1. Complex information presentation
1.1. Complex information presentation: excessive information or features
Definition: A DL presents too much information at once.
Leading to the following Help-seeking situations:
F1. Confusion about digital library structure or browse categories
A4/D5. Difficulty locating or accessing multimedia controls
C2/D7. Difficulty locating or understanding help information
F2. Difficulty understanding results structure or layout
1.2. Complex information presentation: illogical structure
Definition: A DL does not present the organization of page elements in a rational way within or across DL page(s).
Leading to the following Help-seeking situations:
F1. Confusion about digital library structure or browse categories
B1. Difficulty assessing relevance of an item
E2. Difficulty identifying current location or tracking paths
A4/D5. Difficulty locating or accessing multimedia controls
A3/D4. Difficulty locating or accessing information related to visual items
A5/D6. Difficulty locating or accessing search features
C2/D7. Difficulty locating or understanding help information
E4. Difficulty navigating through a DL
F2. Difficulty understanding results structure or layout
C4. Difficulty understanding how to use a DL
1.3. Complex information presentation: illogical organization of information
Definition: A DL does not present information topics in a rational way.
Leading to the following Help-seeking situations:
F1. Confusion about digital library structure or browse categories
E2. Difficulty identifying current location or tracking paths
A5/D6. Difficulty locating or accessing search features
C2/D7. Difficulty locating or understanding help information
E4. Difficulty navigating through a DL
F2. Difficulty understanding results structure or layout
C4. Difficulty understanding how to use a DL
1.4. Complex information presentation: inconsistent page structure
Definition: Different pages of the DL organize their content and navigation structure differently.
Leading to the following Help-seeking situations:
F1. Confusion about digital library structure or browse categories
E4. Difficulty navigating through a DL
1.5. Complex information presentation: multiple layers (or steps) to relevant DL items
Definition: Accessing an item (e.g., transcript of a visual item) requires clicking several links.
Leading to the following Help-seeking situations:
A3/D4. Difficulty locating or accessing information related to visual items
2. Inadequate features/functions
2.1. Inadequate features/functions: links
Definition: Links do not direct a user to the intended page.
Leading to the following Help-seeking situation:
A1. Difficulty accessing a clickable element
2.2. Inadequate features/functions: pre-populated search field
Definition: Search input box displays keywords from previous search or placeholder text.
Leading to the following Help-seeking situation:
E6. Difficulty recognizing pre-existing text in an input box
2.3. Inadequate features/functions: tracking searches
Definition: Existing features do not help users to examine search history.
Leading to the following Help-seeking situation:
H3. Difficulty tracking searches
3. Inadequate feedback
3.1. Inadequate feedback: DL state
Definition: Existing notifications do not help the user track a change in the state of the DL including page loading status.
Leading to the following Help-seeking situation:
E5. Difficulty recognizing current status of a DL
3.2. Inadequate feedback: dynamic applications/features/content
Definition: Existing notifications do not alert the user that a dynamic application, feature, or content is available, updating, or updated.
Leading to the following Help-seeking situations:
H1. Difficulty constructing search queries
C1. Difficulty detecting or using dynamic features and content
A4/D5. Difficulty locating or accessing multimedia controls
3.3. Inadequate feedback: input box
Definition: DL does not notify whether an input box is blank or includes pre-populated text.
Leading to the following Help-seeking situation:
E6. Difficulty recognizing pre-existing text in an input box
4. Inadequate help information
4.1. Inadequate help information: media player
Definition: Directions for locating or operating a media player control are either absent or ambiguous.
Leading to the following Help-seeking situation:
A4/D5. Difficulty locating or accessing multimedia controls
4.2. Inadequate help information: navigation aids
Definition: Features or information regarding the search path are either missing or insufficient.
Leading to the following Help-seeking situation:
E2. Difficulty identifying current location or tracking paths
4.3. Inadequate help information: overall
Definition: Existing help resources do not assist users in identifying relevant help topics.
Leading to the following Help-seeking situation:
C2/D7. Difficulty locating or understanding help information
5. Inadequate indication
5.1. Inadequate indication: advanced search
Definition: The availability of advanced search is not notified to the screen reader software.
Leading to the following Help-seeking situation:
A5/D6. Difficulty locating or accessing search features
5.2. Inadequate indication: auto-suggestion
Definition: The availability of suggested keywords or phrases is not notified to the screen reader software.
