System Interface Evaluation: Goodreads Group 3 April 17, 2012

Group 3 Members Lauren Long, Evaluator Cataloger, Transylvania Co. Library, Brevard, NC ITRL Student JULIE FORKNER, Evaluator Director, E.G. Fisher Public Library Athens, TN ITRL Student ANGELA GLOWCHESKI, Evaluator Information Specialist, Lumpkin Co. Public Library Dahlonega, GA ITRL Student SUSAN MACRELLIS, Leader Director, East Ridge City Library Chattanooga, TN ITRL Student MARILYN PONTIUS Evaluator Branch Manager, Hancock War Memorial Branch Library Washington Co, MD ITRL Student

Leader Responsibilities  Planning the evaluation method  Developing two tasks to be performed by each group member (Evaluator)  Meeting with evaluators to discuss tasks, responsibilities, when and where to perform walkthrough, use of Nielsen’s severity rating scale  Performing a walkthrough for each task and creating a task analysis to use as benchmarks for comparison to Evaluator walkthroughs. This includes: time taken to complete each task feelings/emotions experienced problems and errors found and causes for these problems and errors severity rating of each problem or error found success and failure stories as applicable

Evaluator Responsibilities  Meet with the Leader and brainstorm on broad tasks to perform in a given interface. Follow the procedures outlined by the Leader.  Perform each task individually in the given interface  Identify potential problems and errors in the given interface  Use Nielsen’s severity rating scale to rate each of the problems and errors found and describe briefly the causes of these problems and errors  Provide solutions for solving the problems and errors found based on interface design/usability theories and principles learned in class.  Document the feelings and emotions experienced during the process thinking of how target users may feel during the process  Write one success and one failure story as applicable  Meet with the Leader to discuss the findings, reach a consensus on the problems and errors found and their severity ratings, among other things  Generate a usability report as a team

Cognitive Walkthrough Overview Based on what was learned in Assignment 2:  Evaluate tasks frequently preformed by adult service librarians  Evaluate a freely available reader’s advisory interface Two Phases:  Preparatory Phase  Analysis Phase

Walkthrough Methodology  Preparatory Phase Define the interface Define the tasks Define the target users Define the correct sequence of actions to complete tasks

Favorite Genres generated from user input Keyword searching What friends are reading and what they have to say about it Free Stuff Book Clubs Preparatory Phase: Define the Interface

Task 1 Task 2  A user is looking for a book in the Goodreads website. He wants to find the name of the author of this book: Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell. Find the author’s name and write it down on the task instruction sheet.  Find how many books there are in the “Blossom Street” series written by Debbie Macomber. What is the title of the most recent book in the series? Find the title name and write it down on the task instruction sheet. Preparatory Phase: Define the Tasks

 Adult services librarian working in a public library  Has obtained a college degree, and in many cases a master’s degree  Performs tasks related to reader’s advisory  Utilizes a reader’s advisory information system Supplement personal content knowledge  Seeking information Sequential order of books Breakdown of genres and subgenres Preparatory Phase: Define the Users

 TASK 1 Preparatory Phase: Correct Sequence of Actions

 TASK 2 Preparatory Phase: Correct Sequence of Actions

Walkthrough Methodology  Analysis Phase Evaluators perform tasks and record data Collect and compare data to correct actions Construct success story with defense of credibility Construct failure story

Analysis Phase: Task Instruction Worksheet Example ActionProble m Actual or Potential ? Nielsen Severit y Cause of Problem Possible Solution Feelings/ Emotion s 1. Go to 2. Enter “Jonahan Strange and” in title search box 2.1 Error returned Unexpecte d error report: Did you mean jonah an strange and Actual1Misspelled name Improve “did you mean” function to recognize “jonahan” as Jonathan” Surprised. Confused by message, but recognized the “did you mean” probably ment a spelling error.

Task Data Consolidation and Analysis Task 1 Example: Compare Actions Correct Action Eval 1Eval 2Eval 3Eval 4 1. Go to ads.com 2. Enter “Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell” in title search box 2. Enter “Jonahan Strange and” in title search box 2. Entered “Jonathan Strange” in title search box 2. Enter “Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell” in title search box 2.1 Error returned

Analysis Phase – Consolidation Spreadsheet  Allows problems and errors to be easily identified  Create best success story with credibility data  Create worst failure story with problem areas identified

Summary  Choosing the interface Why Goodreads?  Current status  Changes we would have made  Questions/Comments for the Group

Group 3 thanks you for listening! Lauren Long JULIE FORKNER ANGELA GLOWCHESKI SUSAN MACRELLIS MARILYN PONTIUS