The design and evaluation of a front-end user interface for energy researchers

We report on a two-year project funded by the United States Department of Energy (DOE) to develop a set of microcomputer-based training and assistance programs to support end user access to the Energy Database on the DOE information retrieval systems. We studied the information needs and information-seeking habits of energy researchers and then designed a set of programs tailored to their skill levels and needs. The software was developed in several iterations, with laboratory testing after each cycle. We learned that it was possible to construct a 10- to 15-minute instructional program and an automated assistance program that would allow most of the experimental users to conduct a reasonable search. However, the searches tended to be overly complex and problems with term selection remain. We discuss the issues in development, evaluation, and the study of user behavior in designing an interface tailored to a special population.