Open Password – Monday May 16, 2022
#1070
German Literature Archive Marbach – New online catalog – Heike Albrecht – aDIS/BMS – User orientation – Usability research – Personas – Scenarios – User types – Explanatory videos – Usability tests – Thinking Aloud – Guerrilla testing – Operational blindness
Outsell – American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons – International Events – game – Game apps – German market – In-app purchases – Mobile games – data.ai – GfK – Free-to-play games – Apple Arcade – Google Play Pass – User groups – Felix Falk – 14th Semantic Web of Libraries – Call for Proposals – Adrian Pohl – Joachim Neubert -ZBW – HBZ
- Title
DLA: Access from the user’s perspective: A new online catalog for the German Literature Archive Marbach – By Heike Albrecht
Heard While Outselling: Face-to-face events, yes, but much smallerIII. game: Market for game apps grows by 22 percent
14th Semantic Web in Libraries Conference: Call for Proposals
DLA
Access from the user’s perspective:
A new online catalog for the German Literature Archive Marbach
By Heike Albrecht
Heike Albrecht
The German Literature Archive Marbach (DLA) is one of the most important literary institutions in the world. Sources of German literature since 1750 are collected in the archive and library and accessed using the aDIS/BMS software, including standard data.
Users from all over the world visit the archive and the DLA reference library and research sources and media from all collecting departments in the online catalog (OPAC): Archive with the collection of images and objects and library with media documentation (OPAC website: https : //www.dla-marbach.de/katalog-beta ).
Over the last four years, the DLA has worked with open source companies to develop a new online catalog, which is currently online in beta version and continues to be tested and improved. Right from the start, the focus of development was on the user’s perspective. Our plan is to develop a catalog that is tailored to the needs of our users, optimally presents our diverse holdings from all collections and shows relationships and connections. The idea for this was to use the authority data in a targeted manner and to make it visible to users.
To achieve this, we considered who our users are and what conditions, needs and expectations they will have when using our online catalog. Usability research offers various methods here; What was particularly important to us was that we could do this ourselves and that the effort would not be greater than the benefit. By the way, this is itself an irrefutable usability rule!
I would like to introduce you to two of the methods we use in more detail below. They set the tone for the project and have accompanied it ever since.
Figure 1: Home page
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Personas and scenarios [1] [1]
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Personas are fictional people who represent typical users of a target group. They illustrate important characteristics of the target group and thus help with design decisions in the development phase. The developers take the perspective of the personas and align our new OPAC to the needs of our users.
To create our personas, we held an internal workshop involving employees from all departments who often come into contact with users in their work. In addition to existing data about our users (e.g. evaluation of user book, access to the previous OPAC), types of our users were formed in a joint brainstorming session. Each participant brought in experiences from their daily work. User types could be, for example, students, scholarship holders and curators. In total we came up with 28 user types.
The next step was to assign characteristics to each “user type” regarding their research behavior and their use of the DLA and its holdings. Examples of such characterizations might be: “Usually in a hurry, knows what he/she wants, searches across media, wants as much digital as possible, has a lot of research experience from other institutions, comes regularly.”
It quickly became clear that some user types are very similar when it comes to using our OPAC. Therefore, we gradually brought together users with similar needs and similar research behavior. This ultimately resulted in eight user groups. Six of them should be represented by a persona and thus influence the further development work for the new OPAC.
The personas were creatively developed in small groups and with the help of a guide. Names, ages, professions and hobbies were invented and specialist knowledge and research experiences were thought up. Six detailed personas were created.
We were now able to let our personas “work” with the new OPAC. Depending on the development question, we repeatedly wrote small stories from the perspective of the respective persona. We considered which functionalities and design would best meet the needs and wishes of the persona. This also resulted in new ideas, such as displaying authority data when entering a search (see Figure 2).
Using this method has the advantage that the needs and wishes of future users are focused on from the start of the project, without having to involve real users. It is also a good opportunity to explain to those externally involved in the project who our users are and how they work. In addition, the personas can be reused in a variety of ways. For example, we also used our personas for explanatory videos [2] [2] on our help page.
