Evidence-based practice and web usability assessment

Abstract

Purpose – Issues related to usability and creating effective and engaging user experiences on the internet continue to vex libraries and information agencies. Many organizations still do not have an on-going, sustainable usability assessment program in place. This should be a cause for concern because usability programs serve as a quality-control check on our ability to provide quality information. This is why evidence-based information practice is so important as a fundamental building block of a usability assessment plan. This paper aims to address these issues. Design/methodology/approach – Through a review of the basic principles of evidence-based practice, the author puts into context how a web assessment methodology could be put in place at a library or information organization. Findings – Using the principles of evidence-based practice, as well as a user-centered design perspective, can greatly enhance the ability of libraries and information organizations to develop effective web usability assessment programs. Originality/value – While there has been a significant body of work in library and information science related to implementing evidence-based practice (EBP), there has been little specifically written about applying EBP to web usability assessment. This article fills that gap in the literature.