Script for user test facilitator: p. 184 ff. & p. 287 ff.

o Pre-test Screening Questions (p. 106 ff.), Informed Consent

(p. 126 ff), & Test Introduction (p. 288)
o Task-based Testing prompts and data collection methods
(notes, audio, video)
o Post-test summary questions and wrap-up
Goal: Can libraries change the order/prioritization of search results to
suit the needs of their patrons?
Question: What are the biggest complaints about the old interface?
How can this be resolved with our test?
Material: Laptop, with cookies cleared on the Chrome browser after
each session
Tasks:
*Include a specific title that all users will search for with a given
citation for that specific work, serves as a baseline when it comes time
to analyze otherwise there will be too many variables to make specific
recommendations.
*How are misspelled search entries handled in WorldCat local and the
Discovery Interface? Will any relevant results appear?
-How often are search results filtered through relevance?
Search results weighted towards how many libraries hold the item,
rather than actual relevance.
Search for a college level title.
Are you male/female?
Are you a graduate or undergraduate student?
What is year are you in for your degree?
What is your expected graduation date?
Have you ever used UNCC Library website?
Do you use UNCCs library page on desktop/mobile?
[IF YES] In a rough estimate, how often do you use the library interface
system for your classes?
For what classes/projects have you use the library search? Are they
classes it for your major, electives, or general education classes (or
all)?
What types of academic sources do you use the library search for?
(print books, interlibrary loan, articles)
How often are you looking for online copies of the texts [if ever] (to
download, e-books, PDF)?

Do you feel comfortable navigating this site?

Script for the testing:
Facilitator: Thank you for taking time to participate in our study of the
librarys interface system. The goal of this project is to improve
students experience with searching and using World Cat on the
librarys website. Please keep in mind that you are not who is being
tested, but World Cat, the search engine, is the product is being tested.
Im going to assign you 3 tasks to perform on the World Cat system by
providing you with instructions. We have a note-taker over here that
will be monitoring your reactions to the site but not interacting with
you or answering questions, so as you perform the activities, please
just ignore him/her. I will be leading you through the tasks, and the
person you should be speaking to is me. As the facilitator, I may or
may not answer your questions. The goal of this is to watch you figure
out the interface, and by having you work through the system, we will
gain an understanding of how users perceive the library website. Im
going to encourage you to think out loud as you work, and freely
express your frustrations with the site.
The system youre using and the lab were in will be recording this
session. None of the videos or information gathered today will be
linked back to any personal or identifying information.
Task

1: Search the term health.

Sort the results to e-books only.
Can you sort the results by Date (newest first)?
Can you view the e-book now?

Task 2: Next, return to the search bar. Search for the term: Democratic
Socialism.
What is the first result, and what is the year of publication?
Can you narrow down the search to peer-reviewed articles?
Can you sort those results to have the oldest peer-reviewed
articles appear first?
Task 3: Search for the ISBN number: 0679600116 9780679600114
[I see youre working hard- can you tell me what youre doing?]

Most reliable form of data- data collection analysis, screen capture

utility- choose a method
What did you like most/least about the interface? What do you think
should be changed?

Post-test Questions
-What did you like most about the interface?
-What did you like least about the interface?
-Did you learn anything from the test about the site?
-What do you think could be improved on the site?