which parts of the interface cause hesitation or repeated errors?
Research Methods
Approach: Moderated usability testing and comparative analysis
Participants: 5 Faculty/Staff Members at Mercer University
Tools: Zoom
Tasks Observed:
Searching for a known article
Using filters to narrow search results
Accessing full-text materials
Locating physical resources
Artifacts Produced:
Test Plan & Script
Observation Notes
Formal Usability Report (for client)
Presentation (for client)
Figure 1: Script/tasklist for usability testing
UX Recommendations
1. Clarify Filter Terminology with Plain Language
Replace ambiguous labels with task-oriented language.
2. Introduce a Results Page Visual Hierarchy
Distinguish primary actions (download, open, view) from secondary ones.
3. Combine Related Filters
Grouping filters reduces cognitive load and scannability issues.
4. Improve Advanced Search Entry Points
Ensure advanced options are easy to locate and clearly signposted.
5. Add Quick-Start Guidance for New Users
Brief contextual tooltips or short guides support novice researchers.
Impact
Expected improvements include:
Increased search success rates
Reduced dependency on library staff for basic tasks
Faster discovery of relevant materials
More intuitive filtering and navigation for novice users
Higher user retention on the interface
Reflection
Key lessons from this case study include recognizing that:
Academic platforms require balancing complexity with clarity.
Small changes to filter language dramatically improve usability.
Students benefit from guided search pathways when learning new systems.
Future Opportunities/Areas of Improvement
There were a few limitations/areas of improvement that I identified during the study, as well potential fixes for said limitations
Broader Group of Participants for Usability Testing
Suggestion: Although we were able to reach our target group for the usability tests, I believe it would have been more focused to have medical students within the recruitment, as they would be more likely to interact with the Skelton Primo interface.
Limited time for usability testing
Suggestion: With the duration of this project being only two months in total, we did not have enough time to run tests with the number of participants we originally set. This is why we were only able to run five tests with the five participants. If possible, I would request an extension on time or more resources to be able to complete more tests in a perfect scenario.
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