Summon Integration
Usability Testing Plan
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Heuristic Evaluation
The plan
Heuristic
evaluation
other library
sites
Evaluation of
current tabs
Information
Architecture
Graphic Design
Prototype
testing of
design,
branding,
labeling
Build
Task-based
testing/QA
Testing other
library sites
Design constraints and direction
• The tool will have a brand name determined by
naming contest, unless it proves problematic in
usability testing
• We are not planning to use the Summon API to
group search results by Summon, Catalog,
Databases, Journals, Website
• We cannot integrate library site search into the
Summon search
• Users must be able to easily access the native
OPAC interface
The evaluation of other
implementations
Things that work
Options to limit/specify search from tab
• Limiting to peer-reviewed from tab (NCSU, Michigan,
UNC)
• Limiting to articles with full text online from articles
tab (Michigan)
• Giving ability to exclude categories like Newspaper
articles and Book Reviews from Summon tab (Duke)
• Giving direct access to Summon advanced search (Case
Western, UNC, USC)
Things that work
Help and Feedback
• Including search tips/tutorial (Duke, Florida, USC)
• Link to survey monkey from feedback link under
Summon tab (Florida)
• Putting helper text adjacent to box, not in it so that it
doesn’t disappear and to avoid having to delete helper
text before entering query (Houston)
• Helper text within tabs sending users to a related
place. Works if done thoughtfully and sparingly. (USC)
Things that work
Catalog tab
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Giving basic Catalog search options from the Catalog link with Keyword as default
and including a link to Advanced Search (Duke, USC)
Alternatively, including a separate link to catalog but in same visual area (Brown)
Or providing link to catalog by linking from basic helper text (USC)
Ability to limit to maps and other key material types from Catalog tab (USC)
Journal tab
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Ability to both search and browse Online Journals (Florida, Houston). This would
require redesigning our current tab or eliminating the Print Journal option from
the tab.
Including finding article from citation option in tabs (Florida, Houston)
If we use and e-Journals only tab, suggesting the Catalog to search for print
journals (Houston)
Things that work
Database tab
• Ability to search and browse Databases from the tab (Houston, UBC)
• Linking top 3 databases and/or new databases (Houston)
Image tab
• Including tab for Images with options including Flickr Commons (Cornell)
Digital Collections
• Including a way to search digital collections that’s separate from tabbed
search but nearby, visually interesting, and visually related to tabbed
search (Duke) or integrating it directly into tabbed search (Florida)
Things that work
Configuring Search results
• Using the API to group results by Articles, Books & Media,
Databases, Journals, etc (NCSU)
• Another example of results grouping that includes summaries of full
text articles, scholarly articles, books, etc (Toronto)
• Maximum integration of Summon interface into Library design
(Michigan, Dartmouth, NCSU, Brown) Have to use API to
accomplish?
• Allowing user to reformulate search from results page (SUNY) but
it’s bad how results get lost if user switches tabs and how the
choices and order are inconsistent from tabbed search box.
Things that work
Responsive Design
• Giving the selected tab more real estate (and shifting other page
content) in order to not cram together info into a too small space
(Florida)
Technology
• Remembering the query as it switches between tab options (Cornell)
Accessibility
• Ability to complete search, including any filtering, using only keyboard
Things that work
Graphic treatment/Branding
• Consistent color between the selected tab and the search area (NCSU)
• Thumbnail images and horizontal rule to show separation within tabs
(UNC)
• The visual way USC provides additional links within tabs
Other
• Having all the choices be scoped Summon searches (Oklahoma St). Same
results interface each time.
• Telling what’s being searched when it makes sense; transparent (USC)
Things that don’t work
Labeling
• Non-mutually exclusive categories (Drexel, Oregon St)
• Calling one tab “Search.” What are the other tabs doing then? (Florida St)
Accessibility
• Opening search results in new tab (Florida)
• Hiding the tab options until you mouse over it/limiting the amount of real
estate for search (Michigan). There’s no ability to hover on tablet/phone.
