INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY EXPERIENCE
"Technology is so much fun, but we can drown in our technology. The fog of information can drown out knowledge." - Daniel J. Boorstin
During my time at the iSchool, I developed, honed, and practiced many technology skills. Examples of information technologies utilized and skills developed include:
- Writing and editing HTML and CSS to create websites
- Using XML to create websites
- Employing Adobe Connect to engage online students in meetings
- Designing and maintaining Microsoft Access databases
- Creating and uploading podcasts and video
- Using various SharePoint sites and designing and editing SharePoint sites for most effective and efficient use
- Utilizing Atlas.ti and SPSS to manage, collect, code, and analyze research
- Navigate geographic information systems (GIS), as well as other web-based mapping technologies
- Employing proprietary information systems and databases in corporate settings to edit controlled vocabulary, perform complex searches to create detailed reports, and writing engine rules to enhance search results
While all of these skills are very important, and I am so grateful to have this working and practical knowledge, what really intrigues me about technology, particularly web-based search engines and other websites, is how people interact with it to make it work the best for them. This involves how people seek information, the type of information they are looking for, and how companies can successfully design, develop, and enhance their products, particularly search products, to help consumers have a positive information retrieval experience and meet their information needs and desires. I will outline two projects below that exemplify different facets of how information professionals and product designers can design and use information technologies and products to effectively assist their users.
Creating Personas to Enable User-Friendly and Efficient IT design
In LIS 519, I had the opportunity to learn about personas, which user experience designers and developers use to help them create and enhance websites and other information systems to target particular audiences and meet their information needs. By going beyond just what information technologies can do to including user stories and feedback, as well as usability testing and user research can help users effectively meet their information needs through a website or an information system. My group and I decided to create personas for a theoretical Facebook redesign. By doing a literature review, conducting over 20 user interviews, and having over 100 participants in an online survey, we were able to analyze that data to create five rich personas.
The persona portfolio project my group and I created can be viewed here.
Feedback from Professor Alison Head about our project:
"Overall, the Persona Portfolio in a word was—excellent. Well, okay, in another word? Incredible.
The research approach was tremendously detailed, rigorous, and well suited for your persona objectives. And it was very ambitious. In your original Persona Plan you estimated that you might be able to receive a sample of 30 to 40 responses back from a questionnaire you circulated to a population of 300 Facebook users you collectively knew and contacted. You received 104 responses! Unbelievable. Your research strategy was textbook (if a persona guide did exist ;-)), well planned and well executed.
The differentiators, and (realistic) user goals are very precise, so much so that Facebook should contact you and pay you top dollar, if they decide to redesign their individual page layouts, as you suggest, by different blocks.
You have paid very careful attention to making your personas distinct. For instance, Jillian obviously uses the site to promote her latest cause while someone like Susan uses the site to stay current on among other things, the latest buzz/gossip. All of the personas are well crafted. Robert—the Resident—is a worthy primary persona with a range of user goals that could very realistically drive the redesign efforts. I always love the anti-persona in projects—Nelson is an excellent hypothetical model, too, an introvert who prefers face-to-face communication channels.
The scenario flowchart in the center of the chart is a very informative visual accompaniment. It presents an easy to read visual with scenario information. It helps the viewer understand how different “blocks” are used by different Facebook users. The list of top features your personas used, too, could be invaluable to designers grappling with design decisions.
All in all, this is an excellent group effort, which shows what a group can accomplish, apply from previous knowledge and experience, and learn in a short period of time. Thank you for your very conscientious efforts. EXCELLENT!"
The persona portfolio project my group and I created can be viewed here.
Feedback from Professor Alison Head about our project:
"Overall, the Persona Portfolio in a word was—excellent. Well, okay, in another word? Incredible.
The research approach was tremendously detailed, rigorous, and well suited for your persona objectives. And it was very ambitious. In your original Persona Plan you estimated that you might be able to receive a sample of 30 to 40 responses back from a questionnaire you circulated to a population of 300 Facebook users you collectively knew and contacted. You received 104 responses! Unbelievable. Your research strategy was textbook (if a persona guide did exist ;-)), well planned and well executed.
The differentiators, and (realistic) user goals are very precise, so much so that Facebook should contact you and pay you top dollar, if they decide to redesign their individual page layouts, as you suggest, by different blocks.
You have paid very careful attention to making your personas distinct. For instance, Jillian obviously uses the site to promote her latest cause while someone like Susan uses the site to stay current on among other things, the latest buzz/gossip. All of the personas are well crafted. Robert—the Resident—is a worthy primary persona with a range of user goals that could very realistically drive the redesign efforts. I always love the anti-persona in projects—Nelson is an excellent hypothetical model, too, an introvert who prefers face-to-face communication channels.
The scenario flowchart in the center of the chart is a very informative visual accompaniment. It presents an easy to read visual with scenario information. It helps the viewer understand how different “blocks” are used by different Facebook users. The list of top features your personas used, too, could be invaluable to designers grappling with design decisions.
All in all, this is an excellent group effort, which shows what a group can accomplish, apply from previous knowledge and experience, and learn in a short period of time. Thank you for your very conscientious efforts. EXCELLENT!"
Identifying and Utilizing Information Retrieval Pattern Languages to Guide Search Engine Users
In LIS 544, Information Retrieval, I learned a tremendous amount about how search engines and other information systems return query results through weighting, algorithms, and other methods. Again, what interested me the most was how the user experiences the search engine or information system. In this Information Age, there is certainly not a shortage of information, but how do we, as information professionals, design and develop information systems and search engines to accurately and successfully meet our users' needs? For the final project in this class, my group and I explored different patterns used by designers and developers of search engines to aid in information retrieval. By identifying, evaluating, and analyzing different patterns used, we created a pattern language for information retrieval, specifically for web-based search engines and eCommerce sites.
The extensive project and analysis can be found here.
Our professor, Efthi Efthimiadis, was very pleased with our work and asked us all to work further with him to do more work on our project and submit for publication. While we have not found the time to do so yet, I am hoping we will be able to in the future.
