Davis Centre Wayfinding Project

1. Davis Centre Wayfinding Project By: Scott Nisbet, Greg Stefan, Phat Ha

2. Overview • Introduction • Methodology • Results • Preliminary Recommendations

3. Introduction

4. Wayfinding -- Definition • Wayfinding is not signage • “the structuring and presentation of information needed to allow people to easily navigate an environment” (Corbin, 2000)

5. Developing a Successful Wayfinding System • End-user participation in development • Design for the first-time visitor • Support intuition • Be logical and consistent • Define destinations thoughtfully • Test the system

6. Davis Centre Library • Two floors • Division of library • [main floor] Abstracts, Book Stacks, References, Government Publications • [lower] Periodicals • Users

9. Existing Problems • Similar call number signs. • A lot of temporary signs. • No standardised guidelines.

10. Project Objectives • Allow patrons to access library facilities and resources more independently. • Develop signage standards.

11. Methodology

12. Overview of Methods • Literature Search • Signage Inventory & Evaluation • Preliminary Patron Survey • DC Library Patron Survey • Development of a New Signage System • User Testing Protocol

13. Literature Search • Past wayfinding projects • Established signage guidelines • Human factors principles • User testing methods

14. Signage Inventory • Starting point • Cataloged all unique signs on main floor • Took pictures of each • Large (43 signs) database of signs to evaluate

15. Heuristics • General “rules of thumb” • Based on research, previous projects • Not meant to replace true experimental designs • Points to general direction of investigation

16. Signage Inventory – Sample

17. Preliminary Library Patron Survey • Opportunistic • Compiled most frequently asked question

18. Results

19. Results • Finding call number was most significant problem • Want to replicate findings and investigate call number problem in more detail

20. DC Patron Survey • Asked participants if they difficulty in finding a number of resources • Items taken from original survey • Methods • ORE approval

21. DC Patron Survey • Want to investigate call number problem in more detail • Used task analysis • Breakdown task into components • Create query at each decision point

22. Task Analysis Which floor is it on? Main Floor Lower Floor Which section is it in? Section 1 Section 2 Section n Which stack is it on? Stack n Stack 2 Stack 1 Which shelf is it on?

23. Survey Instructions Please indicate the number of times you experienced difficulty when attempting to find the following items/locations since the start of this term. A zero (0) indicates that you had no problems. Place a check in the Did Not Seek column if you have never sought the item/location in question.

24. Sample Survey Items

25. Developing a New Signage System • Focus on most prevalent problem • Did not have user feedback • Survey ongoing • Assumptions • Finding a book given the call number was the most significant problem • Problems finding the section of the library

26. User Testing • To evaluate the effectiveness of the new design • Protocol • ORE approval

27. Design • Four library books selected • Participant had to find book given the call number printout • Control group • Original signage • Experimental group • New signage

28. Participants • Sought out students, faculty, and other university members • Using many levels of familiarity but focusing on the first-time (inexperienced) patrons

29. Measurements • Time to completion • Given printout to holding the book • Notes from verbal protocol • Think aloud • Uncover cognitive processes • Investigator Records notes • Distance traveled to completion • Allows the calculation of # of wrong turns

31. Results/Conclusions

32. Heuristic Evaluation

33. DC Patron Survey

34. DC Patron Survey Comments • “The library is too noisy.” • “Too many “small” signs; distracting. Finding printout the first time (years ago) was hard.” • “The telis internet search is rather bad. Many times I couldn’t find books, journals that are in the library using the search.”

35. User Testing Protocol • 6 participants • 3 control • 3 experimental

36. Post Search Questionnaire • Did you have problems knowing where to start? • Did you have problems finding the correct shelf? • Were there any particular signage that was helpful or detrimental in you search? • On a scale of 1-10 how difficult were the tasks?

38. Performance Times

39. Sample Participant Comments • “I like the colour coding, but, what about the call numbers” – expt’l • “why are the map colours different than the colour coding” – expt’l • “why aren’t there big signs for the individual sections” – ctrl

40. Recommendations – Overview

41. Heuristics Evaluation • Follow heuristics for new signs • Modify old signs to meet heuristic standards if possible • Problems have been identified

42. Large Aisle Way Signs • Improve navigation to landmark locations by increasing visibility in all directions. • e.g. conference room, washrooms, microfiche, copiers

43. Colour Coded Sections • More efficient performance • Good feedback from participants • Better performance times

44. Colour Coded Sections - Requirements • Signs should follow heuristics • Colour choice can complement décor of library, while preserving accessibility to the colour blind (i.e. good contrast) • Colour should match overhead map

45. Online Call Number Locator • User finds a call number from Trellis. • User clicks on “find call number”. • Overhead map pops up indicating location with respect to the computer. • Good general navigation tool.

46. University of Guelph

47. University of Guelph

48. University of Guelph

49. University of Nebraska

50. University of Nebraska