Determining the Factors Affecting the Usability of Library Information Systems from the Perspective of Visually Impaired Users

Document Type : Research َ Article

Author

Assistant Professor, Knowledge and Information Science, Data Science, Information & Artificial Intelligence Group, National Library and Archives of Iran, Tehran, Iran

10.30484/nastinfo.2024.3509.2252

Abstract

Purpose: The usability requirements of user interface websites for sighted and visually impaired people are very different. These requirements include task adequacy, dimensional trade-off, behavior equivalence, semantic loss avoidance, and device independence. It is vital to consider these requirements to achieve the usability of library websites for visually impaired users. The purpose of the present study was to determine the factors influencing the usability of library information systems from the perspective of visually impaired users.
Method: The current research was applied and conducted using a qualitative method. In this research, the factors affecting website usability were identified through the exploratory observation of 33 visually impaired users and by defining the tasks (3 tasks). The data were collected using formal usability testing and think-aloud protocol. While using a library website and performing defined tasks, users were observed verbally expressing their thoughts, feelings, and opinions about their interaction experience. In this research, the user interfaces (digital library, OPAC, and virtual reference) of the National Library and Archives of Iran, Organization of Libraries, Museums and Documents Center of Astan Quds Razavi; Library, Museum and Document Center Islamic Consultative Assembly and the Central Library and Document Center of Tehran University were studied as prominent libraries in the country. Visually impaired users were selected from different provinces of the country using a targeted sampling and snowball method. Observational data were collected with screen recording software (Faststone and Ocam). For qualitative data analysis, content analysis (categorizing and grouping codes), coding (specifying the primary and secondary codes), and MAXQDA software were used. The transcripts of the obtained data were read at least three times and recoded several times. These codes were continuously expanded and revised while reviewing the transcripts. Another researcher participated in the content analysis and reviewed the extracted transcripts and categories, and the data were reviewed several times to confirm their validity.
Findings: The research revealed that the influential factors of the usability of library websites from the perspective of visually impaired users can be classified into 651 codes and 5 categories. 273 codes from the total codes were assigned to the screen structure and organization category, and 263 codes were assigned to the user-oriented category. Search and information retrieval (with 64 codes), interface compatibility (with 26 codes), and system messages (with 25 codes) were in the following ranks. These findings provide a comprehensive understanding of visually impaired users' usability challenges, enlightening the library information systems field.
Conclusion: The research findings have practical implications for the design and management of library websites. To design usable websites, data from the real feelings of particular users about library information retrieval systems are necessary. User experiences help librarians, designers, and library managers better understand the purpose of accessibility standards and their overall impact on visually impaired users. The final results helped the researcher to identify the usability problems of the library websites and provided clues about the usability issues, making the research directly relevant and applicable to the work of the audience.

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References

 
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  • Receive Date: 24 October 2023
  • Revise Date: 08 January 2024
  • Accept Date: 09 March 2024

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