Leading to the following Help-seeking situation:
A5/D6. Difficulty locating or accessing search features
5.3. Inadequate indication: search terms or key terms found
Definition: Words or phrases found on a page by keyword search are not signaled by a non-visual indicator to alert the user of their presence.
Leading to the following Help-seeking situation:
D2. Difficulty locating a specific word, phrase, or related term
6. Inadequate Knowledge
Sub factor: Inadequate knowledge: assistive technology
Definition: Users do not possess the know-how necessary to operate a DL using screen reader software.
Leading to the following Help-seeking situation:
I1. Situations related to compatibility issues
6.1. Inadequate knowledge: DL
Definition: Users do not have enough information or experience related to the digital library being used.
Leading to the following Help-seeking situations:
C2/D7. Difficulty locating or understanding help information
C4. Difficulty understanding how to use a DL
C5. Difficulty understanding or using a specific feature
F2. Difficulty understanding results structure or layout
6.2. Inadequate knowledge: domain knowledge
Definition: Users do not have familiarity or background knowledge regarding a given search topic.
Leading to the following Help-seeking situations:
B1. Difficulty assessing relevance of an item
H1. Difficulty constructing search queries
C2/D7. Difficulty locating or understanding help information
H2. Difficulty refining search queries
6.3. Inadequate knowledge: information retrieval
Definition: Users lack the necessary know-how regarding how to search for information.
Leading to the following Help-seeking situations:
G1. Avoidance of format, approach, or features
B1. Difficulty assessing relevance of an item
H1. Difficulty constructing search queries
D1/E1. Difficulty detecting or locating search results
C3. Difficulty recognizing or interpreting a label
I1. Situations related to compatibility issues
6.4. Inadequate knowledge: non-DL IR systems
Definition: Users have insufficient experience using a non-DL IR system.
Leading to the following Help-seeking situations:
G1. Avoidance of format, approach, or features
F1. Confusion about digital library structure or browse categories
6.5. Inadequate knowledge: operating system
Definition: Users do not have enough experience related to the usage of the OS.
Leading to the following Help-seeking situation:
I1. Situations related to compatibility issues
7. Inadequate support
7.1. Inadequate support: keyboard input
Definition: Active elements do not activate using typical keyboard commands.
Leading to the following Help-seeking situation:
A1. Difficulty accessing a clickable element
7.2. Inadequate support: contextual cues
Definition: Content surrounding an inaccessible or incomprehensible item does not assist a user in understanding what this item entails.
Leading to the following Help-seeking situations:
F1. Confusion about digital library structure or browse categories
B1. Difficulty assessing relevance of an item
D1/E1. Difficulty detecting or locating search results
E2. Difficulty identifying current location or tracking paths
E3. Difficulty identifying items that require downloading before viewing
E5. Difficulty recognizing current status of a DL
F2. Difficulty understanding results structure or layout
7.3. Inadequate support: document formatting
Definition: Text formatting of a DL document (e.g., transcript of a visual item) is not suitable for recognition by screen reader software.
Leading to the following Help-seeking situation:
A2. Difficulty accessing content of a scanned document
7.4. Inadequate support: previously visited page
Definition: Lack of features to support BVI users go back to previously visited pages.
Leading to the following Help-seeking situation:
E2. Difficulty identifying current location or tracking paths
7.5. Inadequate support: transcript legibility
Definition: Illegible transcripts are presented in DLs due to low quality of the transcription.
Leading to the following Help-seeking situations:
A2. Difficulty accessing content of a scanned document
7.6. Inadequate support: visual item description
Definition: Existing visual items do not have appropriate alt text or supplementary description.
Leading to the following Help-seeking situation:
G1. Avoidance of format, approach, or features
8. Inappropriate labeling
8.1. Inappropriate labeling: active elements
Definition: Existing label of an active element does not clarify its purpose/function or how to interact with it.
Leading to the following Help-seeking situations:
G1. Avoidance of format, approach, or features
F1. Confusion about digital library structure or browse categories
A1. Difficulty accessing a clickable element
E3. Difficulty identifying items that require downloading before viewing
C3. Difficulty recognizing or interpreting a label
C4. Difficulty understanding how to use a DL
8.2. Inappropriate labeling: applications
Definition: Existing label of an application does not clarify its purpose/ function or how to interact with it.
