University of Pretoria

Academic Information Service

Program Usability

Evaluation Instrument

DSpace

Evaluated by: / Date:

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© University of Pretoria 2005 2008-06-11

Evaluation Instrument – DSpace Program Usability

Log In

Yes / No / Comments
Via WWW URL as anonymous end-user without password (READ & DOWNLOAD ONLY)
Via Portal as authenticated end-user (READ & DOWNLOAD ONLY)
Via WWW URL as authenticated DSpace registered end-user with password (READ SUBMIT, DOWNLOAD)
Via Portal as authenticated DSpace registered end-user (READ, SUBMIT, DOWNLOAD)
Via WWW URL as DSpace Administrator (EDIT, SUBMIT, READ, etc.)
Via Portal as DSpace Administrator (EDIT, SUBMIT, READ, etc.)
General Comments

E-persons

Yes / No /
Comments
Add e-persons (submitters, reviewers, editors, coordinators, subscribers)
Remove e-person
Set user policies
Edit information about e-person
Self-registering as an e-person
General Comments

Groups

Yes / No /
Comments
Create a Workflow Group
Add e-persons to Workflow Group
Edit Workflow Group
Set authorizations for Workflow Group
Change Workflow Group name
Delete Workflow Group
Create a Submitter Group
Add e-persons to Submitter Group
Edit Submitter Group
Set authorizations for Submitter Group
Change Submitter Group name
Delete Submitter Group
General Comments

Top-Level Community

Yes / No /
Comments
Create a Top-Level Community
Add a description to a Top-Level Community
Add a logo to a Top-Level Community
Modify description of Top-Level Community
Delete a Top-Level Community
Set authorizations for Groups if possible (Workflow Group and Submitter Group)
Change policies of Top-Level Community e.g. READ ONLY
Rename Top-Level Community
Map between Top-Level Communities
General Comments

Sub-Community

Yes / No /
Comments
Create a Sub-Community
Add a description to a Sub-Community
Add a logo to a Sub-Community
Modify description of Sub-Community
Delete a Sub-Community
Set authorizations for Groups if possible (Workflow Group and Submitter Group)
Change policies of Sub-Community e.g. READ ONLY
Rename Sub-Community
Map between Sub-Communities
General Comments

Collection

Yes / No /
Comments
Create a Collection
Add a description to a Collection
Add a logo to a Collection
Modify description of Collection
Delete a Collection
Change policies of Collection e.g. READ ONLY, NONE
Rename Collection
Map between Collections
Create a Submitter Group/s for the Collection
Set permission policies for Submitter Group/s
Create a Workflow Group/s for the Collection
Set permission policies for Workflow Group/s
Enter text for a License as it applies to the current Collection
Create Item Template for Collection with default metadata fields
Overwrite default metadata on Collection Template
General Comments

Dublin Core Registry

Yes / No /
Comments
Provision for DCMI type vocabulary: Collection, Event, Interactive resource, Text
Provision for Collection based metadata e.g. describing a photo-album, collections of letters in one book
Provision for additional plug-in’s e.g. TEI, EAD, VRA Core Categories
Edit Scope Notes
Add additional metadata elements
Add additional metadata element.qualifiers
Add additional metadata element.qualifier.sub-qualifiers
Change fields to Mandatory where required (Title, Subject, Date, Type, Format, Identifier, Language, Rights)
Delete metadata elements/qualifiers
Edit metadata elements/qualifiers
Importing thesauri to Subject element possible
Set default metadata for a specific Collection
Overwrite default metadata
Set metadata field/s as mandatory
General Comments

Submission Forms

Yes / No /
Comments
Create submission form template for each separate Collection
Display template for specific Collection
Edit submission form
Drop-down menus when required
Drop-down menus provide for none, not applicable, unknown
Possible to specify mandatory fields on Submission form
Possibleto add metadata fields to Submission form
Help function for each field available
Possible to enter text using ASCII characters and it dispays correctly
Paragraphs separated by blank line in Abstract field possible
General Comments

