This is getting exciting! We are closing in on a final set of design and functionality changes to make the site easier to use, and are about ready to do some formal usability testing. Testing will be conducted by ForumOne, who has been working right along with us through this process.

So, if you’re in or near Alexandria, VA, and would be willing an hour at ForumOne’s offices in mid-November helping make WebJunction a better place to be, please drop us a line at content@webjunction.org. (ForumOne is just a couple of blocks from the Duncan Branch of the Alexandria Library.)

For the fans of the virtual: we have discussed with ForumOne the idea of doing virtual usability testing (similar to our virtual card sort), and such capabilities do exist. But there’s something about working with an in-person test subject that makes a significant difference to the value of the feedback.

It would be fun, though, to collect a broader set of input a bit further down the line. So stay tuned as we continue to try to follow a best-practice design process, through our launch of these changes and beyond.