Project Proposal
Personas, Goals, and Task Analysis
Scenarios, Comparative Analysis, and Initial Design
Low-fi Prototyping and Usability Testing
First Interactive Prototype and Presentation
Heuristic Evaluation
Second Interactive Prototype and Heuristic Evaluation Integration
Pilot Usability Study and Formal Usability Test Design
Third Interactive Prototype and Final Write-up (Final Presentation)
Mayjane Co, Group Manager
Denise Green, Documentation Manager
Jane Lee, Design Manager
Rebecca Shapley, Evaluation Manager
The MaNIS application (Mammal Networked Information System) is a network of distributed databases of mammal specimen data. The project is a collaboration between 17 research institutions and natural history museums, funded by the National Science Foundation. The MaNIS search interface makes information available for nearly a million museum specimens. This information can be used to enhance conservation and research initiatives, both locally and globally. The back-end has been developed, collaborations are in place, and an initial MaNIS search interface exists.
Our goals are to conduct a needs assessment for the MaNIS audience, document proposed enhancements, and develop an interactive prototype for consideration by the MaNIS development team. These enhancements might also have an impact on other museum database query tools whose interfaces are patterned after the MaNIS interface.