[WEB4LIB] Teaching useful skills to our users

[James Capobianco]

Carol Dales wrote:
>On this or another list (sorry, I don't recall the details), someone
>taught controlled vocabulary through the metaphor of ordering a Big Mac
>at Burger King. Users see quickly how to use the language the database
>understands to get what they want---and are happy to use the tool
>provided to find out what that vocabulary is.

Aha, but what about if I go to Starbucks to get a drink. Isn't it perfectly valid for me to ask the person at the register for "A latte, please, large, with only half the caffeine and with soy milk." That's pretty specifically what I want, but it is their job to translate that into "Grande, Half-Caff, Soy Latte" for the person at the bar. How would you feel if the Starbucks worker said to you, "I'm sorry, I don't understand what you just said. Let me explain how you are supposed to order a drink...?"
I think this is a better example of what the users want and expect than the example with the shirts in the store.
Shouldn't it be our job to design systems that go from how the user asks the question to the results they expect, not from teaching them how to ask the question that would be easiest for us to understand?

James

James Capobianco
Coordinator of Web Development and
Reference Librarian
Emerson College Library
120 Boylston Street, 3rd Floor
Boston, MA 02116-4624
617.824.8332
james_capobianco at emerson.edu
IM: Wundercapo