HydroShare User Experience report

The University of Texas at Austin (UT) Texas Advanced Computing Center’s (TACC) Expanding Pathways in Computing (EPIC) STEM Evaluation Services was funded by NSF to design and conduct an external evaluation and technical review of HydroShare’s user experience. Beginning in March 2021, EPIC used a mixed methods approach to assess users’ perceptions of and experience with HydroShare’s core services and features, the system’s effectiveness and resulting outcomes and impact, challenges and technical issues experienced, and recommendations for strengthening the system and its accessibility.

The primary questions addressed through the HydroShare user experience evaluation are as follows:
1. Who is using HydroShare? For what research or work are they using HydroShare?
2. What are users’ perceptions of and experience with HydroShare services and features?
3. What outcomes and impact has HydroShare had on users’ research and the broader community?
4. What challenges and/or technical issues do users experience when using HydroShare?
5. How accessible is the system for individuals with special needs?
6. What are recommendations to strengthen the accessibility and effectiveness of HydroShare
services, features, resources, and supports?

This report summarizes findings and recommendations from the technical review and external evaluation of HydroShare’s user experience using data collected from April-November 2021, including
usage data, user surveys, user interviews, stakeholder interviews, and user micro-surveys.

德克萨斯大学奥斯汀分校（University of Texas at Austin，简称UT）下属得克萨斯高级计算中心（Texas Advanced Computing Center，简称TACC）的计算拓展路径（Expanding Pathways in Computing，简称EPIC）STEM评估服务团队，获美国国家科学基金会（National Science Foundation，简称NSF）资助，旨在为HydroShare设计并开展针对其用户体验的外部评估与技术审查。

自2021年3月起，EPIC采用混合研究方法，对以下内容进行评估：用户对HydroShare核心服务与功能的认知与使用体验、系统的运行效能及由此产生的成果与影响、用户遭遇的各类挑战与技术问题，以及针对优化该系统及其可访问性的改进建议。

本次HydroShare用户体验评估拟解答的核心问题如下：
1. 哪些群体正在使用HydroShare？他们将HydroShare应用于哪些研究或工作场景？
2. 用户对HydroShare的服务与功能持有怎样的认知，其实际使用体验如何？
3. HydroShare为用户的研究工作及更广泛的相关社区带来了哪些成果与影响？
4. 用户在使用HydroShare过程中会遇到哪些挑战或技术问题？
5. 该系统对于特殊需求群体的可访问性水平如何？
6. 针对如何提升HydroShare的服务、功能、资源与支持体系的可访问性与运行效能，有哪些优化建议？

本报告基于2021年4月至11月期间收集的使用数据、用户问卷、用户访谈、利益相关者访谈及用户微型问卷等资料，总结了针对HydroShare用户体验的技术审查与外部评估的结果及优化建议。