Group on Earth Observations (GEO) Web Portal
Usability Testing Questionnaire – Fifth Round
Background: In 2009-2010, four rounds of GEO Web Portal (GWP) Usability
Testing were completed. During each round of testing, three individual portals—the ESRI
GEO Web Portal, the ESA/FAO GEO Web Portal, and the Compusult GEO Web Portal—were tested.
Each of the portals was retrieving information from one of three candidate Global Earth
Observation Systems of Systems (GEOSS) Clearinghouses and the GEOSS Components and Services
Registry.
The first round of testing was conducted in conjunction with the 33rd International Symposium
on Remote Sensing of Environment held May 4-8, 2009, in Stresa, Italy. The second round was
conducted remotely (e.g., no onsite testing) during the month of September 2009. The third
round of testing was conducted in conjunction with the GEO VI Plenary Session held November 17-18,
2009, in Washington, DC, and the fourth round was conducted in conjunction with the Federation of
Earth Science Information Partners (ESIP) winter meeting held January 5-6, 2010, in Washington,
DC. Nearly 260 individuals participated in these four rounds of GWP testing. Based on feedback
from these testing rounds, upgrades have been made to the GWPs to improve their search capabilities
and functions. Following the fourth round, one of the three portals was eliminated from consideration.
The overall purpose of this fifth round of GWP testing is to compare and contrast the usability
of the two remaining portals connected to the same unique GEOSS Clearinghouse selected at the end of the
first phase of the GEOSS Common Infrastructure (GCI) Functional Testing. During the past four
rounds of testing, only a very small number of individuals tested more than one portal, and each
portal searched a different GEOSS Clearinghouse.
Following the second phase of the GCI Functional Testing and the fifth round of GWP testing,
GEO plans to select one of the two GWPs to serve as the single portal for the GCI. To assist
in the selection of a single GWP, this round of testing is designed to compare the usability and
functionality of the two GWPs. The intent is to compare the two portals side by side and
contrast their differences. To ensure that the portals are equitably compared, it is recommended
that the tester use the same search criteria—keyword(s), geographic interest(s), Societal Benefit
Areas (SBAs), and/or current event(s)—to search both portals. Please keep in mind that the
overall design, navigation capabilities, and functionality of the portals are being compared.
Instructions: Please allow sufficient time to conduct a test
search on both GWPs (
each tester must search both GWPs)
and provide your comments in this questionnaire. The total estimated time for testing
the three GWPs is about 35 minutes—10 minutes to test each GWP and 15 minutes to complete
this questionnaire.
We recommend that you open this questionnaire in a separate window as you begin your
searches of the portals so that you can easily move back and forth between the portals
and the evaluation questions to more accurately record your test results as you conduct
your searches.
Form Control Number:
24201282339PM1783487663
USER INFORMATION QUESTIONS
- Identify the geographic area of interest (AOI) for your search. Check all
boxes that apply and name your geographic AOI.
Example: National—Germany, Italy; and/or Regional—German Bavaria, Italian Toscana;
and/or Local (City)—Frankfurt, Germany; Rome, Italy.
Please identify the geographic AOI below.
- How would you classify yourself professionally?
- What best describes your GIS and geospatial experience?
- Which Portal did you access for this test? (Please conduct consistent
tests on both portals)
- What information did you search for?
-
Identify the Societal Benefit Area that most closely represents your area of interest
- What keywords did you use and/or Societal Benefit Area did you browse for your tests?
- Did you find the information you were looking for?
GEO WEB PORTAL OPERATIONAL QUESTIONS
For the following questions, please rate the overall capability of the GEO Web Portal
tested in this third round according to the following scale:
1 = poor; 2 = fair;
3 = good; 4 = very good; 5 = excellent
- Rate the success of your search on each of the portals you tested.
- Rate the relevance of your search on each of the portals you tested.
- Rate the ease-of-use of the portals tested.
- Rate the quality of support provided for your Community of Practice or Societal Benefit Area on each of the portals tested.
- Rate the overall performance of the portals you tested.
- Rate home page design and layout of each portal tested.
- Rate the quality and effectiveness of the "Help" function offered by each portal tested.
- Rate the quality of the each portal's side-bar links, pull-down menus, and search tools.
- Rate the map visualization capabilities of each portal tested.
- Did you have a successful search on both of the portals you tested?
-
Failure to achieve a successful result in your search may be a function of the
portal search engine or the clearinghouse. For the portal(s) that failed to
provide a satisfactory result, please check the appropriate boxes below.
The lack of a successful search result was due to:
N/A
- Which portal would you prefer to use again?
- Why would you prefer to use the selected portal again? Check all applicable boxes.