1. EBSCO & SUMMONS Amir Chamsaz, Elias Darraj & Stacy Poliseo
Usability Testing
EBSCO & SUMMONS
Amir Chamsaz, Elias Darraj & Stacy Poliseo

2. Objective
This study aimed at assessing the effectiveness of two commercial discovery tools
The tools tested in this study were EBSCO and Summons.

3. Participants
Three graduate students studying Publication Design, Education, and Cyber Security
Attending UB, Towson State and UMBC
Range from 1st year to 3rd year in program

4. Observations

5. Interface

6. ebsco Very intuitive and minimalist in its approach
Search results were clear to users
Facets available on the left side of the page
Consistent detailed record information
Right-side blindness for the available tools

7. summons Overwhelming main interface Clear search results page
Facets available on the left side
Inconsistent details record page
Book: toolbar across the top to save and reference
Article: no toolbar, “Get Article” in content section

8. Where should I start

9. search

10. ebsco Transitions between Keywords & Title Spelling errors
Approaches to search queries
Exact search using “ ” around titles
Using only a few keywords from title and/or author name (i.e. “Modernism and the Harlem”)
Misspelling of keywords
Transitions between Keywords & Title
Spelling errors
Results may also be available for: suggestion”
“did you mean: suggestion”.

11. “did they refine my search?”
C1 ebs

12. summons Veering to Journals tab
Going to Books, CDs & DVDs from main page
Text auto complete feature
A potential system/behavior error
sending back to the initial search with the initial misspelled word

13. Exact Search

14. three search options
C4 sum

15. Faceted search

16. Ebsco Grayed-out screen Need to click update button
Contextual facets changing
Peer-reviewed option available in ‘search option’ but not the facets
All users unable to locate audiovisual materials

17. frustrated with faceted on the left

18. inactive update button
C2 ebs – related to s2

19. S2 ebs – related to c2

20. summons Contextual facets Facets remained unchanged
The number of associated results not noticed
Incorrect use of facet

21. incorrect use of facets
S3 sum

22. black updating screen
C5 sum

23. Save and retrieval

24. ebsco Right-side blindness Options to save
Save option and process
‘Add to Folder’ option under the tools
Formatted citation to copy or in “Link to catalog record” interface
Difficult to locate saved items from the main search page or the result page

26. summons
Users were not able to save from the detailed search result page
The toolbar across the top and “Permanent link to this record” only appear for books
Users did not noticed icon on the bottom
“Export citation icon (RefWorks)”
“Get URL for this page”
“ this page”

29. saved items not Accessible from the main search screen
C6 sum

30. saved items link not clear
S4 sum

31. nice once you know where saved items are located
K5 sum – pos

32. Results & Recommendations

33. interface

34. Ebsco More intuitive Recommendations Simple front page
The folder icon on the top toolbar was located well
The detailed search record page provided consitent and detailed useful information
Recommendations
keeping the folder icon on all pages, including main search page
move the tools section across the top or even left side of the page.

36. SUMMONS More pleasant user experience overall Challenge
Consistent faceted search functionality
Dynamic update of search results
Challenge
Initial screen very overwhelming
lack of noticeable icon for saving search results
Inconsistent record details page
Login interreuptions

37. search

38. EBSCO Advantages Disadvatnages Search results remain consistent
Provided a wealth of info
Full text PDF in the search results was helpful
Great tools
Disadvatnages
Inconsistent terminology: ‘Refine Search’ and ‘Search Options’
List of facets changed as options selected
Updates grayed out

39. summons Advantages Disadvantages Facets remained consistent
Users preferred automatic update
Disadvantages
Inconsistent detailed result pages
No access content if not a book – due to login

40. Save and retrieval

41. EBSCO Advantages Disadvantages
Many useful option for saving, citations, etc
Saved folders are easily accessible
Disadvantages
Right-side blindness - move the tools to the top or left
Large set of tools on the right side was confusing
Save instruction not clear

42. summons Advantages Disadvantage
Saved items not retrievable from outside the result page
No participant was able to save in detailed record page
Saving occurred from search result page and only after asking question again in that area (user already gave up)

43. How the Users Like summons (74%) Ebsco (60%)