[1] [1] https://elearning.ohmportal.de/demokurs/uiig/Analyse_22_Szenarien.html
[2] [2] https://www.dla-marbach.de/katalog-beta/hilfe-auskunft-zum-katalog/?tx_dlaopacng_dlastart%5Bcontroller%5D=Start&cHash=8a35d880547f753978abebcd3c96173d
Illustration. 2: Here, users are supported when entering data by displaying authority data. For example, you find out that in addition to the drama there is also a script.
Figure 3: Here you can find out everything about the title of the work and in which departments materials can be further researched. The work relationships are also displayed.
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Usability test (Thinking Aloud)
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We conducted the first round of testing at an early stage of development. The tests were extensively logged and recorded. On the one hand, this led to a lot of information and suggestions for the further development of the OPAC, but on the other hand, the evaluation of the tests was very time-consuming. For reasons of capacity, we decided to use a simple method for further testing that, for example, does not require recording, but can still reveal major usability problems.
In the second method we use, “Thinking Aloud,” test subjects work on given tasks using the online catalog and speak their thoughts out loud. This test is also called “guerrilla testing” or “tests for 10 cents a day” in the literature.
There are various ways to record, log and evaluate these tests. For reasons of capacity, we decided to use a method that simplifies recording and evaluation or, as in our case, even does not require recording. Nevertheless, it can be used to uncover major usability problems. A test lasts a maximum of 30 minutes, so the test only includes a few tasks. After completing the test, a short interview with the test person can follow.
In addition to the test person, the moderator and observer are present. Both note the test person’s approach, their reactions and statements during the test. Immediately after the test, the moderator and observer evaluate the results together: What were the biggest problems and surprises? What was particularly noticeable? How did the person react to the functionality that was primarily tested in this case?
Typically, three to five tests are enough to uncover major usage problems. It is important to continually test and improve. Our tests and interviews led to additional requests from users for our OPAC. Further requirements such as a user account with extended functionalities are currently being worked on.
After a long project period, we ourselves have long since become “operationally blind” and can only put ourselves in the shoes of our users to a limited extent. Usability tests are invaluable here – that’s why we at DLA will continue to test our OPAC, stay in dialogue with our users and continue to improve the new catalog.
Heard While Outselling*
Face-to-face events, yes, but much smaller
One Outsell Leadership Community member attended the annual American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons conference in Chicago last month. Pre-pandemic, there would have been 25,000 delegates, but this year, the number was down to 10,000 — this was partly due to low attendance from Asia, but US numbers were also lower.
Another member remarked that they’ve pulled back on their international (non-US) events this year: They had some in the schedule but weren’t seeing a lot of attendee demand, especially in Europe and Asia. Exhibitors and salespeople were ready, but the people they would sell to are not — the issues were a mix of tight travel budgets, cost containment, nervousness about the virus, and worries about higher inflation. And, of course, China not sending thousands of attendees outside its borders
*Outsell is the international partner of Open Password.
game – Association of the German games industry
Market for game apps in Germany
is growing by 22 percent
- Sales of mobile games in Germany will grow to 2.8 billion euros in 2021
- In-app purchases continue to be the biggest growth driver
- Market share of gaming apps for purchase continues to decline
(game) Whether casual games with puzzle elements, adapted versions of well-known PC and console games or location-based games like “Pokémon Go” or “Jurassic World Live”: the popularity of game apps continues unabated. For 2021, the German market for mobile games will record significant growth of 22 percent: sales of game apps rose to around 2.8 billion euros. Sales already rose by 23 percent in 2020. This was announced today by the game association of the German games industry based on data from the market research companies data.ai and GfK.
The growth driver in the mobile games market remains in-app purchases, which accounted for around 99 percent of total sales in this segment in 2021. Sales from in-app purchases grew again significantly by 22 percent from around 2.3 billion in 2020 to just under 2.8 billion euros. The trend can be explained primarily by the popularity of so-called free-to-play games, which can be played for free and optionally offer in-app purchases that can be used to customize the gaming experience. Players can purchase additional content, such as additional levels or new skins for their own character. Sales of game apps that can be purchased continue to decline. In 2021 this was only 7 million euros. Subscription fees for apps, such as services such as Apple Arcade or Google Play Pass, generated sales of 12 million euros – a 200 percent increase in sales compared to the previous year.
The average age of mobile game players in 2021 was – 38.3 years; the year before, the average age was 38.8 years. In 2019, mobile game players were on average 37.4 years old. At 51 percent, slightly more women than men played games on a smartphone or tablet in 2021.
“Mobile games. Game apps are an integral part of the everyday life of millions of people in Germany and not only impress with their great variety and good accessibility. Mobile games also offer the opportunity to easily network with other gamers anywhere and at any time “, for example in the context of location-based games, multiplayer games or even mobile esports,” says game managing director Felix Falk.
After historical growth of 32 percent in 2020, games, games hardware and fees for gaming online services generated sales of 9.8 billion euros in Germany in 2021 – an increase of 17 percent compared to the previous year. Thanks, among other things, to increasing in-game and in-app purchases, sales of computer and video games grew by 19 percent to r5.4 billion euros. Sales of gaming hardware rose by 18 percent to 3.6 billion euros. Demand for game consoles and gaming PC accessories was particularly high.
The market data mentioned is based on surveys by the GfK Consumer Panel and data.ai.
Call for proposals
14th Semantic Web of Libraries:
For the third time online only
SWIB22 – 14TH SEMANTIC WEB IN LIBRARIES CONFERENCE – 28 November – 2 December 2022, online – Call for ProposalsSUBMISSION DEADLINE: 27 JUNE 2022 SWIB conference (Semantic Web in Libraries) is an annual conference, being held for the 14th time.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we cannot be sure that by November traveling and meeting face-to-face will be possible for everyone in the community. Therefore, we have decided to hold SWIB22 online for the third time. This will offer everyone an opportunity to easily participate from all over the world.Taking into account the different time zones of the participants, we plan to carry out the conference during the week of 28 November – 02 December, daily from UTC 14:00 to 4:30 p.m.
SWIB focuses on Linked Open Data (LOD) in libraries and related organizations. It is well established as an event where IT staff, developers, librarians, and researchers from all over the world meet and mingle and learn from each other. The topics of talks and workshops at SWIB revolve around opening data, linking data and creating tools and software for LOD production scenarios. These areas of focus are supplemented by presentations of research projects in applied sciences, industry applications, and LOD activities in other areas.
SWIB22 will be organized by ZBW – LEIBNIZ INFORMATION CENTREFOR ECONOMICS and the NORTH RHINE-WESTPHALIAN LIBRARY SERVICE CENTER (HBZ). The conference language is English. For this SWIB rendition we adjusted the formats to the online environment: Presentations (20 minutes plus 5 q&a)- Practical workshops or tutorials (maximum 150 min, including breaks, introductory tutorials are very welcome.
We appreciate proposals on the following or related topics:
Projects & Applications
– integration of LOD into productive library applications
– re-use of LOD (from libraries, Wikidata and other sources)
– presenting & visualizing LOD
– end-user environments for interaction with LOD (eg editing or annotation)
– crowdsourcing/gamification approaches involving LOD sources
– applications for open science
Transformation/integration/cleansing/enhancement/mapping/interlinking
– data flow management
– RDF validation
– read/write linked data
– providing updates & syncing data sources
– machine learning for automatic indexing & named entity recognition
– integration of symbolic and subsymbolic approaches
Standards & Best Practices
– implementation of FAIR data principles
– open web standards relevant for libraries
– application profiles & provenance information
– working with authorities & knowledge organization systems
– usable APIs – preservation, maintenance & sustainability
Culture
– collaboration, community building and empowerment
– consolidating open source projects
– awareness of Western bias, decolonialization
We are looking forward to receiving your proposals for presentations or workshops by 27 JUNE 2022. Please submit an abstract of 1000-1500 characters using our conference system https://www.conftool.org/swib22 .
If you intend to present a specific software solution please include links to the source code repository and make sure it is openly licensed.
Call for satellite events If you are interested in using the online conference infrastructure for a satellite event before or after the conference slot, let us know. WEBSITE: http://swib.org/swib22 HASHTAG: #swib22 TWITTER: @swibcon
Please do not hesitate to ask if you have any questions:
Adrian Pohl hbz Tel. 0221-40075235 E-mail: swib(at)hbz-nrw.de or
Joachim Neubert – ZBW Tel. 040-42834462 E-mail: j.neubert(at)zbw.eu
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