Upload Items and Bitstreams

Yes / No /
Comments
Required file sizes handled by DSpace e.g. 500 MB
Various formats e.g. 3D objects, .mpeg, mp3, .vob, .asf can be uploaded
Display thumbnails for preview possible
Possible tp secure images: when clicking on thumbnail user is required to be authenticated first (set bitstream policies)
Thumbnails can be switched on/off
Possible to upload multiple bitstreams – automatically arranged in sequential order
Hyperlinks within .pdf documents remain active after being uploaded
Can upload documents from a URL (.html files)
Upload PPT without separating sound and slide show possible
Possible to edit bitstream
Possible to remove bitstream
Items can be secured only to be viewed by authenticated users (set policies for separate items)
Decentralised/distributed input from any computer in the library/at home possible
Cancel/Save submission of item at any stage possible
Possible to define primary bitstream
Possibleto withdraw an item from a Collection
Possible to delete an item from a Collection
General Comments

Bitstream Format Registry

Yes / No /
Comments
Possible to add bitstreams e.g. 3D objects, .mpeg
Possible to delete a bitstream
Possible to edit a bitstream
Possible to set authorization policies for a bitstream
Possible to edit authorization policies for a bitstream
General Comments

Information Buttons (About UPSpace, Sign On, Contact Us, My UPSpace, E-mail Updates, Edit Profile)

Yes / No /
Comments
Meaning of each Information button (hyperlink) is clear
Mouse over explanations available
Error pages
Client needs addressed
Correct use of grammar, spelling and sentence structure
General Comments

User Guide, Help and Terms and Conditions of Use

Yes / No /
Comments
Correct use of grammar, spelling and sentence structure
User-friendly
Comprehensive enough
Clear & explanatory
Location on screen appropriate
Accommodate various learning styles e.g. visual learner
General Comments

Licensing & Copyright

Yes / No /
Comments
Grant License when submitting an item sufficient
Editing DSpace License possible
Clear and unambigious
DSpace Copyright representative of the SA Copyright Act
http://www.buys.co.za/publications/cyberlaw/CopyrightAct.htm
General Comments

Workflow (also see Collection)

Yes / No /
Comments
Possible to specify Workflow for a specific Collection
Notifications are send during workflow
Wording of e-mail messages e.g. to client when item has been rejected ae acceptable
Possible to abandon a Workflow
Possible to edit a Workflow
Workflow tasks are available through My UPSpace
General Comments

Search & Advanced Search using Lucene

Yes / No /
Comments
Search options easily accessible
Display of retrieved item/s acceptable
Time to retrieve acceptable
Time to download acceptable
Full text searching possible
Search engine search additional DC Elements
Boolean Logic searches possible
Phrase & Proximity Searching possible
Relevancy Ranking possible
Browsing of indexes possible
Truncation searches possible
Field Searching possible
Case sensitive searching possible
Controlled vocabulary searching possible
Date/range searching possible
Refining of initial search possible
Search for related terms possible
Multimedia searching possible
Search through all Communities at once possible
Restrict search to a specific Community/Collection possible
Search against title, author, subject, abstract, series, sponsor, identifier fields possible
General Comments

Navigation & Hyperlinks

Acceptable / Need improvement /
Comments
During submission of item
While creating a Community/Collection
Within My UPSpace
While searching/browsing
Rapid retrieval of information and screen transitions
Intuitive icons, menus and directional symbols that foster independent use
Logical options for printing/downloading
Search paths for return to previous screens
Easy access to cross references, additional information
Option to give feedback
No Error pages
Persistent identifiers (handle) active when copied into Address of Internet Browser
General Comments

Statistics

Yes / No /
Comments
Items: Submissions per Faculty (Top-level Community) possible to retrieve
Items: Retrieval by users per user type, e.g. post-graduate, under-graduate, academics possible to retrieve
E-persons: Metadata Editors possible to retrieve
E-persons: Reviewers possible to retrieve
E-persons: Registered subscribers possible to retrieve
General Comments

Register as a new member

Yes / No /
Comments
Register possible
Login possible
Submit possible
Subscribe to a Collection possible
View Subscriptions possible
Unsubscribe to a Collection possible
Access My UPSpace possible
General Comments

Any other recommendations/problems regarding the usability of the program not provided for in this instrument?

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© University of Pretoria 2005 2008-06-11