federated search evaluation & implementation. outline drivers methodology outcome

Federated Search

evaluation & implementation

Outline

• Drivers• Methodology• Outcome

Drivers

• Customer pressure• Expiry of TD-Net

contract• Staff pressure• Peer pressure• Frustration with

bidding process

Put another way …

The average library decision about implementing new technologies takes longer than the average life cycle for new technologies.

K. G. Schneider. http://freerangelibrarian.com/2006/06/the_user_is_not_broken_a_meme.php

Methodology

Evidence gathering

• Literature search

• What do our users want

• Students / Researchers / Academic staff

• Library staff / Trainers

• Best of breed

What we asked

“in an ideal world, how would you find information for your studies?”

Who we asked

• Research focus group

• Postgraduate focus group

• Academic staff focus group

• Informal interviews with students

What we gave them …

They said …

We want

• Search individual databases & groups

• Simple & advanced search options

• Clear easy-to-use interface

• De-duplication

• Filtering of results

• Rank by relevancy

• Refworks compatible

• Searchable by journal title

• Spellchecker and/or synonyms

Shortlist

• 360 Search

• WebFeat

• MetaLib

• TDNet

Evaluation

• Trial

• User testing on campus

• User testing off campus

• Feedback / Web Monkey

• Amazon voucher

Overall rankings

1st 2nd 3rd 4th

WebFeat 28 21 17 15

WebFeat responses

Yes No

Was it easy to use 71 9

Did you find the interface clear & simple

71 9

Could you search how you wanted to 64 15

Did it give a fast enough response 66 14

Did it produce relevant results 66 14

Was it useful 66 14

Did you find full text articles 63 17

Did you have any problems 13 67

What users said …

“WebFeat was my definite favourite. It was excellent. ... please, please get this one.“

“I loved WebFeat”

“WebFeat was by far the best …”

“… so user friendly …”

“… really easy to use …”

Decision time

• User feedback

• Costs

Key features 1• Users choose what they want to search

• Quick Search boxes

• Topic Clustering

• Spell check function - just like Google

• Related terms

• Export to RefWorks

Key features 2

• Find it! Proxy – single sign on (sort of)

• Users can link directly to the native database from Find it! if you prefer.

• True native results - presents full text results within their native interfaces. All native functions are fully functional.

Questions?

Demo

• Admin page

Further information

• Malcolm Emmettmalcolm.emmett@brunel.ac.uk