Who is this for?
University of Arizona Library students and CATalyst Studios patrons

How did I contribute?

Conducting stakeholder & user interviews, facilitating usability testing, and auditing for accessibility standards

Year
2022-2023

CATalyst Studio Website Migration and Refresh

CATalyst Studios is the maker space in the University of Arizona Libraries. The CATalyst department felt that its website did not clearly show information patrons commonly asked about and was inaccessible to its users. My role in this project was interviewing with the CATalyst department to see what they envisioned for their new site, facilitating user interviews and testing, and performing an accessibility audit.

This image is of the previous version of the CATalyst Studios homepage. The original CATalyst Studios webpage was hosted on a platform called libguides. This platform limited the customizability, reachability, and capacity of this webpage. The CATalyst studio has a vast array of information they wanted to display, and this current format made that goal impossible.

Preliminary research

Our UX team first conducted a content audit for CATalyst. Having all the data we collected stored in a table database made it easy to identify trends and indicate which pages were most frequently visited.

Our next step was to conduct a card sort to categorize information that the CATalyst studios folks wanted to be grouped. My colleague and I co-facilitated this card-sort and finished with a clear idea of how the content would appear on the new webpage.

There were 50 cards originally, 10 were discarded and 40 ended up across these categories:

  • Landing page

  • What you can do at CATalyst

  • Tools & equipment

  • Events and workshops

  • Bring your class to CATalyst

How we Migrated

With the card sorting complete and the website sections identified, we were able to begin strategizing the content migration. By integrating their content into the broader library website, it created a more cohesive and unified user experience.

The migration process was based on the information architecture from the card sort, ensuring that the Catalyst Studios content fit into the existing structure of the library website.

Through collaboration with the library's web development team, we created a consistent design functioning in an accessible way for CATalyst’s users.

This migration enhanced the visibility of Catalyst Studios and also facilitated cross-promotion of library resources. Users navigating the library website will now have convenient access to Catalyst Studios, fostering increased engagement and participation in more creative endeavors.

Ensuring Accessibility

In our goal of creating a more inclusive online environment, we conducted a comprehensive accessibility test for the 3D tour and systematically integrated alt text for all images across the Catalyst Studies website. This was not just about meeting guidelines but ensuring that every user, regardless of ability, can engage seamlessly with the content.

Through rigorous testing, we assessed the accessibility of the 3D tour to guarantee a user-friendly experience for everyone. Simultaneously, we addressed image accessibility by adding alt text to all images on the webpage. This improved the experience for individuals with visual impairments and also contributed to our overall commitment to meeting web accessibility standards.

We were dedicated to creating a digital space within Catalyst Studios that is accessible, inclusive, and considerate of diverse user needs. The implementation of these accessibility measures represents a more universally engaging online environment for the University of Arizona Libraries.

Testing Usability

We conducted user interviews and rigorous usability testing to uncover pain points and assess alignment with stakeholder goals. Through user interviews, we explored the experiences and expectations of students, identifying challenges and user needs.

Simultaneously, usability testing allowed us to observe real-time interactions, pinpointing pain points in navigation and functionality.

This dual approach provided an understanding of user experiences while also evaluating how well the website met the goals of our stakeholders. The insights gained from these processes helped us polish our final product, ensuring that Catalyst Studios addresses user concerns and aligns with key stakeholders' expectations.