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What’s Next: Understanding Scientific Search

August 23, 2011 | Flagstaff

User StudyFollow-on

Cori Schauer, UCD | NASA Ames Research CenterMark Rose, UCD | NASA Ames Research CenterJay Trimble, UCD | NASA Ames Research Center

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As you remember…

ScientificSearch

• In 2010, conducted a broad study to understand PDS users

– Varied needs of users when working with the PDS

– The challenges experienced when working with the system itself, the data after it’s extracted from the system, or in preparing data for ingestion

– What’s working with the PDS

• We found multiple over-arching topics worth exploring further

– PDS mental models

– Understanding search

– Data preparation & ingestion processes

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Why scientific search?

ScientificSearch

• Search is a major component of using the PDS and a big deal for users

– Every participant in the 2010 survey had something to say about it

• Engineering Node and PDS4 teams are thinking about and exploring how PDS4 should do search

• UCD team thought it an appropriate topic to delve into further to

– Answer questions from user study about centralized search and browse

– provide user needs, insights, and UI and development recommendations to PDS4

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Study goals

ScientificSearch

• Determine what search, browse, centralized search, sort, filter, and other search activities are for scientists

• Identify search processes for scientists including what is the same across scientific disciplines and what is specific to each of the node disciplines

• Identify common search parameters

• Understand how scientists want to use the results in their analysis including various data formats they prefer

• Learn what other search tools scientists are using or building on their own to get the desired data

• ALL THIS TO…provide UI and development recommendations on search to PDS4 team

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Who we’re talking to

ScientificSearch

• Follow up with participants from 2010 study who specifically discussed centralized search and browse

– 11 people across the Nodes

• And, 3 senior scientists from each of the following

– Atmospheres

– Geosciences

– Imaging

– PPI

– Rings

– Small Bodies

– Radio Science

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Where we are now

ScientificSearch

• We’ve started the research and have already conducted 6 interviews

– Atmospheres – talked to 3 scientists already

– Rings- talked to 2 scientist already, will be setting up more meetings this week

– Geosciences – talked to 1 scientist already, have 2 more interviews this week at ASU and USGS

– Imaging – setting up meetings this week

• We are still recruiting participants from our 2010 study list as well as looking to add scientists who have not participated before

– Within the next two weeks will be contacting more nodes, specifically PPI, Small Bodies, and Radio Science

• Expect to have findings report and recommendations completed by Sept/Oct and ready for report at November F2F

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Questions?

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Contact: Jay TrimbleNASA Ames Research CenterJay.p.trimble@nasa.gov

Cori SchauerNASA Ames Research CenterCorinne.l.schauer@nasa.gov