- Initial approach: ``Excuse me, I'm carrying out a
study on behalf of the Centre for Interactive Systems Research at City
University. Do you mind if I ask you some questions?''
- Are you a student here at the London Business School?
- Were you planning to search the Catalogue for a particular author
or title, or were you planning to search for a topic or subject area?
If they are both an LBS student and they are searching for a topic:
``Would you mind taking part in a short experiment? It will take around
half an hour and will involve you carrying out a library search on an
experimental on-line catalogue.''
- Explain the test goals: ``The Centre for Interactive Systems
Research is in the process of creating a new method for searching by
subject in databases such as library catalogues and is trying to make it
as easy as possible to use. The Centre needs your help in evaluating this
system since, as a student, you are the kind of person who will be using
it. The set of database records you will be searching is the same as the
London Business School library catalogue that you were about to use.
First of all, so that we have a profile of those who have helped us with this
evaluation, would you mind answering the following questions?''
- Participant questionnaire:
- WHAT COURSE ARE YOU TAKING?:...............................................
- WHAT YEAR OF THE COURSE ARE YOU IN NOW?:...................................
- HOW OLD ARE YOU?:
- Under 26
- 26-35
- 36-45
- Over 45
- HOW OFTEN DO YOU USE THE LBS ONLINE LIBRARY CATALOGUE?:
- Daily
- Several days a week
- About once a week
- Less often
- Never
- WHAT OTHER COMPUTER SOFTWARE DO YOU USE AND HOW OFTEN?
- WHAT TOPIC WERE YOU GOING TO LOOK FOR WHEN I INTERRUPTED YOU AT THE CATALOGUE?
......................................................................................
- Explain the test process: ``What I would like you to do is search
for the topic or one of the topics you were going to search for at the LBS
online catalogue. I will be sitting right over there. Please take as long
or as short a time as you need to get the information you want. When
you've finished, click ONCE on the button marked `End Session' and then
let me know you have finished. Please remember that you are not being
tested and if you are confused by any of the instructions or functions
on-screen then that is a fault of the system. Have you any questions
before we begin?
I am going to go and sit over there. When you're ready, press the START button
and start searching.''