Leading to the following Help-seeking situations:
G1. Avoidance of format, approach, or features
F1. Confusion about digital library structure or browse categories
A3/D4. Difficulty locating or accessing information related to visual items
A4/D5. Difficulty locating or accessing multimedia controls
C3. Difficulty recognizing or interpreting a label
C4. Difficulty understanding how to use a DL
F2. Difficulty understanding results structure or layout
8.3. Inappropriate labeling: features
Definition: Existing label of a feature does not clarify its purpose/function or how to interact with it.
Leading to the following Help-seeking situations:
G1. Avoidance of format, approach, or features
F1. Confusion about digital library structure or browse categories
E2. Difficulty identifying current location or tracking paths
A5/D6. Difficulty locating or accessing search features
C3. Difficulty recognizing or interpreting a label
C4. Difficulty understanding how to use a DL
C5. Difficulty understanding or using a specific feature
F2. Difficulty understanding results structure or layout
8.4. Inappropriate labeling: file formats
Definition: Existing label of a file format does not correctly indicate the format of an item.
Leading to the following Help-seeking situations:
G1. Avoidance of format, approach, or features
B2. Difficulty assessing format of an item
C3. Difficulty recognizing or interpreting a label
8.5. Inappropriate labeling: metadata
Definition: Existing label of metadata does not follow the DCMI standard.
Leading to the following Help-seeking situations:
B1. Difficulty assessing relevance of an item
C3. Difficulty recognizing or interpreting a label
8.6. Inappropriate labeling: misplaced labels
Definition: Use of placeholder text within a label input box.
Leading to the following Help-seeking situation:
E6. Difficulty recognizing pre-existing text in an input box
8.7. Inappropriate labeling: unlabeled active elements
Definition: Active element is not assigned a descriptive label.
Leading to the following Help-seeking situation:
A1. Difficulty accessing a clickable element
9. Incompatibility
9.1. Incompatibility: content incompatible with screen reader software
Definition: Content of DL page or document is organized/formatted in a way incompatible with screen reader software.
Leading to the following Help-seeking situation:
C1. Difficulty detecting or using dynamic features and content
9.2. Incompatibility: media player incompatible with screen reader software
Definition: Media player provided by the DL does not work with screen reader software.
Leading to the following Help-seeking situation:
A4/D5. Difficulty locating or accessing multimedia controls
10. Lack of features/functions/items/information
10.1. Lack of features/functions/items/information: a shortcut to the desired content
Definition: Existing features do not help users directly access an item of interest (e.g., transcript of a scanned document.)
Leading to the following Help-seeking situation:
A3/D4. Difficulty locating or accessing information related to visual items
10.2. Lack of features/functions/items/information: descriptive information
Definition: Existing item or features does not include a meaningful label, supplementary instruction, or metadata description.
Leading to the following Help-seeking situations:
B1. Difficulty assessing relevance of an item
B2. Difficulty assessing format of an item
D2. Difficulty locating a specific word, phrase, or related term
10.3. Lack of features/functions/items/information: transcripts for visual items
Definition: Transcripts are not provided for visual items.
Leading to the following Help-seeking situation:
A3/D4. Difficulty locating or accessing information related to visual items
11. Unclear instruction
11.1. Unclear instruction: the overall structure of a DL
Definition: DL does not explain what the overall structure is and/or how to use it.
Leading to the following Help-seeking situation:
F1. Confusion about digital library structure or browse categories
11.2. Unclear instruction: the browse categories of a DL
Definition: DL does not explain what the browse categories are and/or how to use them.
Leading to the following Help-seeking situation:
F1. Confusion about digital library structure or browse categories
11.3. Unclear Instruction: file type/format
Definition: No indication of the file type/format of an item and/or how to view it.
Leading to the following Help-seeking situation:
B2. Difficulty assessing format of an item
11.4. Unclear instruction: DL features
Definition: DL does not explain what a specific feature is and/or how to use it.
Leading to the following Help-seeking situations:
C4. Difficulty understanding how to use a DL
C5. Difficulty understanding or using a specific feature
11.5. Unclear instruction: help feature
Definition: DL does not explain how to locate and/or use needed help information.
Leading to the following Help-seeking situation:
C2/D7. Difficulty locating or understanding help information
11.6. Unclear instruction: keyword search
Definition: DL does not explain how to use the search box and/or how to construct search statements.
Leading to the following Help-seeking situation:
H1. Difficulty constructing search queries
11.7. Unclear instruction: compatibility of web browsers
Definition: DL does not indicate if the web browser being used is incompatible with screen reader software.
Leading to the following Help-seeking situation: