Weeks 5&6 Blog Post

Week Five – Blog Article

Rachit Gupta defines Human Computer Interaction as “a discipline which aims at an established understanding and designing of different interfaces between humans and computers in a way that it defines systems that are enjoyable to use, are engaging and are accessible” (2012). The most important part of the Human Computer Interaction, or HCI, is the human, and the goal of the experience should be usability and functionality so as to maximize the enjoyment of the experience.

“The involvement of user,” Gupta posits, “is classified under three

categories: physical, cognitive and affective” (2012). These are, in other words, concerns of mechanic, interpretation, and impact, respectively. Of these three, the most recent and most interesting to me, personally, is the affective criterion. How does one create a lasting experience that stays in the mind after is complete? Do we resort to novelty or are there more concrete techniques to be applied? For instance, Gupta brings up the concept of emotion analysis, wherein computers are able to evaluate human noises, such as gasps, sighs, and the like. When combined with such tools as eye and body movement tracking, a computer program could be made to seem almost downright psychic when adapting itself to a user’s needs. But will such adaptations prove cost effective and have actual lasting staying power?

            Gupta concludes the article with thoughts on the future of HCI. “… the relationship of the society with the technology will not just be a user based experience. Unlike today, computers will be flowing everywhere and most of our lives will be directed by computers” (2012). There are ethical considerations, such as privacy and human desires, which must go into the shaping of HCI of tomorrow. We are, as Gupta puts it, dependent on technology. That is a scary thought to me, as I hear stories of people who show physical signs of withdraw from not having access to the internet for as little as several days’ time. How much will technology come to control our lives and will there be room in the world for both people and progress to share it equally?

Citation

Gupta, R. (2012). Human computer interaction: A modern overview. International Journal of Computer Technology and Applications, 3(5), 1736-1740.

Week Six – Blog Article

            Jakob Nielsen, published author and authority on homepage usability, discusses “The Ten Most Violated Homepage Design Guidelines” in his article of the same name. “There are ten usability mistakes that about two-thirds of corporate websites make,” Nielsen claims. “The prevalence of these errors alone warrants attention, especially since they appear on sites with significant investment in usable design” (2003). His list, numbered in order from most frequent to least, is an amusing and entertaining guide to the “do nots” of the technology world. I will be discussing a few of the standout highlights as I see them.

            “Emphasize what your site offers that's of value to users and how your services differ from those of key competitors” (Nielsen, 2003). I have to think this one is intentional on the part of many web designers, which is why it is so frequently ignored. Many companies are afraid of putting themselves out there and outright claiming that what they do is better than the rest without the facts to back it up.

            “Use a liquid layout that lets users adjust the homepage size” (Nielsen, 2003). As an individual with poor eyesight, this one is particularly beneficial to me as I like to adjust the font sizes on my web browsers. This also matters to individuals with larger monitors – a subcategory I also fall into. Likewise, I agree with him that graphics should only be used for actual content and not clutter and hyperlinks should distinguish between used and unused.

            “Don't include an active link to the homepage on the homepage” (Nielsen, 2003). This one actually feels a bit pedantic to me. Uniformity in web page design over the body of a site can lead to easier link checking even if it is redundant. Of similarly minor detail is his request that search buttons not be labeled with additional search text.

            Ultimately, I feel that Nielsen makes many good points regarding the streamlining of websites and usability in general. Reading his treatise brings back a mental image of those Angelfire and Geocities sites of yesteryear and all their clutter and fuss. And, while I support anyone’s right to make a fan page for their favorite sitcom character, the world does not need any more rotating gif images of traffic cones declaring one’s site to be “Under Construction.”

Citation

Nielsen, J. (2005). Ten Usability Heuristics. http://www.useit.com/papers/heuristic/heuristic_list.html

Blog 2B

Week 4

Kinner and Rigda trace the transition of Automated Library System to Integrated Library System in their article, “The Integrated Library System….” I find this article to be of interested because the path it follows, from ‘80s to today, is, in a way, the path of my life. A child of the ‘80s, one of Gen Y as it is called, I have observed and followed this library evolution without even realizing it.

“In libraries and the library automation industry, modernization, the first phase, occurred during the 1970s and 1980s. These library systems were “purpose built, stand-alone systems that solved a single problem using what we now consider primitive hardware, operating systems and software” (Andrews, 2007, p. 572). These ALSs were not designed to be interactive or even user friendly. They ran on main frames accessed via “dumb” terminals and were, for the most part, managed by information technology staff rather than library staff. These systems covered the core modules used by library staff: acquisitions, cataloging, circulation, and serials. They were more efficient than the paper systems libraries had been using for generations” (Kinner and Ridga, 2009).

When I was young, I browsed library shelves. I remember the few attempts that educators made at instructing me in the ways of the card catalog, a physical thing at the time (at least in the small West Virginia town where I grew up). It did not go very well. If there were computers in the library for public usage, I never saw any.

“The OPAC of the late 1980s became the face of the library, albeit in a nongraphical user interface; yet it was quite functional and a huge leap beyond the paper card catalog. The advent of the OPAC led libraries into the next phase of West and Lyman's procession, innovation. This phase witnessed significant experimentation, which involved the integration of the core library modules and the OPAC. This heralded the emergence of the ILS” (Kinner at al., 2009).

In the last ‘80s, my family relocated to VA Beach, VA. Their Central Public Library, a library whose size and scope I almost haven’t seen since, blew my mind. I remember using the computers at that library, hilariously dated by today’s standards, to locate what I was looking for. The user interfaces were text only, all of it a sickly shade of green with ASCII style borders comprised of repeating symbols. It was functional, but hardly more about it could be said. Most often, it existed only to show me that a particular book had not been returned in a span of time best measured in months. If it had any other features, I never found them.

“By the late 1990s, “the ILS was functionally complete with good MARC support but with varied network support” (Andrews, 2007, p. 573). The ILS of this time had a Web-based catalog, WebOpac, which was done quickly and was not very sophisticated. In essence, libraries were still dealing with an ILS as a “silo.” That means they were basically stand-alone units, yet with information being shared across library units. These systems were managed by library staffs, accessed over a network, and operated with a Web- or character-based interface, which ran on a single server” (Kinner et al., 2009).

A college student by this time, my experiences in the library were exclusively online. In fact, I rarely left my college library’s computer lab during crunch times except to grab the occasional physical text. Instead, services like JSTOR comprised the majority of my resource selections, as did web-based articles and research. The college library’s interface appeared as a web search engine – something I could open in the background as I typed in Microsoft Word or browsed in Internet Explorer.

Work Cited

Kinner, L. and Rigda, C. (2009). The Integrated Library System: From Daring to Dinosaur? Journal of Library Administration, 49(4), 401-417.

Blog 2A

Week 3

In their article, “What qualifications…,” Choi and Rasmussen really caught my attention. For the last six months, I have been looking for a way into the world of library science professions. An English teacher previously by trade, the transition to becoming a children’s librarian felt as natural as falling off a log at first. “Sure,” I thought, “I’ll have no problems finding work in this field.” Now, six month later, I have only just accomplished my goal and acquired work as a school library aide. Permit me to respond to some of what they say in their article.

“Several content analysis studies have revealed the impact of computer-related technology on library positions and their requirements. Those studies found that required computer-related skills changed and increased over time with new developments in technology” (Choi and Rasmussen, 2009).

This is most certainly the case. As a frequent visitor of the federal government’s jobsite, USAjobs.gov, I can attest that their library-related technology demands are extensive. The questions they ask are specific, in depth, and uncompromising. These job searchers phrase their questions in such a way that nothing less than an exact answer will suffice.

“Two studies by Smith and Lynch found that most jobs in their data set listed general, rather than specific, computer skills, and behavioral characteristics of candidates became increasingly visible in the job advertisements. The researchers discovered that “combination” jobs that shift from traditional specialist to more complex functionalist positions were on the increase in their sample. Likewise, Beile and Adams identified a significant number of positions relating to electronic services that fit into neither public nor technical service areas” (Choi et al., 2009).

I disagree with this point. I blame the unusually diverse nature of DC in that job seekers here can request any number of exact requirements when searching for a librarian. Not long ago, for instance, I found myself lacking qualifications for a particular library job because I was unfamiliar with Urdru. In this area, in this job market, specialization is the name of the game.

“Technology-related experience appeared most frequently (123 out of 217 instances (56.68%) as required qualifications and 63 out of 143 instances (44.06%) as preferred qualifications). Similarly, technology-related competencies were the most frequently mentioned knowledge/skills in both the required and preferred categories. Knowledge of and experience in resource building appeared next most frequently, followed by qualifications on knowledge organization” (Choi et al., 2009).

This I find to be of particular interest in education. In my experience, teachers fixate on their one area of expertise and need a strong support system. Requiring a teacher to also understand the software systems at play in his/her environment could lead to disastrous results.

“Among qualifications stated in the ads, a qualification of communication and interpersonal skills (57.47% in Table 9) appeared most frequently, followed by expertise on current trends in the digital library environment (26.44% in Table 7), and experience in digital library development and digital information systems (25.29% in Table 8). Knowledge of and experience with metadata, and the creation and management of digital information were also required frequently in the ads” (Choi et al., 2009).

It has surprised me, more so than any other part of library schooling to date, how much customer service goes into this field. Similarly unexpected is the emphasis on cutting edge system knowledge. The cultural stigma on libraries, even today, is one of an almost dinosaur-like tendency to plod.

Works Cited

Choi, Y., & Rasmussen, E. (2009). What qualifications and skills are important for digital librarian positions in academic libraries? A job advertisement analysis. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 25(5), 457-467.