Improving the advanced search form
Hi there, I am currently working on improving accessibility of koha opac site with our accessibility expert. One of the things we noticed is that the advanced search option is not only confusing for blind users but also even for normal users. I have noticed the following issues with it: 1) By default the Fewer Options option is selected, which is not obvious to the normal users until they click on More Options. 2) The layout could be a lot better, in particular the Fewer Options search form is quite abstract in what it does. For example, the default boolean operator is AND which is not obvious to even normal user. In my opinion, layout similar to the one http://kea.massey.ac.nz/search/X, is better. Looking forward to your comments/feedback. Srikanth
On 25 October 2012 14:55, Srikanth Dhondi <srikanth@catalyst.net.nz> wrote:
Hi there,
I am currently working on improving accessibility of koha opac site with our accessibility expert. One of the things we noticed is that the advanced search option is not only confusing for blind users but also even for normal users.
I have noticed the following issues with it:
1) By default the Fewer Options option is selected, which is not obvious to the normal users until they click on More Options.
2) The layout could be a lot better, in particular the Fewer Options search form is quite abstract in what it does.
For example, the default boolean operator is AND which is not obvious to even normal user.
In my opinion, layout similar to the one http://kea.massey.ac.nz/search/X, is better.
I'm going to disagree and say that site is horrid :) Maybe others will have different opinions though. Chris
Agree advanced search could and should be improved, but don't like example suggested. I generallly like the "look: of the Koha advanced search page. The problem (apart from any accessibility issues) is that some functions don't work as one might expect - as outlined below. Also: We would like to turn off or limit languages to onees that are actually available in our catalog. The Search for additional content types is really misleading as it relies on codes from marc field 008 which may or may not have been used. I'm sure I have other issues with this screen and I would be keen to discuss any improvements further. We support anything that makes it more accessible too. Gay -----Original Message----- From: koha-bounces@lists.katipo.co.nz [mailto:koha-bounces@lists.katipo.co.nz] On Behalf Of Chris Cormack Sent: Thursday, 25 October 2012 3:03 p.m. To: Srikanth Dhondi Cc: koha@lists.katipo.co.nz Subject: Re: [Koha] Improving the advanced search form On 25 October 2012 14:55, Srikanth Dhondi <srikanth@catalyst.net.nz> wrote:
Hi there,
I am currently working on improving accessibility of koha opac site with our accessibility expert. One of the things we noticed is that the advanced search option is not only confusing for blind users but also even for normal users.
I have noticed the following issues with it:
1) By default the Fewer Options option is selected, which is not obvious to the normal users until they click on More Options.
2) The layout could be a lot better, in particular the Fewer Options search form is quite abstract in what it does.
For example, the default boolean operator is AND which is not obvious to even normal user.
In my opinion, layout similar to the one http://kea.massey.ac.nz/search/X, is better.
I'm going to disagree and say that site is horrid :) Maybe others will have different opinions though. Chris _______________________________________________ Koha mailing list http://koha-community.org Koha@lists.katipo.co.nz http://lists.katipo.co.nz/mailman/listinfo/koha
Hello We too want to turn off or limit languages to ones that are actually available in our catalog. It's not easy but possible : you need to modify 3 tables in the MySQL database : - language_descriptions - language_rfc4646_to_iso639 - language_subtag_registry We are going to do this in my library (not done yet...). Regards Mathieu Saby Rennes 2 University Gay Richards a écrit :
Agree advanced search could and should be improved, but don't like example suggested.
I generallly like the "look: of the Koha advanced search page. The problem (apart from any accessibility issues) is that some functions don't work as one might expect - as outlined below. Also:
We would like to turn off or limit languages to onees that are actually available in our catalog.
The Search for additional content types is really misleading as it relies on codes from marc field 008 which may or may not have been used. I'm sure I have other issues with this screen and I would be keen to discuss any improvements further. We support anything that makes it more accessible too. Gay
-----Original Message----- From: koha-bounces@lists.katipo.co.nz [mailto:koha-bounces@lists.katipo.co.nz] On Behalf Of Chris Cormack Sent: Thursday, 25 October 2012 3:03 p.m. To: Srikanth Dhondi Cc: koha@lists.katipo.co.nz Subject: Re: [Koha] Improving the advanced search form
On 25 October 2012 14:55, Srikanth Dhondi <srikanth@catalyst.net.nz> wrote:
Hi there,
I am currently working on improving accessibility of koha opac site with our accessibility expert. One of the things we noticed is that the advanced search option is not only confusing for blind users but also even for normal users.
I have noticed the following issues with it:
1) By default the Fewer Options option is selected, which is not obvious to the normal users until they click on More Options.
2) The layout could be a lot better, in particular the Fewer Options search form is quite abstract in what it does.
For example, the default boolean operator is AND which is not obvious to even normal user.
In my opinion, layout similar to the one http://kea.massey.ac.nz/search/X, is better.
I'm going to disagree and say that site is horrid :)
Maybe others will have different opinions though.
