Online Catalogue
of Type Specimens of Orchid Species Names
website
Overview
The information about type specimens of orchid species names is scattered across different offline and online sources, e.g., journals, publications, herbarium collections. Thus, the idea of designing the Catalogue was born - a system that will help gather the knowledge on orchids type specimens of orchid species names from all sources into one place, easily accessible to all taxonomists around the world via the Internet.
My role
UX researcher
I was responsible for planning and conducting UCD research to identify user, business, and system requirements for the Catalogue.
Tools: Adobe Xd, Adobe Illustrator, Microsoft Teams, NoviSurvey, Microsoft Word
Type: Honours Project
Timeframe: six weeks, 2022
Problem
Professionals specialising in orchid taxonomy face significant challenges in conducting their research efficiently. Currently, they struggle with the laborious process of accessing a diverse range of resources online and offline, often resorting to visiting herbaria to inspect plant specimens firsthand to learn about specific species names. Their work would be greatly enhanced by the availability of a comprehensive online tool that consolidates both offline and online information on species names, providing easy accessibility to all necessary resources in one centralised platform.
Solution
The Online Catalogue of Type Specimens of Orchid Species Names (the Catalogue) - software designed for professionals working in orchid taxonomy and related fields, e.g., herbarium workers. It enables the collection, storage, and retrieval of information about orchid species names via the Internet.
Research goals
- Define the project scope
- Identify user, business, and system requirements for the Catalogue
- Present requirements and research findings to the client and stakeholders
Understanding the problem
Initial meeting with the client helped me gather general information on the system and its domain. The Catalogue should allow searching, updating, and adding new data by researchers who wish to join the Catalogue community. All the data should be displayed according to the hierarchical data structure (e.g., taxonomy rules) as specified by the client's requirements.
The interface should be intuitive and easy to use for users of different levels of technical skills, with clear labels and categories.
The Catalogue users are researchers from around the world, professionals in orchid taxonomy or related fields, and English may not be their mother tongue. However, the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants strongly suggests that the default language of the Catalogue is English.
Gathering insight
I needed to gain a better understanding of orchid taxonomists' needs, habits, and pain points when searching for information about type specimens of orchid species names. To begin building this foundational knowledge, I planned extensive user research:
- Competitive analysis - the research focused on the system domain, design solutions, and style, based on tools selected by the client
- Website content analysis - the research focused on analysing context, labels, hierarchy, and identifying user and system requirements
- Semi-structured interview - learning more about business and user requirements
- Prototyping - incorporating identified requirements into design solutions; communicating design ideas and concepts; presenting visual design
- Usability testing - testing and evaluating requirements and their implementation
- User satisfaction survey - evaluating design and requirements
Research methods
Competitive analysis
Competitive analysis was conducted on 5 online tools used currently by the users (orchid taxonomists) in their type specimens oriented research.
By analysing the text and structure of portals selected by the client, I began identifying users' pain points, desired solutions for the system, and potential design ideas. This task focused on gathering ideas for the Catalogue to make it familiar, intuitive, and easy to use.
Website content analysis
WCA was conducted on the same tools as CA. I analysed the text and structure of displayed data and was able to create a draft of user and system requirements.
This experience helped me highlight areas I should ask about during the interview.
Semi-structured interview
The interview questions were based on CA and WCA findings. I used a semi-structured interview, which allowed for better discussion of specific user, business, and system requirements. I designed this interview in accordance with the university's ethical guidance and provided the client with a participant information sheet and consent form.
Questions focused on the client's needs as a user and as a business representative. The interview was conducted on Microsoft Teams.
This experience allowed me to better understand user demographics, challenges, and context of use. It also helped me understand specific requirements regarding data management and storage - features of an admin panel for researchers who wish to join and add contributions to the Catalogue's database.
This interview was a great source of user, business, and system requirements.
All the data collected and analysed so far helped me draft the System Requirements Specification, which listed all user, business, and system requirements in respective categories and helped me start working on incorporating solutions into the system design.
Prototype
I decided to create a prototype in Adobe XD - this tool allows sharing the prototype in different stages of creation with stakeholders and getting their feedback.
First prototype stage
At the beginning of this phase, I focused on the main system functionalities and designing user journeys based on user tasks.
I created a wireframed version of the prototype to show it to the client at the early design stage and to get their feedback. The client really appreciated the idea and suggested only a couple of changes to the design.
Wireframes
1. Page with a record of a type specimen
Wireframes covered application's main screens and admin panel pages.
The client could see the pages layout, proposed categories and the draft of the main website features.
Here are 3 examples of wireframed pages.
2. Search results page
3. Admin panel landing page
Second prototype stage
After receiving feedback on wireframes, I created a high-fidelity version of the prototype. This version included more pages and features, and presented the first proposal of style and the colour palette chosen for the Catalogue.
The catalogue prototype was created for usability testing, so I focused on creating functional features such as: a search bar, a login form, and a new type specimen record. These features were related to the most common tasks performed by the user, so their usability was tested in the first iteration of the design phase.
Screens from the prototype:
1. The Catalogue landing page
The prototype was fully functional and allowed users to interact with the interface.
Here are selected from the Catalogue prototype screens (1-3).
2. Search results page
3. Record page
4. Admin panel landing page
The admin panel was designed for registered users to make contributions to the Catalogue database.
Admins would have different ranks and permissions to add, update, and manage data. They would also view their statistics (screen 4).
The following screens (5-8) show the process of adding a new record.
5. Adding new record step one
6. Adding new record step two
7. Adding new record step three
8. Record preview
Usability testing
I designed usability testing research to be completely remote and self-administered by the users - the preferred way for busy researchers. I created a usability testing scenario including six of the most common user tasks to complete within the Catalogue and admin panel, and a user satisfaction survey at the end of the session instead of a typical post-session interview. The study was anonymous and conducted according to Edinburgh Napier University's ethical guidance and GDPR.
The client pilot tested the usability testing session and provided valuable feedback regarding the prototype and usability testing session.
All users were contacted via email and provided with a link to the study, which started with the information about the research (participant information sheet) and a user consent form.
The study included short information regarding prototype limitations and a list of tasks with a link to the online prototype. Users were able to give feedback about each task and complete a user satisfaction survey. The survey included questions about the user's demographic, habits, experience in taxonomy research, and their preferences and opinions regarding the prototype features and usability.
I used all the data that was gathered and analysed to update the prototype and the System Requirements Specification draft to its first version. I also wrote an evaluation report that summarised and assessed my work.
System Requirements Specification
I wrote the first version of the System Requirements Specification (SyRS), a document for the client and developers to present the research findings.
All identified user, business, and system requirements were divided into respective categories and ranked according to MoSCoW Prioritisation Method, which clearly defines which requirements have priority in the first iteration of the development phase.
The client was very happy with the research outcome and the method of presenting data.
Next steps
As I move into the second, and final stage of the Catalogue design and development, my next steps are:
- Finalise design of remaining screens - finishing screens of features that haven't been tested yet
- Continuing to develop the Catalogue's UI and branding to create a simple, valuable, and visually engaging user experience.
- Undertaking rounds of usability testing - it will allow me to refine current features and content, developing an even more user-friendly and engaging user experience
Learnings & Challenges
The first stage of designing the Catalogue has offered me a valuable opportunity to explore my planning and organising skills. In the next stage, I explored and expanded my skillset within the discovery and design stages by tailoring each research method and tool to the specific project requirements and constraints (e.g., fully online research).
One of the challenging parts of the design was to overcome limitations of a prototype developed in Adobe XD. I had to come up with a creative way of filling in the multiple forms the users had to test during usability testing. However, this experience allowed me to significantly improve my prototyping skills and planning usability testing scenarios.
I find this project challenging but also interesting and rich in learning opportunities. Therefore, moving forward, I'm going to focus on designing remaining features and screens and planning testing with an even greater number of end-users.
