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| Revised Task Scenarios |
Because the database for the categories is
still being revised, we had to change the search scenario
which required using the category feature to search for a
project. Also, instead of editing project information, we
modified the scenario into adding a new document into the
system.
Original
Task Scenarios
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| Revised Task: Searching for Projects |
Search for all projects about shared access
in India (without using the category feature).
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| Revised Task: Add a Document |
| Add a new document called "Simputer in India"
to the system. Assume you are the author of the document and
have full copyrights. |
| Differences as a Result of Low-fi
Testing |
We made several changes to our prototype as
a result of the low-fi testing. For the search page, we separated
the document and project search pages. The users felt that
they would be either searching for documents or projects,
and having a search which combined both would provide too
much information. We also changed the categories according
to the results of the card sorting task done by our low-fi
test subjects. We provided examples after each top level category
of its sub-categories because the top level categories were
too vague. We added a pull down menu of countries instead
of having the countries categorized according to the continent
(Central America, South America, North America, etc.). Some
of the users were not sure where to look for a certain country
using the categories, so we decided to give them a complete
listing instead.
For the annotations page, we renamed the "Annotate"
button, which was unclear to many of the users, to read "Add
Comment" instead. All of the users said that they preferred
a popup window rather than frames to add and show comments.
They wanted to be able to associate the document they were
reading with the comment they were adding. They felt that
a separate pop-up window, rather than a frame side-by-side
with the document, would offer more user control. One user
expressed a strong desire that his workspace should not be
disrupted, resized or obscured in any way by the UI, but felt
that a single pop-up window was acceptable because he could
easily move it out of the way or minimize it. We did not require
the user to login in order to add comments. Users expressed
differing views of requiring users to be logged in before
they were allowed to comment on documents. One view was that
logging in would help ensure that those adding comments would
feel like they were a member of a community. In addition,
logging in would promote better quality information sharing.
Another view was that the ability for anyone to add comments
freely would encourage wider participation in sharing of ideas
and opinions on the site.
For the Add a Document page, we decided to implement one
of the user's suggestions for avoiding potential miscategorization
of a project or document. This was done by adding a section
where the user must answer a series of questions. Based on
the answers, the project or document would be categorized
automatically by the system. In order to avoid copyright infringement,
we added a disclaimer and privacy statement that the user
must agree to before adding a new document. |
| Storyboards of Task Scenarios |
| |
| Prototype Overview |
| Overview of the UI |
| The prototype user interface consists
of three major components: searching, adding/editing documents,
and a means to provide and view comments on those documents.
These UI components were designed to highlight the main aspects
of the Collaboration Repository.
The search page is a form allowing the user to search all
documents or projects. Both the document and project search
pages have five sections where the user can limit the search
by Keyword, Categories, Location, Contact Person,
and/or Organization.
The search results page displays only an overview of the
projects or documents. For more details, the user must click
on the title of the project or document, which will then
open
up the project/document page for that specific project/document.
From the search results page, the user also has the option
of viewing information about the contact person or visiting
an external relevent source. In
upcoming revisions, we plan on analyzing the results of the
card sorting
and
feedback to generate a domain specific list of categories.
The page for Adding/Editing Documents consists of two sections
of form data for the user to enter document metadata, and
the document text itself. We decided to use the interviewee’s
suggestions to have everything listed in a long form on the
page, with hyperlinks on the left side to jump to different
parts of the form. There are also links to jump to the top
of the form, if the user wants to return to the top of the
form.
We added a copyright/privacy page to make sure users have
permission to use the documents they enter into the system,
and they know their personal information will not be shared
with other people.
For the commenting feature, we created the basic layout
of
what it would look like if the user wanted to add a comment
or view the comments for a particular document. Once a document
is retrieved using the system, the user can select and comment
on relevant text. A pop-up window
will arise to provide the capability of adding a comment.
Once the comment is saved, they can then view all other comments
about that text.
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| What was Left Out and Why |
We will need to add a browse page, my profile,
help sections, and a contact us page. These sections were
not tested in the low-fi prototype, but will be implemented
in the future.
Specifically, for the search page, we did not implement the
search by categories feature because the database tables relating
to this feature are being redesigned.
On the Add a Document page, we left out the separate page
for entering "Search and Categorization" information
about the document. This separate page was instead modified
into a series of questions to automatically categorize the
document, and included as a section at the beginning of the
data entry form. We realized that documents and projects have
little value if they do not have categories and keywords associated
with them, so we decided to put this questions section at
the topmost part of the form. This new way of categorizing
a document or project helps standardize its categorization.
