User testing: instructions for users 3: depositing content

User testing depends on providing clear instructions to users. This is the third of three posts providing key sections of those instructions, intended to inform readers interested in understanding the results of user tests of the new deposit tools developed in the DepositMO project, and taking a critical view. If you have followed the first two posts presenting the instructions for users, you may have decided already not to download the full instruction document (pdf) as originally presented to the test users, but you can still do so.

In this final extract we learn exactly what users were asked to do for the test, as it is time to start depositing some content. Why is the test structured in this way? At this point it may be worth referring back to the earlier post on the design of the test procedure.

Figure 2. Revealing the control ribbon in Word 2010 for the deposit application

Time to start depositing some content

By now you have set up the drag-and-drop deposit tool, you have some content, and you are logged in and ready to deposit something in the demo repository.

Support and assistance is not available for this part of the test, except to clarify the instructions given here.

If you are working in a controlled group you may be observed during this process. Both your actions and comments may contribute to the results. Again, we should stress the results from this test are intended to inform about the tools rather than the users, so don’t be shy of commenting. You may make comments to the observers, but during this part of the test they are unable to engage in dialogue. If you are working in a pair your discussion may be helpful in providing recordable evidence for the results.

Deposit item 1

From the sample_data folder open doc1 in Word. Now we have opened Word we can use the deposit tool that has been added to Word. First we will check the setup of the tool.

• Open the DepositMO (alpha) tab and ‘show’ the user panel (Figure 2)
• In the panel ensure that Repository location is set to http://depositmo.eprints.org/id/contents
• Set the panel to your correct login details – same username and password  as your repository login.

Using the panel, ‘Submit’ the document to the repository. Go to your Web browser with the demo repository open, and click on (or reload) Manage deposits (Figure 1) to see the content you have just deposited. How is it described? Could you improve the description?

Deposit item 2

This time we will use the file manager tool, which we set up earlier. Find image1 in your sample_data folder. Copy this file using the short-cut keys for your machine. Return to your depositMO folder on the desktop, and add a new content folder (name it as you wish). Using the short-cut keys, paste image1 into the new content folder. The tool should now automatically deposit the copied image into the repository.

Open the new content folder and you should see two new files appear: VIEW_ITEM.html and (after another 10s or so) METADATA.xml. Clicking on VIEW_ITEM.html will take you to the repository, showing the record for the item you just deposited. Open the METADATA file by right-clicking and selecting a text editor (e.g. Notepad) to show the editable metadata extracted from the file for the repository. Add a title by including this line (e.g. just above <author>):
<title>Archaeology image</title>
Then ‘Save’ the file.

Again, click on Manage deposits in the demo repository to see your current list of deposited items. You should see an item listed with the title you just added.

Deposit item 3

We want you to deposit pdf1 using the standard repository deposit interface. From your Manage deposits screen in the demo repository, click on the New Item button (Figure 1). Deposit item 3 in the usual way using the EPrints interface.

Hint. After clicking the Choose File button browse to the sample_data folder via Recent Places. When adding metadata using the deposit form you only need fill in the required fields to complete the deposit.

Deposit items 4, 5

You have used both new deposit tools and the conventional repository deposit interface. Now deposit the next two items (doc2, image2) in your sample_data folder, using the deposit tool you think is most appropriate.

Hint. If you copy to the depositMO folder you may wish to set up a new content folder for each item deposited.

Short pause. At this point please ask the observer or test moderator to take a screenshot of the Manage deposits list in the repository window.

Moderator’s note. We need a time check here, before some of the items are updated and the Last Modified time changes. How long did it take to deposit each item up to this point? Timings are a rough-and-ready indicator of the ease and speed of the different deposit processes.

Updating a document

In this case we want to update the content of doc2, which you have already deposited.

Open item 7 (doc3) and copy the paragraph of text. Return to doc2 in Word – unless you closed this it should still be open in a separate window. Paste the copied paragraph where indicated in doc2. ‘Update’ the document in the repository using the appropriate button in the panel. In this way the updated document should replace the original.

Updating an item

This time we want to update an item in the repository by adding another image of Bath (image3) to the item containing image2. Unlike the case above, we are not replacing the original content, and the updated item should display both images.

Hint. You will need to return to the depositMO folder but in this case you do not need to set up a new content folder. Instead add the latest image to the appropriate folder among those you have already set up.

Depositing your own chosen items

Did you bring your own content? Given an open choice, what content do you want to be able to deposit in a repository? As with items 4 and 5, deposit your content using the appropriate tool.

Improving description

Your Manage deposits view of the repository should now contain a reasonably extensive list of contents, but can you tell which is which? Is each item sufficiently described for identification by you, or for discovery by others?

This concludes our extracts from the instruction document presented to test users. In the next posts we will find out how those users fared with the test, as we begin to analyse the results.