University Library Website Redesign
"Have you ever struggled with an inefficient book request system that slows down your studies?"
My role
Lead designer: identifying problems and designing prototypes
Project
University project
Timeline
2 weeks, 2022
Tools used
Figma, Adobe Illustrator
Introduction
Project overview
This project involves assessing the current book request process on the university library website to identify issues and opportunities, with the aim of redesigning the site to enhance the user experience.
Research
Findings from the book request process
The website’s interface is not user-friendly for new users or those focused on efficiency. The category hierarchy and icons are confusing, and the lack of a reservation feature for offline resources can cause inconvenience if books are unavailable when visiting the library.
· Search books
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1. Unclear Hierarchy:
The category filtering structure lacks clear organisation
2. Confusing Icons:
Icons are not easily understandable.
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3. Incomplete Search Results:
Availability status of resources is not fully displayed.
4. Unobvious Keywords:
Highlighted keywords are not prominent enough.
· Viewing details on the resource page
5. Lack of Information:
Online or offline status is still not displayed on the details page.
6. Unnecessary Requests:
The initial interface does not display the stock of offline resources, necessitating extra clicks to access this information.
7. No Reservation Function:
The site lacks offline resource reservation, leading to potential unavailability upon library visit.
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Understand the audience
Redesigning website functionality and interaction flow based on user needs and pain points
Based on user research, it was identified that
The user need is to
Quickly and efficiently locate the target documents
The identified user pain point is
Challenges in retrieving and managing documents
Design goals
Clear functionality with distinct interface elements
Minimalist interface with high information recognition
Streamline user flow to minimise redundant actions
Integration of a document management system
Implementation of quick-access features
Design prototype
Iteration of the university library website
Before
After
1. Optimise the interface for better visual recognition:
Use colour blocks in the navigation bar to differentiate levels and highlight the active state, reducing visual strain.
2. Clear information presentation:
Adjust layout and spacing for better readability.
Highlight key information with colours: yellow for search keywords, green for available resources, and red for unavailable resources.
Before
After
Before
After
3. Simplify the resource access process:
Show resource availability directly and use colours to differentiate status, reducing extra steps.
Add quick-access icons and a reservation feature for easier access.
New
4. Additional quick-access functions:
Introduce four quick-access features on the page: browse literature, download files, send emails, and view the library resource map to streamline document collection.
New
5. Improve literature management:
Allow users to add selected documents to a management folder for easy organisation.
Add a notes feature for users to record important details.
Project takeaway
Balancing simplification and expansion, visuals and functionality
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Design is a continuous process of improvement. Simplifying workflows or adding features helps meet user needs and improve the user experience.
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Visuals and functionality should complement each other, as a simple, clear interface has a significant impact on user experience. The goal of design is not just aesthetics but also enhancing efficiency and usability.
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The user research in this project was primarily based on existing personas, which limits its reliability.
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Additionally, the lack of sufficient user testing data makes it difficult to accurately identify design problems.