iue2010 proquest redesign
DESCRIPTION
TRANSCRIPT
Transforming the ProQuest Search Experience IUE2010 Presentation
Chris Farnum
Joanna Markel
Serena Rosenhan
Our talk
• Some Background• Process Before & After• Design Before & After• Lessons Learned• Questions
Some Background Transforming the ProQuest User Experience
What is ProQuest?
• We create specialized information resources and technologies
• Customers are libraries worldwide – academic, public, business, government
Users range from elementary school students to scholarly or scientific researchers.
ProQuest is also…a search application
98+ different search UI’s!
An example
A bit of (recent) history
• 1999 – ProQuest acquires Chadwyck-Healey• 2007 – CIG acquires ProQuest
CSA Illumina
A bit of (recent) history
• 1999 – ProQuest acquires Chadwyck-Healey• 2007 – CIG acquires ProQuest
• 2008 – The transformation begins
The transformation
1. Develop a single, unified search platform
The transformation
1. Develop a single, unified search platform
2. Become a unified, global UXD team
UXD
The transformation
1. Develop a single, unified search platform
2. Become a unified, global UXD team
3. Transfer from a waterfall development model to an agile model
Business Case
Functional Design (prototyping, JADs usability testing )
Technical Design
Business requirements
Functional requirements
Design documents
Implementation
Test
Release
Design
Develop
DeployDefine
Process Before & AfterTransforming the ProQuest User Experience
Our process – before
Business Case
Functional Design
Technical Design
Business requirements
Functional requirements
Design documents
Implementation
Test
Release
UXD processes
Our process – introducing agile
Prototyping?
Usabilitytesting?
IA?
Business owner prioritizes product
backlogSprint
backlog
2 week development sprints
Shippable product build
User research?
Documentation?
UXD role?
Our process – UXD role after agile
Same role Different framework for collaboration (Scrum and
user stories)
Our process – design activities after agile
Incremental Iterative Just enough – just in time
Our process – design approach after agile
Bi-focal design• Attention to framework, architecture, big picture • Deliver detailed design on very small aspects of system.
Our process – Persona-driven design
Our process – user research after agile
Multiple approaches to user research Formative usability testing
Prototype and functioning system Remote usability testing – quick spin up Findings feed into next sprint
Summative usability testing (long lead time) See how discrete functionality integrates to whole experience Findings feed into next release
Customer feedback Demos Test partners
User observations
Design Before & AfterTransforming the ProQuest User Experience
High level architecture - challenges
1. Many products = how do users select?
2. Many starting points
3. Cross search vs. specialized functionality
Before - selecting databases
High level architectureMultiple access points – home, subject area, database product
ProQuest Search Home
Arts & Humanities
BusinessNatural
Sciences & Technology
ABI
EntreP
HAR
A&H FT
BHI
IIMP
AFSA
Illustrata
NTIS
Product
Product
Product
<Subject Area>
After - selecting products
Before - basic search / cross searchSearch screens for ProQuest, Chadwyck-Healey and CSA Illumina
After - basic search / cross search
Subject area search
Individual product search
Before - advanced search (CSA Illumina)
Before - advanced search (ProQuest)
Advanced search
Before - results pageNarrowing options
After - results pageMore narrowing options, preview, counts
Before - My Research
After - My Research
Lessons LearnedTransforming the ProQuest User Experience
How successful was the transformation? Reactions from a range of users have been favorable
“This would be really helpful for school. I'd definitely be a fan. Where can I find this?” – High School Student
“I know how to use search engines and ProQuest is easy.” – Undergraduate student
“While it looks more like the familiar interfaces that I’ve gotten accustomed to on some competitors’ platforms, ProQuest does offer some considerable improvements on them. I think ProQuest will be the new standard to emulate with the improvements it offers.” - Librarian
How successful was the transformation? Reactions from a range of users have been favorable We are now one global UXD team.
How successful was the transformation? Reactions from a range of users have been favorable We are now one global UXD team. Agile is our development method.
Lessons learned
Be aware that agile can lead to feature creep. It is important to prioritize features. Don’t lose sight of your personas. Don’t over design – do the simplest thing that can possibly work.
You can use agile to your advantage. Opportunity to rework. Opportunity to see features working earlier. User test frequently.
Designing for both novice and expert searchers is challenging but possible. Advanced features are available but not obstacles. Design for discovery.
Questions?