Getting started with program structure

Develop a workflow structure for project lifecycle usability testing for any library project with a web-based interface

Questions:

What are the stages of a project lifecycle?

• Selection -- Creating, imagining the project
• Planning -- Establishing steps, timeline, resources, sequence of activities to complete the project
• Execution -- performing the activities outlined in "planning"
• Termination / Maintenance -- finishing the activities (termination) / finishing the activities and passing the project to an oversight/operational group (maintenance)

At which stages should a usability component be inserted?

• Selection -- include usability studies as part of the user research that informs project selection
• Planning (implementation planning) -- 1) refer to (sections of the guidelines/handbook); 2) include usability testing/activities as part of the project timeline, requirements, and milestones; 3) consultation with usability group
• Execution (implementation) -- [obviously]
• (see web development roles)
• (see checklists for those roles)
• (including usability testing)
• Termination (completion) (at least the "termination" of Phase X)
• Maintenance (moving into Phase X+1) -- separate usability calendar/process for existing local web products (when a new product is completed, it may move into the "maintenance" function)

What usability activity/ies should occur at those stages?


Who performs those usability activity/ies?


What documentation of the completion of usability activity/ies should there be?


If a usability activity results in a recommendation of changes to some aspect of the project, what process ensues from that?


If project participants dispute the findings of a usability activity (i.e., they don't want to make recommended changes), what happens?


How do we define different levels of projects?


My Hypothetical Web Project

1. I make up my little web project


• Where will this project live when it’s done


1. Library Public Web site -- WAC / Usability Group
   (formalize the process of proposing new stuff, e.g. web form submission, etc)


1. little project -- use existing models/checklists/processes


2. big project or unique service -- (more involved consultative process)


2. Library Intranet -- Intranet Group / Usability Group


3. OPAC -- Voyager Group / Usability Group