HEIRNET User Survey 2005
Report and analysis undertaken by ADS on behalf of HEIRNET By J. Brewer and W.G. Kilbride
2006
1.1 Findings
- 1.1.1 The archaeology and historic environment community is an active
on-line community whose information needs currently match and in some
ways exceed those of the wider public.
- 1.1.2 Though our understanding of user needs and expectations has
been enhanced through this survey, the user community has not yet
been fully understood, nor do we understand in detail what users do
with resources once obtained.
- 1.1.3 The diverse needs of the community are currently met by diverse
resources. Each type of HEIR studied here has a dedicated group of
frequent users. Nonetheless none of these services could be said to
have reached its full potential.
- 1.1.4 Users have clear preferences in terms of what they would like
to access through HEIR websites. Particular preferences can be identified
for downloads, especially for written materials (journals and reports),
images and maps.
- 1.1.5 Responses to the survey indicate a number of behaviours that
might be considered outside the scope of HEIRs to support. In particular,
respondents sought access to information about jobs, a service not
currently supported by the HEIRs surveyed, but which could be supplied
through HEIRs acting as intermediaries for third party information
sources.
- 1.1.6 Respondents expressed a desire to find out more about the
range of resources available and their potential uses. In some case
this desire to find out more could be described as frustration at
trying to keep up with the rapid changes. Segmentation and proliferation
confounds users.
- 1.1.7 Knowledge of HEIRs is not uniform: segments of the user community
show preferences for specific resources. For example, students seem
more familiar with ADS than private researchers, who in turn seem
more familiar with the national heritage agencies. The CBA alone seems
to serve the range of users in equal measure.
- 1.1.8 The categories in which we have placed users need to be refined
further. In particular specific groups need more research to ensure
they are properly represented.
- 1.1.9 HEIRs with the most clearly defined user community seemed
most effective at communicating with that audience.
- 1.1.10 Users are concerned by the duplication and proliferation
of resources available to them but they are not put off by services
which link many resources together.