Information Users and Usability in the Digital Age

"Aiming to fill a need for books on usability written for professionals who design and provide online information services, this is a clear and accessible guide to examining information needs and developing effective user studies to assess online information services. G.G. and Sudatta Chowdhury approach their topic from a library and information science perspective, giving the reader basic skills that can be used to design, conduct, analyze, and apply usability research when developing online information services. VERDICT: Highly recommended for libraries and library professionals providing resources via the Internet."

-- Library Journal

"Chowdhury and Chowdhury's contribution is well-rounded and informed by extensive use of the research literature (all of which is listed at the end of every chapter). Information Users… is therefore a recommended for the postgraduate student and new usability practitioner alike."

-- Library Review

"The comprehensive coverage of the book, both in topics and citations to key publications, and simplicity in the presentation and visualisation of the issues makes the book a great source for information science researchers, practitioners, students and lecturers who want an overall view of usability and user studies or who want to build/expand knowledge in the field of design and evaluation of digital information systems and services."

-- Online Information Review

"The book by Gobinda and Sudata Chowdhury is a timely and necessary text for the students and teachers in several information and web-related disciplines combining the ideas from user studies with the design and implementation of usability studies. It is quite practically oriented to giving a coherent and fundamental introduction to designing a usability study based on understanding of user needs and behaviour… The book is rich in graphic material and figures illustrating a variety of discussed features. These illustrations provide additional insight into the details of usability studies and methodology. In addition, the text that is already written in clear and readable style becomes even more instructional. The editors of the book perceive the expanding number and variety of devices used to access digital content as a challenge to usability of resources. However, I think that this textbook can serve a wider purpose as the main content is related to the lasting information behaviour models and methodology. These are also applicable to design the usability studies for a variety of devices helping to access Websites, digital libraries or e-books."

-- Information Research

"Ranging from theory and background summaries to practical examples and techniques, the book progresses through a series of concepts, beginning with an overview of information-seeking models, following with an outline of usability research. In ten chapters, the authors concisely capture the core concepts of usability, emphasizing throughout the role of the information users and discussing who they are, what they want, and what they need."

-- The Library Quart