Summary of User Research Findings

The broad group of users interviewed for the study had a consistently positive response to the benchmark interfaces, and to the prospect of having a similar resource to explore unique digital material at Emory. The study provided a strong foundation of insight into how users interact with the Samvera stack, primarily the Blacklight discovery interface. Overall, this search and discovery functionality was well-received, and seemed to suit user needs quite well. However, implementation and configuration is highly flexible for Blacklight, and some user confusion seemed to result from how various institutions tailored it to their local environment. DLP will work in close consultation with users to ensure that applications are suitably customized for usability.

Our findings and deliverables were also prepared in collaboration with the DLP Metadata Implementation Working Group. The Content Display group reviewed the user-facing elements of our Descriptive and Technical Metadata specifications with the needs of our respective user bases in mind. The Metadata group also reviewed the raw findings data from the Content Display group and found that metadata-oriented findings align with the metadata specifications DLP will provision for the repository.

While generalized findings are presented below, the full range of study data is available in the form of recorded user sessions, and the spreadsheet analysis of raw data.

Findings were associated with the following high-level use cases:

1.     As a repository end-user, I want to discover content stored in the repository by searching or browsing, so that I can learn about materials stored there which may support my research.

Given the strong emphasis on search and browse activity in user research protocols, research yielded the greatest number of insights in this area. Users found the variety of Blacklight implementations they saw to be largely sufficient. Across the variety of user types interviewed, the need for robust searching, both simple and advanced, was widely expressed.

Intuitiveness of search and browse experiences was a general theme throughout. Within search result lists, users often questioned how default “relevance” rankings were determined, and wanted simple ways to reorder results according to standard sort parameters. Users also desired clear UI indicators of how combinations of facet limitations affected displayed results. They also expressed the need to interpret when a new entry into the search bar begins a new search, or one with the present parameters already applied. Finally, users appreciated numerical indicators for the number of items categorized within specific display facets.

Specific fields and metadata elements were also of demonstrated importance. Users wanted to be able to search or refine by format. Creator, language, and date of creation were also widely expressed to be essential discovery fields. Certain field labels also caused confusion, and should be addressed with further testing. These included “topic” and its relationship to “subject,” “genre,” and “contributor.” Additionally, interactions with users revealed that their own terminology at times conflicts with librarian terminology, so future state products would benefit from guidance and documentation.

In a larger context, users also desired clear pathways between the Digital Library and the main library website. Previous research has shown current state Emory digital library applications to be difficult to locate via current website navigation.

2.    As a repository end user, I want to preview the details of a repository resource to determine its appropriateness for my research, so that I know whether or not to download/view the material in greater detail.

The repeated search and browse activity emphasized in the protocol also exposed users to search result lists numerous times. In Blacklight, the metadata fields and other display characteristics of item previews are highly customizable. In most cases, users were satisfied with the information presented in these previews. One consistent requirement was an indication for item type, which is a logical request for repositories containing heterogeneous content.

Several user impressions merit further consideration or testing. In some cases, users were confused by general or abstract item titles. A larger scope question may consider what user expectations surround this field, and how explanatory they expect it to be. Repositories also employed a number of different default thumbnail sizes for A/V material. In some cases, users found specific examples too small. In some cases, they were too large. Determining an acceptable size, or an easily customizable interface, is a potential endeavor for testing in future project phases.

3.     As a repository end user, I want to view/play/search the actual contents of the material that I discover in the repository, in order to support my research.

The Samvera stack does not designate a particular playback or book reader solution, and the selected benchmark interfaces exhibited a number of different solutions. For both book readers and A/V viewing, users seemed satisfied with the solutions offered. Most of the players incorporated the minimal requirements users seemed to expect. For images, zoom and rotate features were desired. For A/V players, scrubbing and timestamps were. When transcripts of A/V material were available in full on the item detail page, users reacted positively. Some critique was leveled at players whose UI elements were small or hard to discern, so that is an issue to keep in mind. Responsiveness and speed was also something users valued, especially for classroom presentation contexts.

For book readers, several of the users that consistently read texts online remarked that the ones in the study worked well in comparison to the ones that they were familiar with. Indications of page status, total pages, and easy access to a specific page were basic desirable features, as was consistency between page numbers in the text and in the book reader software. Keyword searching and embedded tables of contents were more elaborate features desirable when they could be implemented.

Overall, the choice of viewers and players for the end-user interface will depend on a number of internal factors, as well as any potential developments in the larger Samvera community. We will continue to monitor emerging requirements and solutions in future phases and test them with users in order to arrive at a final selection.

4.     As a repository end user, I want to understand download options that are available for the contents of the material, so that I can determine if I can download the material for my own use.

Within the interview scenario, users did not express many strong preferences around the download of material. Whereas in previous research relating to Emory’s preservation repository, users expressed questions about how to download material, this sentiment was not often expressed in the Content Display sessions, unless prompted by the facilitator. Each interface presented a fairly straightforward download capability, some with multiple resolution or size options. When questioned, users expressed satisfaction with this functionality and did not express preferences for any specific download features, or item specifications.

5.     As a repository end user, I want to be able to cite the material that I find in the repository, so that I provide attribution in my research or share the materials with others.

Users were also directly asked about citing material from the repository for reuse in academic contexts. They generally found that benchmark repositories provided sufficient metadata to cite material. When presented with prepared citations, users almost unanimously reacted positively, so this is a feature that should be strongly considered for incorporation. Rights and citations are broad areas that merit further study, and future phases should create targeted test scenarios on Emory-developed interfaces for more detailed study.

Future Efforts

The deliverables of the Content Display group represent a baseline exploration of user-centered design practices. Our findings will form the background for iterative, participatory design work during the implementation phase of the DLP Project, as well as kick-starting initial user interface prototypes for implementation. A major outcome of this working group is the general impression that users are interested in the unique digital research collections of Emory Libraries, and that they are willing participants in the design and development of a new access point.