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The Usability of Electronic Finding Aids during Searches for Known Items
Christopher J. PromAssistant University Archivist
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Society of American Archivists Annual MeetingAugust 22, 2003
Los Angeles, California
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introduction
• development of descriptive standards– materials centric process– not inherently user centered– but lays groundwork for easy reformatting
• how to best present archival data for ease of use?
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study goals (the why)
• user interactions with finding aids– looking for known collection– look for folder on a given topic
• make inferences regarding best type of designs–usability
• what is outside scope?– manuscripts only, not corporate– not a report on descriptive standards
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methodology (the how), slide 2
• developed website– survey– 9 usability tasks with controlled searches– collection-level interfaces
• 11 option (links)• 3 option (search, subject browse, provenance)• 2 option (search and alpha list)• 1 option (alpha list)
– folder-level interfaces• PDF (Adobe)• non-searchable EAD w/ nav bar (Cookbook)• HTML, top table on contents• searchable EAD w/ two pop up windows
• administered both on and off site
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methodology, slide 2
• during the test– used control on info searched for– system recorded answers/times– on site—post test interviews
• after the test– coded data coding– tabulated, queried and analyzed – correlated times to survey results– transcribed interviews
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results, slide 1
• respondents– 89 participants; 35 on site, 54 off site– on site mostly students (77%), off site archivists
librarians (51%)– 72% claim to have use archives last year, 75% w/
electronic finding aids– experienced computer users
69% self rate as highly experienced computer users or above (“I can install software or hardware, develop web pages, use databases.”)
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results, 2
• collection tasks– tasks w/ fewest search options most successful– alpha lists worked well
Percentage of Successful Searches
75%
80%
85%
90%
95%
100%
11 options vialinks
search box andlist
list only serach box andprovenance
Mean Successful Search Time
0
20
40
60
80
100
11 options vialinks
search box andlist
list only serach box andprovenance
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results, 3
folder-level tasks, plotted search times*
0
100
200
300
400
500
Sec
on
ds
PDF EAD Cookbook HTML Searchable EAD
*on-site users only
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survey/task correlations
• will not discuss in detail—table on handout• speed in using electronic finding aids correlates more
to computer experience than archival/library experience.
Effect of computer experience on search times
0
20
4060
80
100
All users(overall
average)
Power userwith > 100
uses
Others with >100 uses
Sec
on
ds
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suggested design features, 1
(based on observations, interviews and, comments)
• factors specific to finding aids
– need complete description and context• is some info available on line for every collection?
– provide browse option alongside search boxes• people use a search box if available• . . . but actually find known items faster w/ lists
– search boxes for single finding aids• 60% try browser’s “find in page”• don’t break ability to do this w/out a search box
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suggested design features, 2
• general factors
– use standard technologies and formats• PDF?• no pop ups; beware complex javascript• use standard search algorithms
– keep interfaces simple
– clear labels and layout• “Where is the label?” (e.g. box number)• “detailed description” vs “folder list”
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default visited color
visual interest (could move to
right)
(hints CTRL-F will work)
to series descriptions w/ hyperlinks to folder list
linear format
moderate number of links
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conclusions?
this presentation available from a link at:
http://web.library.uiuc.edu/ahx/workpap/
I would like to thank the Research and Publication Committee of the University of Illinois Library, which provided support for the completion of this
research.
Christopher J. PromAssistant University Archivist