"Testing . . . 1, 2, 3 . . . "

In Don't Make Me Think, Steve Krug devotes a good chunk of the book and a great deal of passion to the topic of usability testing. "If you want a great site, you've got to test," says Steve on page 133, and elsewhere he states "Testing always works, and even the worst test with the wrong user will show you important things you can do to improve your site."

Which brings me to today's mild rant. Somehow, the following item must have slipped through the cracks. Below is a screenshot of the "Advanced Search" function of the catalog my library uses to procure interlibrary loan books through participating Oklahoma libraries. Since the day I started using it, I've been irked by the location of the "Clear Search" button:












Why would the "Clear Search" button be right in the middle of the box, just below the search fields -- i.e., where users are most likely to click by instinct?! "Counterintuitive" is the word that comes to mind. More than thrice I've typed all my search terms neatly in their boxes, sidled my hand over to the mouse, and promptly banished them into the ether by clicking this accursed button. I'd venture to say that most of my coworkers have done it more than once, too.

Aside from that (and the fact that the default search setting is our own library system -- what's the point?!), it's a good interface, but this one thing has always struck me as palm-to-the-forehead ridiculous. Just a good reminder to keep my eyes peeled for such problem areas as I begin designing my own website project for my MLIS coursework.

(props to TT for validating my frustration!)