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What’s Next: Understanding Scientific Search
August 23, 2011 | Flagstaff
User StudyFollow-on
Cori Schauer, UCD | NASA Ames Research CenterMark Rose, UCD | NASA Ames Research CenterJay Trimble, UCD | NASA Ames Research Center
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As you remember…
ScientificSearch
• In 2010, conducted a broad study to understand PDS users
– Varied needs of users when working with the PDS
– The challenges experienced when working with the system itself, the data after it’s extracted from the system, or in preparing data for ingestion
– What’s working with the PDS
• We found multiple over-arching topics worth exploring further
– PDS mental models
– Understanding search
– Data preparation & ingestion processes
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Why scientific search?
ScientificSearch
• Search is a major component of using the PDS and a big deal for users
– Every participant in the 2010 survey had something to say about it
• Engineering Node and PDS4 teams are thinking about and exploring how PDS4 should do search
• UCD team thought it an appropriate topic to delve into further to
– Answer questions from user study about centralized search and browse
– provide user needs, insights, and UI and development recommendations to PDS4
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Study goals
ScientificSearch
• Determine what search, browse, centralized search, sort, filter, and other search activities are for scientists
• Identify search processes for scientists including what is the same across scientific disciplines and what is specific to each of the node disciplines
• Identify common search parameters
• Understand how scientists want to use the results in their analysis including various data formats they prefer
• Learn what other search tools scientists are using or building on their own to get the desired data
• ALL THIS TO…provide UI and development recommendations on search to PDS4 team
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Who we’re talking to
ScientificSearch
• Follow up with participants from 2010 study who specifically discussed centralized search and browse
– 11 people across the Nodes
• And, 3 senior scientists from each of the following
– Atmospheres
– Geosciences
– Imaging
– PPI
– Rings
– Small Bodies
– Radio Science
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Where we are now
ScientificSearch
• We’ve started the research and have already conducted 6 interviews
– Atmospheres – talked to 3 scientists already
– Rings- talked to 2 scientist already, will be setting up more meetings this week
– Geosciences – talked to 1 scientist already, have 2 more interviews this week at ASU and USGS
– Imaging – setting up meetings this week
• We are still recruiting participants from our 2010 study list as well as looking to add scientists who have not participated before
– Within the next two weeks will be contacting more nodes, specifically PPI, Small Bodies, and Radio Science
• Expect to have findings report and recommendations completed by Sept/Oct and ready for report at November F2F
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Questions?
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Contact: Jay TrimbleNASA Ames Research [email protected]
Cori SchauerNASA Ames Research [email protected]