In a constantly-changing world of technology, Sanda Erdelez understands the importance of embracing the changes — and maybe even making things a little better.  Erdelez’s research takes place in the Information Experience Laboratory. Find out how she is improving the efficiency of Web sites.

Sanda Erdelez joined the University of Missouri-Columbia in 2001, bringing with her ideas of an Information Experience (IE) Lab.

The IE Lab, located in campus’ London Hall, is used to research the usability and usefulness of Web sites, especially MU Web sites. Doctoral students and Erdelez have done work on the Admissions, Illumination and Registrar’s Web sites. They are currently helping the College of Education do a major overhaul of its Web site. 

“The research we do in the lab produces outcomes that are positive for everyone,” Erdelez says. “We learn about information behavior on the Web. Clients get help with their Web sites, and graduate students get practical experience in Web usability evaluation.”

To conduct their research, the IE Lab team uses the program MORAE, which facilitates usability testing for software and Web sites. MU was one of the first academic institutions to use MORAE, which was originally used for commercial purposes (for companies to evaluate their own Web sites.)

Researchers conduct tests on a Web site by using subjects who are the intended users of that site.  For example, when working on the MU Admissions Web site, researchers brought in students and their parents from campus’ “Summer Welcome” into the lab for usability testing.

Erdelez started a lab at University of Texas in Austin and wanted to carry over the work when she got to MU.  “In Austin I had to fight a lot for the lab space,” Erdelez says.  “Here, I was asked what I needed to succeed, and when I answered that I needed a usability lab, the school was very receptive.”

Within a month of turning in a written proposal for the lab, Erdelez’s request was answered. In 2003, the Information Experience Lab was opened with equipment consisting of surplus computers. Today’s lab consists of some new computers and some repurposed from other projects. It has one data collection room with five Dell computers and one control room for data processing and analysis. It utilizes the latest digital usability evaluation technology and is brightly painted and decorated like a “home” environment to comfort testing subjects.

According to Erdelez, the lab has three major functions. The first is obviously research, for which they write grants. The lab also provides a service for various organizations by looking at ways to improve their Web sites.  So far, the research has centered on MU sites, but they have recently decided to expand their services to outside organizations and companies.  The third function is teaching.  The graduate students who conduct the research are getting real, hands-on experience and training for their future jobs.

There are 16 doctoral students from SISLT engaged in the lab activities. In order to be certified to use the lab, the students must participate in a day-long workshop on how to use MORAE and complete 20 hours of supervised work on a client project, such as working with the MU Registrar Web site.

“There is a growing need in the academia and business worlds for Web sites that function properly, provide useful information and are aesthetically pleasing,” Erdelez says.  “To be knowledgeable and trained in the Web site evaluation and Web analytics is extremely important for an information science career path.”

In addition to her work in the IE Lab, Erdelez teaches several graduate level classes, including a doctoral seminar in human information behavior, a research methods course and a course on online searching.

“I really enjoy seeing the growth of students,” Erdelez says.  “It is amazing to me how they develop so many skills in such short periods of time.  As we work together, I see students apply these skills. They are constantly learning new things and discovering better methods for evaluating users’ Web experiences.”