Task analysis cases and results for Ex Libris Primo at Purdue University Libraries

<p>This study proposes hierarchical task analysis (HTA) as an important complementary evaluation method to usability testing of discovery layers. This data set presents the application of HTA as an expert based and workflow centered (e.g. retrieving a relevant book or a journal article) method to evaluating discovery layers. Purdue University’s Primo by Ex Libris was used to map eleven use cases as HTA charts. Nielsen’s Goal Composition theory was used as an analytical framework to evaluate the goal charts from two perspectives: a) users’ physical interactions (i.e. clicks), and b) user’s cognitive steps (i.e. decision points for what to do next). </p>