Help and Feedback
• Opening tool tips in whole separate page (TCU)
Things that don’t work
Don’t make me think
• Having the default tab in a position other than
first (Drexel, UNC)
• Putting too much in tabs section, putting stuff
that’s not related to search/research, trying to
make it into a quicklinks section (Florida St)
• Too many entry points for search, too many
choices before inputting query (Queen’s)
• Dropdown with only one choice (SUNY Reserve)
Things that don’t work
Access Issues
• Including content in tabs that requires login from off campus in
order to complete search (Cornell’s Image search of ArtStor)
• Inability to search Summon without logging in (Cornell, TCU)
Technology Limitations
• Minimal integration of Summon interface into Library design (Case
Western, Drexel, Duke, Florida, Florida St, Houston)
• Search box format visibly changes as page loads (SUNY)
• When Summon doesn’t suggest correction for typo (Toronto)
Things that don’t work
Graphic treatment/Branding
• Plastering “Summon” everywhere (Case Western)
• Throwing Summon search boxes everywhere without
making visual distinctions between content (Drexel
catalog)
• Variety of font sizes/styles, text squished into search
button, tabs that blend into background, using too
much real estate with a Question that’s not
answered…graphic design issues (Virginia Tech)
• Centered/misaligned content (TCU Library Catalog)
Not sure if it works or not
Labeling
• Do users appreciate the Start Here tip? (Penn)
• The term Classic Catalog. Do users understand?
Mobile
• Linking to mobile version of Summon search from
summon tab (USC).
• Selecting search limiters by clicking on a link rather
than checkbox (USC). Are users familiar with this
paradigm? Is it designed to work better for mobile?
Not sure if it works or not
Other
• Missouri, UNC, USC use a different url for each tab. It is nice when
it remembers what tab user was on and returns to it if they use
back button.
• Oklahoma St only has 3 choices. Very clean. Must test with users
to see if they prefer simplicity or choice. I like how most of the real
estate in the middle of the page is related to users primary
activities/various research needs.
• Using radio buttons within tabs. Is it better to do that or provide
links to other kinds of searches or a combination (UNC)
• Search options inside search options (USC). Not clear whether
selecting from the more list is going to expand search/limit nonselected items.
Tab labels: Summon
Label
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Articles+
All
Everything
Articles (scoped in addition)
Search
Summon
Summon@MU
FrogScholar
Start Here
Find
One Search
OneSearch
Search all
Quick Search
Books, Articles and More
Articles & More
ArticlesPlus
Articles, Ebooks…
Books (scoped in addition)
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4
3
3
3
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
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1
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1
Tab labels: Catalog
Label
• Catalog
• Books & Media
• Library Catalog
• Books & More
• Books
• Catalog+
• Catalogue
• QCAT Catalogue
• HOMER Catalog
• Addison
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7
3
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
20
Tab labels: Articles
Label
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• Articles
1
• Articles & Databases 1
2
Tab labels: Databases
Label
• Databases
• Indexes & Databases
• Database Names
• E-Resources
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8
1
1
1
11
Tab labels: E-Journals
Label
• E-Journals
• Journals
• eJournals
• Journals A-Z
• E-journal Titles
• eJournal Titles
• Online Journals
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6
4
2
1
1
1
1
16
Tab labels: Site Search
Label
• Site Search
• Our Website
• Library Website
• Website
• Search Website
• Library Web
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4
1
1
1
1
1
9
Tab labels: Other
Label
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Course Reserves
Google Scholar
Images
Research Guides
Reserve
Digital Collections
LibGuides
MLibrary
Expert
Help
No tabs = 4
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3
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Test sites that vary in
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Search format (tab, dropdown, other)
Position on page
Amount of real estate
Tab number, order, labeling, style/shape
Links within tabs
Dropdowns within tabs
Radio buttons within tabs
Tool tips, help links, placement of help links
Use of icons
Branding strategies
Text size/contrast
Amount of white space