Chris _______________________________________________ Koha mailing list http://koha-community.org Koha@lists.katipo.co.nz http://lists.katipo.co.nz/mailman/listinfo/koha _______________________________________________ Koha mailing list http://koha-community.org Koha@lists.katipo.co.nz http://lists.katipo.co.nz/mailman/listinfo/koha
-- Mathieu Saby Service d'Informatique Documentaire Service Commun de Documentation Université Rennes 2 Téléphone : 02 99 14 12 65 Courriel : mathieu.saby@univ-rennes2.fr
Hello, To limit languages to ones, you can use the OPAC prefs and especially the field opacuserjs. Using JQUERY, you can remove some languages. By exemple : $(document).ready(function(){ $('#langfilter option[value=ln,rtrn:rum]').remove(); $('#langfilter option[value=ln,rtrn:ara]').remove(); $('#langfilter option[value=ln,rtrn:bul]').remove(); $('#langfilter option[value=ln,rtrn:chi]').remove(); $('#langfilter option[value=ln,rtrn:cze]').remove(); $('#langfilter option[value=ln,rtrn:dan]').remove(); $('#langfilter option[value=ln,rtrn:dut]').remove(); $('#langfilter option[value=ln,rtrn:gre]').remove(); $('#langfilter option[value=ln,rtrn:heb]').remove(); $('#langfilter option[value=ln,rtrn:hin]').remove(); $('#langfilter option[value=ln,rtrn:hun]').remove(); $('#langfilter option[value=ln,rtrn:ind]').remove(); $('#langfilter option[value=ln,rtrn:jpn]').remove(); $('#langfilter option[value=ln,rtrn:kor]').remove(); $('#langfilter option[value=ln,rtrn:lat]').remove(); $('#langfilter option[value=ln,rtrn:nob]').remove(); $('#langfilter option[value=ln,rtrn:nno]').remove(); $('#langfilter option[value=ln,rtrn:per]').remove(); $('#langfilter option[value=ln,rtrn:pol]').remove(); $('#langfilter option[value=ln,rtrn:por]').remove(); $('#langfilter option[value=ln,rtrn:swe]').remove(); $('#langfilter option[value=ln,rtrn:tha]').remove(); $('#langfilter option[value=ln,rtrn:tur]').remove(); $('#langfilter option[value=ln,rtrn:ukr]').remove(); } Best regards, Yves Tomic Université Paris Sud Gay Richards a écrit :
Agree advanced search could and should be improved, but don't like example suggested.
I generallly like the "look: of the Koha advanced search page. The problem (apart from any accessibility issues) is that some functions don't work as one might expect - as outlined below. Also:
We would like to turn off or limit languages to onees that are actually available in our catalog.
The Search for additional content types is really misleading as it relies on codes from marc field 008 which may or may not have been used. I'm sure I have other issues with this screen and I would be keen to discuss any improvements further. We support anything that makes it more accessible too. Gay
-----Original Message----- From: koha-bounces@lists.katipo.co.nz [mailto:koha-bounces@lists.katipo.co.nz] On Behalf Of Chris Cormack Sent: Thursday, 25 October 2012 3:03 p.m. To: Srikanth Dhondi Cc: koha@lists.katipo.co.nz Subject: Re: [Koha] Improving the advanced search form
On 25 October 2012 14:55, Srikanth Dhondi <srikanth@catalyst.net.nz> wrote:
Hi there,
I am currently working on improving accessibility of koha opac site with our accessibility expert. One of the things we noticed is that the advanced search option is not only confusing for blind users but also even for normal users.
I have noticed the following issues with it:
1) By default the Fewer Options option is selected, which is not obvious to the normal users until they click on More Options.
2) The layout could be a lot better, in particular the Fewer Options search form is quite abstract in what it does.
For example, the default boolean operator is AND which is not obvious to even normal user.
In my opinion, layout similar to the one http://kea.massey.ac.nz/search/X, is better.
I'm going to disagree and say that site is horrid :)
Maybe others will have different opinions though.
Chris _______________________________________________ Koha mailing list http://koha-community.org Koha@lists.katipo.co.nz http://lists.katipo.co.nz/mailman/listinfo/koha _______________________________________________ Koha mailing list http://koha-community.org Koha@lists.katipo.co.nz http://lists.katipo.co.nz/mailman/listinfo/koha
-- Yves Tomic Université Paris Sud Service Commun de la documentation Bibliothèque universitaire d'Orsay Département du Système d'information documentaire Domaine universitaire - Bâtiment 407 91405 Orsay Cedex Tél. : 0169156169
On Wed, Oct 24, 2012 at 10:03 PM, Chris Cormack <chris@bigballofwax.co.nz> wrote:
On 25 October 2012 14:55, Srikanth Dhondi <srikanth@catalyst.net.nz> wrote:
In my opinion, layout similar to the one http://kea.massey.ac.nz/search/X, is better.
I'm going to disagree and say that site is horrid :)
Actually I think that layout isn't much different from the way Koha is now, other than the fact that is shows "more options" by default. The reason Koha doesn't show more options by default is that it was thought it would be better not to make the advanced search page *too* advanced. The expandedSearchOption system preference can be switched if one disagrees. I too think the advanced search page could be improved, but I think we need to define (and agree on) some goals. - improved accessibility - improved usability (layout? labeling? help?) - improved appearance (style) - improved functionality The first three are relatively easy in that they don't require programming. The last one seems to be the one people are responding to but is also the most difficult to accomplish.
For example, the default boolean operator is AND which is not obvious to even normal user.
I would contend that the "normal" user has no idea what a default boolean operator is. I think we should probably focus on making both the "fewer" and "more" views look and work better without worrying about whether "fewer" should have more and vice versa. -- Owen -- Web Developer Athens County Public Libraries http://www.myacpl.org
participants (6)
-
Chris Cormack -
Gay Richards -
Mathieu Saby -
Owen Leonard -
Srikanth Dhondi -
yves.tomic