Usability Evaluation of IOBIS Portal Website Survey

July 3, 2006

Greetings,

Thank you for choosing to evaluate usability of the Ocean Biogeographic Information System (OBIS) portal. The information that you provide will be used to guide progress of ongoing portal improvements.

All questions are optional.

Yours truly,

obissupport@marine.rutgers.edu

1. What is your perspective?

What is your perspective? student

teacher

researcher

consultant

resource manager

data manager

general public

2. Educational level?

Educational level? grade school

bachelors

masters

doctoral

3. How often do you use OBIS?

How often do you use OBIS? daily

weekly

monthly

first time user

4. First impressions:

First impressions:

5. Quality (accuracy, purpose and currency):

	yes	no
Are aims of site clear?	*Quality (accuracy, purpose and currency): Are aims of site clear? yes	Are aims of site clear? no
Does content match the aims?	Does content match the aims? yes	Does content match the aims? no
Is intended audience apparent?	Is intended audience apparent? yes	Is intended audience apparent? no
Considering its audience, is the site fit for that purpose?	Considering its audience, is the site fit for that purpose? yes	Considering its audience, is the site fit for that purpose? no
Is text concise and well written?	Is text concise and well written? yes	Is text concise and well written? no
Is it clear when pages were created and or updated?	Is it clear when pages were created and or updated? yes	Is it clear when pages were created and or updated? no

6. Comments and/or suggestions on quality:

Comments and/or suggestions on quality:

7. Design

	yes	no
Is text easy to read (size, colour, layout)?	*Design Is text easy to read (size, colour, layout)? yes	Is text easy to read (size, colour, layout)? no
If design uses graphics, are these functional rather than distracting?	If design uses graphics, are these functional rather than distracting? yes	If design uses graphics, are these functional rather than distracting? no
Are images clear and sufficiently labeled?	Are images clear and sufficiently labeled? yes	Are images clear and sufficiently labeled? no
Is there a text only version?	Is there a text only version? yes	Is there a text only version? no
Are printed pages easy to read?	Are printed pages easy to read? yes	Are printed pages easy to read? no
Are the colour schemes aesthetically pleasing and not distracting?	Are the colour schemes aesthetically pleasing and not distracting? yes	Are the colour schemes aesthetically pleasing and not distracting? no
Does the design facilitate reading and searching?	Does the design facilitate reading and searching? yes	Does the design facilitate reading and searching? no

8. Please give us your ideas for improvement of the Advanced search page

Please give us your ideas for improvement of the Advanced search page

9. Did you find the following features easy to find and use?

	yes	no
Advanced search page	*Did you find the following features easy to find and use? Advanced search page yes	Advanced search page no
C-square mapper	C-square mapper yes	C-square mapper no
KGS Mapper	KGS Mapper yes	KGS Mapper no
ACON Mapper	ACON Mapper yes	ACON Mapper no

10. Comments and suggestions on advanced search and mappers.

Comments and suggestions on advanced search and mappers.

11. Navigation

	yes	no
Is it easy and intuitive to find information on the site?	*Navigation Is it easy and intuitive to find information on the site? yes	Is it easy and intuitive to find information on the site? no
Can you find the page you want within one to three clicks?	Can you find the page you want within one to three clicks? yes	Can you find the page you want within one to three clicks? no
Can one find a page menu and/or the home page from all pages?	Can one find a page menu and/or the home page from all pages? yes	Can one find a page menu and/or the home page from all pages? no
Is page upload prompt (< 15 s)?	Is page upload prompt (< 15 s)? yes	Is page upload prompt (< 15 s)? no
Are there links to other relevant websites and/or publications?	Are there links to other relevant websites and/or publications? yes	Are there links to other relevant websites and/or publications? no
Are these links working?	Are these links working? yes	Are these links working? no
If many links are provided are they helpfully categorized?	If many links are provided are they helpfully categorized? yes	If many links are provided are they helpfully categorized? no

12. Comments and/or suggestions on navigation

Comments and/or suggestions on navigation

13. Authority

	yes	no
Is the professional status of organization (purpose, activities) appropriate and substantive?	*Authority Is the professional status of organization (purpose, activities) appropriate and substantive? yes	Is the professional status of organization (purpose, activities) appropriate and substantive? no
Is the professional status of authors (scientific reputation, qualifications, publications) appropriate?	Is the professional status of authors (scientific reputation, qualifications, publications) appropriate? yes	Is the professional status of authors (scientific reputation, qualifications, publications) appropriate? no
Are the website authors contactable by more than email?	Are the website authors contactable by more than email? yes	Are the website authors contactable by more than email? no
Are sources of information authoritative?	Are sources of information authoritative? yes	Are sources of information authoritative? no
Is there a copyright and re-use statement?	Is there a copyright and re-use statement? yes	Is there a copyright and re-use statement? no
Is new information (text, images) distinguishable from old?	Is new information (text, images) distinguishable from old? yes	Is new information (text, images) distinguishable from old? no

14. Comments and/or suggestions on authority

Comments and/or suggestions on authority

15. Coverage and Objectivity

	yes	no
Is scope of site adequate, sufficiently comprehensive?	*Coverage and Objectivity Is scope of site adequate, sufficiently comprehensive? yes	Is scope of site adequate, sufficiently comprehensive? no
Is the entire content applicable, nothing extraneous?	Is the entire content applicable, nothing extraneous? yes	Is the entire content applicable, nothing extraneous? no
Is depth of content sufficient for scholarly (student, researcher) use?	Is depth of content sufficient for scholarly (student, researcher) use? yes	Is depth of content sufficient for scholarly (student, researcher) use? no
Are sources of information clear?	Are sources of information clear? yes	Are sources of information clear? no
Is the motivation for the website to provide scientifically correct content?	Is the motivation for the website to provide scientifically correct content? yes	Is the motivation for the website to provide scientifically correct content? no

16. Comments and/or suggestions on coverage and objectivity

Comments and/or suggestions on coverage and objectivity

17. What questions would you expect OBIS to answer at its present stage of development?

What questions would you expect OBIS to answer at its present stage of development?

18. What questions would you hope OBIS could answer in the future? If you have provided this in a previous survey, please skip this question if your answer is the same.

What questions would you hope OBIS could answer in the future? If you have provided this in a previous survey, please skip this question if your answer is the same.

19. Last impression of the OBIS portal.

Last impression of the OBIS portal.

Respondants providing contact information will receive a summary report of survey results and be invited to participate in future OBIS user surveys. This information will never be shared nor used for any other purpose.

The answer to these and all other questions on the survey are OPTIONAL.

20. Your name

Your name

21. Your organization

Your organization

22. Your email address, if we have your email from previous surveys please do not provide it again.

Your email address, if we have your email from previous surveys please do not provide it again.

Thank you very much for taking time to complete this evaluation. We appreciate your help in our improvement process.