SILS-ETD

Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/1901/195

Title: Art Historians' Use of Digital Images: a Usability Test of ARTstor
Authors: A. Pask
Keyword: Art/ Databases
Keyword: Digital Images
Keyword: Human Computer Interaction
Keyword: Pictures/ Databases
Issue Date: 18-Apr-2005
Publisher: School of Information and Library Science
Abstract: The purpose of this study is to investigate how art historians use images in their research and teaching and to evaluate the ARTstor image database by conducting a usability test. The content of ARTstor is made up of diverse collections of images that ARTstor has acquired through partnerships with museums, archives and universities. This study consitsted of interviews with 2 art history professors and a usability test of 5 participants. The interviews provided guidance for the creation of tasks which were used in the usability test. Overall, the participants were impressed with the content and quality of images in the database; however, the results of the usability test found problems with the interpretation of the icon functions and the Advanced Search field names and navigating the browsing feature. Recommendations are made for continued cooperation between art historians and ART in order to make ARTstor as useful as possible.
URI: http://hdl.handle.net/1901/195
Appears in Collections:SILS Master's Papers

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