search results are the new black: internet librarian 2015
TRANSCRIPT
SEARCH RESULTS
Internet Librarian 2015
Deirdre Costello Sr. UX Researcher
EBSCO Information Services @deirdre_lyon
Are The New Black
The Projects
Secondary Research Literature review of student, doctor & public library patron habits
Video Diary Study High school students self-‐repor;ng their research habits and preferences
Contextual Inquiry One-‐on-‐one sessions students, doctors and public library patrons discussing their research habits
The Samples
Public Focus: engaging with the library
online
Medical, Academic and Public Library Users. Academic Focus: Research
workflow
Medical Focus: Searching at point-‐of-‐care (similar to grad
students)
Goals & Emotional States AUDIENCE
• Find an overview • Narrow down their topic
• Find citable sources Students search to:
How Students Feel
• Confirm what they already know
• Find a treatment direcIon
• To find trustworthy sources
Doctors search to:
• Pressed for Ime • Confident in their
own knowledge • Seeking reassurance
How Doctors Feel
• Find a specific book • Research a big-‐;cket purchase
• Support their work
Public Library Patrons search to:
• Relaxed • Focused • A sense of
community & ownership
How Public Library Patrons Feel
When searching?
What influences users’
BEHAVIORS
CompeIng prioriIes
“eye byte culture”
-‐ Dr. Maryanne Wolf, TuWs University
“skimming and scanning”
With Google?
How are users
INTERACTING
Top, relevant results first.
I trust it
Snippets make it clear why users see specific results.
I get it Top, relevant results first.
I trust it
Snippets make it clear why users see specific results.
I get it Top, relevant results first.
I trust it URL is a proxy for credibility.
I’m the judge
Students: Scanning for Search Terms
& Learning
Doctors: Looking for Trusted Sources
& ValidaIng Known InformaIon
Public Library Patrons: Judging by URL
& Seeing What Others Are Asking
resources?
So what does this mean for
LIBRARY
Students: Start with search
Students: Search terms in the Itle
Secondary “buzzwords” form a “constellaIon”
Snippets are a struggle to interpret
Source info doesn’t provide clues
Doctors: Navigate to known resources
Doctors: Scan for known quanIIes
• Don’t associate library with online access
• Are frustrated by logging in
Doctors
Public Library Patrons: Known-‐item searches
• Library = Books • Less incen;ve to persevere
Public Library Patrons
Of A Researcher
The
EVOLUTION
Motivation: The Turning Point
External Internal
Takeaways
Google is hugely influential.
The way users read online is changing.
Search results have evolved from a portal to a destination.
Users are “porting” habits they form on the open web …
… But the experience isn’t as seamless as they expect.
