how users search
Post on 18-Oct-2014
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DESCRIPTION
Search is now a primary pathway into our collections – is it also a barrier? We found out a lot about how people actually search while doing user research to guide development of the Library’s new cross-collections discovery tool.This presentation also looks at some ways of addressing problems some users have with search including providing support, providing other pathways into content, and connecting people more directly with our content.TRANSCRIPT
How users search – linking people to our collections
Rebecca Cox
National Library of New Zealand Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa
#ndf2010
Find http://find.natlib.govt.nz
Trove http://trove.nla.gov.au
Timeframes http://timeframes.natlib.govt.nz
Papers Past http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz
Lots of people don’t know about our specialist websites – and can’t search well enough to find them
User: business owner in his 50s
• Reads NZ Herald online daily
• Find using Google frustrating
Use the wrong symbol to search for an exact phrase (then fixes)
sydney opera house*
User: office manager in her 40’s
• Uses websites as part of job
• Finds there is a learning process
with each website
Using search keywords – range of skills and habits
Use the wrong symbol to search for an exact phrase:
new ireland;
User: works for local sports org, 30s
• Would always use Google for online
research
• Manages web content as part of job
Using search keywords – range of skills and habits
Use the wrong symbol to search using wildcards
User: librarian at a public library, 40ish
• Helps the public find books and info
Using search keywords – range of skills and habits
User kept adding extra keywords when getting no results
User: homemaker, in her 30’s
• Reads NZ Herald, Guardian online
• Would ask at local library for
specific information
Using search keywords – range of skills and habits
Some users are very good at using keywords to expand and contract a search
User: 14yr old high school student
• Uses Wikipedia for school projects
Using search keywords – range of skills and habits
A non-computer user can still have pretty good search skills
User: retired, in his 50’s
• Doesn’t use computer or internet
Using search keywords – range of skills and habits
Some have no idea how to adjust keywords if first attempt isn’t sucessful
User: 16yr old high school student
• Uses Wikipedia
• But usually all the resources they
need are provided in class
Using search keywords – range of skills and habits
Making it more complicated than it needs to be?
User: Masters in Information Studies
student, in his 20’s
• Always used Advanced Search
• Always set up quite specific queries
Using search keywords – range of skills and habits
Making incorrect assumptions about how the search interface functions
User: family history researcher, 60s
• Loves using Papers Past
Try a broad test search first, then see if it needs to be more specific
User: Masters in Information Studies
student, in her 20’s
• Used simple not Advanced Search
• Didn’t use facets
Use different parts of search interface
Use facets extensively to reviewsearch results
User: Masters in Information Studies
student, in her 20’s
• Used simple not Advanced Search
• Starts with broad queries
Use different parts of search interface
Use subject keywords applied to items of interest to refine a search query
User: Masters in Information Studies
student, in her 30’s
• Used Advanced Search
• Very interested in how the search
engine works
Use different parts of search interface
User research & Māori
Starting to look at how research process should change
•Relationship with interviewees – more ongoing, less one-off
•What type of information is recorded
Search engine traffic for variants of “papers past” = brand aware
Using Google to search Papers Past for specific info?
"papers past" "cc mcmillan"
site:paperspast.natlib.govt.nz cat nine tails
site:paperspast.natlib.govt.nz lady carroll
paperspast william russell, winton
site:paperspast.natlib.govt.nz "anti-opium association"
1900 papers past joeseph ward and james hislop nz
paperspast, lion and tiger fight
site:paperspast.natlib.govt.nz "dr dunn" +westport nz
papers past and dunedin and treweek
site:paperspast.natlib.govt.nz donovan-boxer
papers past north otago times baudinet
site:paperspast.natlib.govt.nz ~dyett
papers past waikato times
papers past [boshier]
papers past patrick o'brien napier
site:paperspast.natlib.govt.nz paenga
mrs a k dyne, papers past
site:paperspast.natlib.govt.nz kooti apostles
site:paperspast.natlib.govt.nz "mayall"
huntly weddings papers past
papers past john baker hokianga
"papers past" chess
site:paperspast.natlib.govt.nz papers past owen Murphy
papers past tuapeka times
site:paperspast.natlib.govt.nz opepe te kooti
papers past auckland an infatuated girl
samuel rowe thames papers past
site:paperspast.natlib.govt.nz "dr beaver"
de blois papers past
papers past may Colebrook
papers past hot air engine
papers past antarctica motor sledge
site:paperspast.natlib.govt.nz "wi matangi"
site:paperspast.natlib.govt.nz anaru matete
brittenden papers past napier
napier papers past henry fletcher
site:paperspast.natlib.govt.nz nz "francis joseph mitchell"
the late mr donnelly papers past
papers past taumarunui len harris
isabella thompson papers past
"patrick mcloughlin" papers past
papers past "mrs beeche" "boarding house"
papers past 1890 wellington
site:paperspast.natlib.govt.nz fenton hyland
papers past barraclough lodeg of good templars
past papers nz 8 mahuru 1904 wedding bells
site:paperspast.natlib.govt.nz "papers past" "j. b. robertson"
site:paperspast.natlib.govt.nz anaru taruke
paper's past news from the north nz
past papers taranaki herald
paperspast nz la morte in new Zealand
papers past; german shop ransacked
barclay weddings papers past
papers past mclellan Auckland
ashburton guardian papers past
paperspast timaru herald hongongoi 1880
capper papers past
brittenden "papers past" "notes by slip"page 34
site:paperspast.natlib.govt.nz papers past sergeant owen murphy
site:paperspast.natlib.govt.nz papers past charles redwood
isabella_menzies site:paperspast.natlib.govt.nz
papers past parihaka prisoners
"john cummins" site:paperspast.natlib.govt.nz
papers past wairoa hawke's bay
graham shannon papers past
papers past otago witness 26 july 1905
papers past harry pasley higginson
"arthur melville" site: paperspast.natlib.govt.nz
site:paperspast.natlib.govt.nz mehaka tokopounamu
paperspast cricket maruia
site:paperspast.natlib.govt.nz kate dillon papers past
gillies papers past wairarapa
paper past- john robert nicolle
papers past hugh hamilton new Zealand
papers past jessie readman 1876
site:paperspast.natlib.govt.nz "j foord"
paperspast + arrival of rhea sylvia
"trenwith" and "papers past"
papers past first o'brien family to new Zealand
paperspast nz la morte musician in new Zealand
"papers past" and "the story-teller"
paperspast moonlight maruia
site:paperspast.natlib.govt.nz treason liberated
mcleod ngaruawahia papers past
Where could you find out what resources and databases are searchable through this site?
Where could you find out what resources and databases are searchable through this site?
How would you find out how to use 'My favourites'?
How would you find out how to use 'My favourites'?
Can’t make any assumptions about how people use web tools
Take care with ethical side of user research
Web stats – source of the unexpected
Good reading on user interviews and usability testing:
Whitney Hesshttp://whitneyhess.com/blog/category/research/
Handbook of Usability Testing http://au.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-0470185481,descCd-description.html
Usability Professionals' Association Code of Conducthttp://www.usabilityprofessionals.org/about_upa/leadership/code_of_conduct.html