It also alleviates the time-consuming burden of having the
user attempt to think of which keywords and categories apply
to the document.
The current View/Add Comments page does not include functionalities
for editing document metadata or removing a document if the
user is also the person who submitted the document, nor is
there functionality for writing a review of the document.
The layout only applies to documents that have one comment.
We will need to do more testing to determine how users want
to view multiple comments.
|
| "Wizard of Oz" Techniques |
Although database connectivity has been implemented
with the Add a Document page, we did not want to clutter
the
database with test entries. The title, submitted by, and
summary fields are required, but they are already filled
in with dummy data. So to continue, just
hit the "Insert Record" button. The confirmation page is
static and contains hard-coded
values unrelated to those entered in the previous page.
The View/Add Comments page is not connected to the database
either. Due to time constraints and high demand for features,
we did not provide dynamic comment additions for a document.
Clicking on the pencil icon
or the "Show
Comments"
button brings up a popup containing a hard-coded comment.
Also, when adding a comment, the text to be commented on
is
set to "lack of electricity". Thus, the user should
first select the text "lack of electricity" in
the
document and then click on the "Add Comment" button.
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| Tools Used |
We used Dreamweaver, and PHPMyAdmin to create
the look and feel of the interface. Dreamweaver allowed us
to use libraries, CSS, and templates to help make our pages
more consistent. It also allowed us to test pages instantly
by automatically uploading them when we saved them, saving
us uploading time and speeding up our testing process. We
encountered minor problems setting up the connections, but
once those were complete, it was not difficult to use the
application. We used PHPMyAdmin, a PHP-based GUI for MySQL,
to look up table information used to write the search queries.
This tool was helpful in that we did not need to know all
the SQL commands in order to modify or view database properties.
For the View/Add Comments page, we used Microsoft FrontPage
and JavaScript to rapidly prototype the document view screen
and the popup windows for adding and viewing comments. FrontPage
helped by providing a quick and easy way to mock up the pages,
and JavaScript was a convenient way to simulate the sequence
of popup windows for adding and viewing comments. These tools
did not help to create an actual connection to the database
to work with real data, but this was acceptable for the initial
prototype. |
| How to Run the Interface |
| Search Page |
| To view all the projects or documents currently
in the database, submit the search form without any search
criteria (just click on the Search button). To limit the search
results, enter in search criteria for any of the fields. The
search forms can be used in any combination of search criteria.
Since there isn't much data currently in the database, we
have provided some suggested search criteria.
Search Criteria Explanation
Keywords: This is a free-text search based on keywords
that the project/document contains or as entered by the project/document
submitter.
Categories: When adding a new project or document,
the user will answer a series of questions which will automatically
determine the categories to which the project/document belongs.
This overcomes the problem of users misclassifying a project/document.
Searching by categories will thus limit the results to those
projects/documents classified under the specified categories.
Location: Limits the search results to those projects/documents
in or about the specified country.
Contact Person: For projects, this is the main contact
person about the project. For documents, this is usually the
author.
Organization: For projects, this is the organization
that is sponsoring or funding the project.
Suggested Search Criteria
Search for Projects with:
Keyword: telecenter
Location: India
Demo the Project Search Page
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| View/Add Comments to a Project or Document |
Add a Comment
To add a comment, the user must already have selected a project
or document from the search page (click on the title of the
project or document from the search results page).
- Select “lack of electricity” on the fourth
line of the second paragraph and then click on “Add
comment” to add a comment to that section of the text.
- In the Add Comment dialog, enter the name and email of
the user, and then enter the comment.
- Click “Submit Comment” to save the comment.
- View the confirmation screen, Click “OK”
to close the dialog and return to the document.
View Comments
- Click the “Show Comments” button or the small
pencil icon in the text to view comment.
- View the comments on the popup screen.
- Click “OK” to close the dialog and return
to the document.
Demo
the View/Add Comments Page
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| Add a Document |
| Disclaimer Page
In order to add a new document into the system, the user must
first click the ‘I Agree’ radio button. After
submitting the disclaimer form, the user will be taken to
the next page to enter in metadata about the document.
Add Document Page
The "Add Document" page allows the user to input
document information to be added to the database. This
page
is not connected to the database, so any information entered
in the fields will not be put into the database. Just click
on the "Insert Record" button to continue. (The title,
submitted by, and summary fields are actually required, but
these
fields already contain preset information.)
Confirmation Page
This page displays the information just submitted to the database.
The current version is static, so it will not display the
information entered on the add document page.
Demo
the Add Document Page
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