ACE | Use Cases
Use Case: basic search, annotating, and saving from ACE home
A user logs into his ACE home page. The home page contains a list of default search resources including Google, Google Scholar, California Digital Library (CDL) links, some library Databases, and Melvyl. On the home page, the user can also see a list of the projects he has created. Additionally, he can manage his projects, groups and search resources. The user can configure the resources he uses to search by checking a box next to each of them.
The user wants to do a search from the home page, so he clicks three of the search resources: Google, Google Scholar, and CDL. He types in a keyword phrase and hits the 'go' button. The search results are returned to the user as a list of document titles with brief descriptions and links to read more (Google-style). He selects five of the results by checking boxes next to them and clicks 'save.' He chooses a project and clicks 'save.' He is returned to the result page with the items still selected. He then clicks 'annotate.' He adds comments about the topic and potential usefulness of each article. He clicks 'done' to save the annotation after annotating each item. He can then view annotations, repeat the process to save to another project, or conduct another search or exit the application.
Use Case: Project-centric searching and saving
A user logs into her ACE home page. She opens one of the project folders she has created. In one area of the page, she sees a list of search resources that she likes to use for this project. In another area, she sees a list of useful items she has already found for this project, along with brief notes on each of them. She adds an annotation to one, and edits the annotation for another. She conducts a few more searches, marking items that she wants to save to her list as she goes. (Each time she saves, she has the option of adding an annotation.) When she is finished searching, she reviews the list and deletes an item or two that no longer seem useful. She marks a selection of resources, and exports them to print or share. When she is done, she closes the folder and opens another one, or logs out.
Use case: creating an account, creating a project and performing a broad keyword search and a search on a single resource
A user creates an account and logs into ACE. On the ACE homepage he sees a list of search resources including Google, Google Search, links to the California Digital Library (CDL) collections, and links to some library databases. He notices that the search resources have check boxes next to them so that he can choose which ones to use for each search. He sees there is an area for creating, editing, and deleting projects; and an area to manage groups that allows him to create, edit, or delete a group.
He can create a project and perform searches from the home page or from the folder and add search results to the folder. He can then annotate the results, which will give others allowed to view the project more information about each project resource. He can conduct multiple searches for potential course readings using Google, Google Scholar, and library databases. When he gets results he can annotate them, or not, or he can view them to get a better sense of whether or not they will be useful. He can then save the selected results to one or more selected project folders.
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