COMP106 Assignment 2 – A new interface design Proposal 6

What the user should be able to do… 1. Direct access to reader account In the real library scenario, the reader can immediately make enquiries about their account from the issue desk. Therefore, in order to make the library web interface match the real one as closely as possible, it should be possible for the user to log into their account from the front page of the online system. This can be achieved through a form, similar to the search form, on the front page which requests the user’s University ID number and Library PIN number This is the type of form that could be used to achieve this implementation

What the user should be able to do… 2. Perform all important tasks from front page In the real library scenario, any important task that the user might need to carry out can be done quickly and easily. For the online portal to be able to fulfil this, the user must have quick and easy access to the features of the portal from the front page. Unlike the current portal, the user must be able to choose from clear and basic options on the front page of the interface The buttons on the front page should be big, so that the user can see the operations available to them as soon as they enter the website.

What the user should be able to do… 3. Search from any page on the site In the real library scenario, the user can stop doing their currently task and start searching for a new book at any time. For example, they may be in the middle of searching for a book and then decide that they wish to search for a different book. To emulate this on the portal, there would have to be a search box on every page. This could easily be achieved using a form similar to that present on the front page of the existing site. When the user puts in the details and press search, a lookup will be performed on the library database and the results returned in the browser window. A simple search box like this could be added to the bottom of every page.

The filing cabinet metaphor …about the metaphor I decided to use the metaphor of a filing cabinet in the production of the new library interface. I feel that the filing cabinet is a good metaphor for a library because the share the following properties; Both contain sorted records – The records in a filing cabinet correspond to the books in the library Records can be removed and replaced – Removing the records in the filing cabinet corresponds to borrowing a book in the library. Replacing the record corresponds to replacing the book Records can be searched – In both a filing cabinet and the library, books are sorted and can therefore be easily searched. Alternatively, books which fall into a specific category can be browsed. Just like records in a filing cabinet

The filing cabinet metaphor Searching or browsing the library Just like searching through records in a filing cabinet, the library database can be searched in the same way. The user can choose either to search the whole filing cabinet (in the same way that the whole library would be searched), or to search only under a specific letter (the user would have to choose whether letters corresponded to Titles, Author etc). Alternatively the user could browse all records under a certain letter, in the same way that they would search all books under a certain letter. Records in a filing cabinet are searched in a similar way to books in a library database. They are also both sorted so can be browsed based on criteria, using the dividers.

The filing cabinet metaphor Borrowing a book In a filing cabinet, the user has to firstly locate the record and then take it out. Similarly, in a library the user has to firstly locate the book and then borrow it. Therefore, the user must firstly locate the “record” in the “filing cabinet”. There would then by an option on the record to borrow (or at least reserve) the book that is specified on the record. Title: Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy Author: Adams, Douglas Class No: PR6051.D.H67 Date: 1979 Status: DUE REQUEST An example of what it could look like

The filing cabinet metaphor Returning a book Returning a book can be done in a similar way to borrowing a book. The user “borrows” records from the filing cabinet and can view the records in his/her account. The user can then renew the book (“record”) by clicking the renew button which would be present on the record. Title: Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy Author: Adams, Douglas Class No: PR6051.D.H67 Date: 1979 Status: BORROWED RENEW

Implementing the metaphor The first thing that a user would need to do in the interface is either search all records for their book or browse for a book. In the real world implementation of this metaphor, the user would need to open the drawers to do these tasks. Therefore in the interface, it would make sense for the user to have to click on the drawers to perform these actions. Each drawer could be labelled with a different task. A B C D E F If the user chooses to browse the interface they could be presented with something like this, where they choose the letter from the virtual dividers.