The DLI Survival Guide: A reference document for DLI Contacts Marie-Claire Lauzon, Statistics Canada 2008 DLI Atlantic Training Acadia University, April 23, 2008

Objectives Provide an overview of the DLI Survival Guide – A quick reference guide for DLI Contacts Give you the opportunity to test drive the Guide and let us know what you think and how we can improve this tool!

What is it? A web-based reference document Developed for all DLI Contacts Will be especially helpful for new DLI Contacts and DLI Contacts who devote a small amount of time to data services

Contents Table of contents, 8 sections and a glossary For example:  What type of software do I need to access the FTP?  What is a microdata file and how is it different from a CANSIM table or a Beyond 20/20 table?  I have forgotten my DLI password, what should I do?  I need some help with a data reference question! Where can I find some help?  What are PUMFs, IDLS, the EAC, NOC and SOC?

The DLI Survival Guide – A bit of history  The “Brian McNally First Aid CD-ROM” produced by Elizabeth Hamilton and her colleagues at the University of New Brunswick (UNB)  Training binder for new data librarians developed by the DLI unit (1997)  Needed to be updated, expanded and become web-based to serve the needs of DLI Contacts across Canada

The DLI Survival Guide – A bit of history Jane Fry, Carleton University, and the DLI unit at Statistics Canada worked together to create the existing Guide Chuck Humphrey, University of Alberta and Nancy Lemay, University of Ottawa, also contributed to the Guide

DLI Survival Guide – National Training Day Demo Draft version of the Guide presented during the DLI National Training Day (May 2007) DLI unit received more than 100 suggestions from the DLI community Incorporated these suggestions and translated the Guide Released an updated, password protected, version

DLI Survival Guide – Recent developments Last month, the Centre of Expertise on Accessibility reviewed the guide and provided accessibility related recommendations Their recommendations led us to re-write and re-code certain sections of the Guide. For example:  Replaced menu on right side with links at the top  Removed any instances of “click here”  Re-wrote expressions like “Position your mouse over the link below" (not everyone uses a mouse)

DLI Survival Guide – Next Steps Currently testing search feature with search specialists from our Dissemination Division This week, the Guide is undergoing usability testing  Examine how the Guide works in different browsers  Identify any broken links  Provide usability recommendations We will then implement the usability recommendations and release the Guide

Hands-on Exercise It’s your turn to test drive the Guide and to let us know how it can be improved!

Your thoughts… Will you use it? What do you like best? What do you like least?  General Comments?