Presented by Deirdre Costello at the 2014 Charleston Library Conference Lively Lunch. Discovery is a relatively new concept that has improved previous library search methods - but from a user’s perspective, it still may not be ideal. Improving the discovery search experience has largely focused on what is being searched but what about how users are searching? Users, especially those from the digital native generation, are accustomed to Google and Wikipedia. If information professionals insist that users learn a different way of searching on discovery products, we risk imposing a poor and unfamiliar experience on those users. The design of discovery products might need to be in harmony with the Google and Wikipedia experiences that are such a natural reflexes for users, so that their overall experience is intuitive and aligns with their mental models and expectations of how the web-based navigation and content behave. During this presentation, we will describe the findings from multiple qualitative research studies about Google and Wikipedia usage, including: What elements do users respond to positively on Google and Wikipedia? How are Google and Wikipedia forming user expectations and reinforcing habits? How do users typically refine their searches in Google (and from what page), and what are their opinions about other search engine sites? We will also look at other factors that impact user behavior such cognitive styles, cognitive overload/”underload”, multitasking, and user web reading habits. In addition, we will summarize theories on information encountering and points of user engagement/disengagement/reengagement. We will conclude our presentation with an open-floor discussion on how to translate users’ behavior and expectation into features on the discovery system that facilitate and support a true discovery process.

1. It’s a
GOOGLE and WIKIPEDIA
World
Lively Lunch, Charleston, SC
November 6th, 2014
Deirdre Costello
Sr. UX Researcher
Dr. Rong Tang
Director, Simmons Usability Lab

2. Let’s be
EARNEST
about students’ digital habits

3. Googling as if Their Lives
Depended On It

4. About ME
Deirdre Costello, Sr. UX Researcher
Experience:
Currently at EBSCO Information Services
5+ years experience in Library & Information Science
Education:
MSLIS from Simmons College
MA in English from Boston College
BA in English and Psychology from Lewis & Clark College
dcostello@ebsco.com
@deirdre_lyon
www.linkedin.com/pub/
deirdre-costello/12/440/593/

5. The Projects
Secondary Research
Literature review
of elementary,
middle and high
school search
habits
Video Diary Study
High school students self-reporting
their research
habits and preferences
Contextual Inquiry
One-on-one sessions
with high school,
college and graduate
students discussing
their research habits

6. Students are using an
ECOSYSTEM
of online resources
Prezi

7. Why do students
RELY
On Google and Wikipedia?

8. They’re Familiar.

9. They’re Comfortable.

10. They’re Rewarding.

11. 1. I trust it
Top, relevant
results first.

12. 2. I get it
Snippets make it
clear why users see
specific results.
1. I trust it
Top, relevant
results first.

13. 2. I get it
Snippets make it
clear why users see
specific results.
1. I trust it
Top, relevant
results first.
3. I’m the judge
URL is a proxy for
credibility.

14. 1. Overview in “plain English”

15. 2. TOC + Easily
Scannable Headings

16. 3. Links to More

17. SO WHY
are students using Google and Wikipedia?

18. How is this
DIFFERENT
from library resources?

20. Takeaways
Google & Wikipedia
Are hugely influential – and they’re not
going away.
Comfort and Trust
Are essential to students, and they struggle
to develop those with academic resources.
Time
Is an incredibly valuable resource to
students and they use it carefully.
Stress and Anxiety
Are a significant part of the research
experience.
Authority
Students are looking for a way to feel in
charge of their research experience.

21. Thank you!
dcostello@ebsco.com
@deirdre_lyon