Soils2Satellites

Summary

We have involved representative users from targeted user communities through the whole development process. The users have been testing  the user-facing functionality of the Soils2Satellites product in an iterative format, with their input driving the ongoing development of the application. Mostly the user interface worked to meet user requirements, and the project team has been pleased to see the system being supported by potential users.

Our test users

User 1 is a postgraduate at University of Adelaide who specializes in ecological theory and genetic and genomic approaches to answering biological questions. They have worked in weed management and the impact of climate change on invasion patterns. We expected this user to represent researchers interested in species invasion and change in the face of climate change.

User 2 is the Science and Technology Lead for a TERN MSPN facility and has had a range of Scientific and Management roles in both the Northern Territory and the South Australian Government. We expected this user to represent a senior science focused researcher and University administrator exploring the information in S2S.

User 3 is an internationally respected environmental scientist who has spent many years working in the field of conservation ecology in Australia and the USA. Their primary research focus has been identifying ecological traits of species that are vulnerable to extinction. They have also worked for several state and federal government agencies. We expected this user to represent senior academics and researchers and policy making site users.

User 4 is a field ecologist and researcher. We expected this user to represent ecological data collectors and providers who could supply information.

Functional Testing

Prior to our user group becoming involved in testing a particular component of the application the project team conducted significant functional testing, to ensure that as many bugs as possible were squashed, leaving users to focus on the UX and the application’s functionality and workflow.

Use Cases

Both functional and User testing were performed with reference to the Use Cases listed below. User testing was performed in a far more “free form” manner than the Functional testing with less prescription upon specific activities and in a less structured environment.

• Find Study Location
• Find Study Location Visit
• View Study Location Summary
• View Study Location Visit Summary
• View Sampling Unit Summary
• Extract Study Location/Study Location Visit Data
• Compare Study Locations
• Compare Study Location Visit

Users also tested areas of the system, in particular with reference to the Mapping Interface without any real reference to Use Cases.

Find Study Location & Find Study Location Visit

This functionality allows a user to find one or more study location(s) matching the search criteria, they have entered. The Search criteria being either or both of

• a spatial locational area defined by drawing a bounding box on a map or
•  textual search criteria entered via a text box or selected from a pre-defined list

using this functionality returns and displays a list of matching study locations and visits that can be added to the study locations/visits list for further review.   

What succeeded:

The technique of searching for locations via a map interface and then filtering a set of returned values with further parameters is very familiar to most similar web applications and the users found this functionality intuitive and easy to use.

What we learned:

User feedback defined the amount of summary detail that was to be displayed for each returned study location and visit found by the search, they also particularly asked for a link to be included that provides swift access to the Study Location Summary details for a particular site.

View Study Location & Study Location Visits Summary

This functionality allows a user to view a set of summary data for either an individual study location or a study location visit. The user accesses the summaries via the same method of either clicking a specific link to the summary page from the list of Study Locations and Visits returned from a Search, or by accessing (via a link) the visit summary page from within the study location summary or vice versa

What succeeded:

Users easily understood the functionality, i.e. they were able to navigate to the summary pages they wished to see. Users were also happy with the level of detail in the summary pages after they had provided input. The Users saw the benefits of the data visualisations in quickly and simply representing the underlying data.

The users also contributed to the particular data visualisations in each summary page in terms of the business logic/rules for each graph/chart and also the design and layout of the page real estate.

What we learned:

Initially there were a number of data items missing from both summary data sets that we subsequently added to the data displayed when asked to by the users. The formatting and order of the data displayed was also updated based upon feedback.

We amended the navigation of the application too to make visits and study locations available in a more direct fashion by removing some of the hierarchical navigation that had initially been implemented. 

View Sampling Unit Summary

This functionality allows a user to view a particular sampling unit summary for a particular Study Location Visit. There are a number of different Sampling Unit types in Soils2Satellites

• Basal Wedge
• Point Intercept
• Structural Summary
• Soil Observation
• Soil Bulk Density
• Soil Character

Each of these Sampling Units types has a specific set of data and a set of data visualisations, the Sampling Unit Summary page is accessed via a link form either a Study Location or Study Location Visit Summary page.

What succeeded:

As with the other summary pages users easily understood the functionality, i.e. they were able to navigate to the summary pages they wished to see and understood the data they were being presented within each different Sampling Unit Summary page.

Users were also happy with the level of detail in the summary pages after they had provided input. The users saw the benefits of the data visualisations in quickly and simply representing the underlying data.

The users also contributed to the particular data visualisations in each summary page in terms of the business logic/rules for each graph/chart and also the design and layout of the page real estate.

What we learned:

Initially there were a number of data items missing from both summary data sets that we subsequently added to the data displayed when asked to by the users. The formatting and order of the data displayed was also updated based upon feedback.

The algorithms used for the Point Intercept Sampling Unit Summary in particular were significantly influenced by the user feedback as were the colours used in the visualisations that represent the transect layout – the colours were changed to the actual colours of substrates recorded in the field. The size of the points representing the individual Growth forms recorded in the transact are also due to direct input from the users.

The particular visualisation showing comparison between Auscover Fractional Cover layer data and equivalent “Ground Truthing” data from AusPlots/TREND  is also a result of direct input from users. 

Extract Study Location/Study Location Visit Data

A key requirement for Soils2Satellites was for the users to be able to simply create and extract a set of data derived from the whole S2S database. Data can be extracted at the Sampling Unit Summary level or for one or more Study Location Visits. At the visit level standard data about that visit is included plus data to be extracted can be further filtered to include one or more or all of the data for the Sampling Units performed during that visit. 

What succeeded:

The simple extract format of a single file in .csv format downloaded as a zip file was appreciated by the Users, as was the creation of a DOI to support re-use of the data. This functionality successfully re-used technologies from the ALA and the TERN HQ DOI creation functionality. 

What we learned:

The initial navigation process to access the extract functionality was altered based upon the user feedback. An Export button was added to the Search Results screen to allow users to quickly Search, Access and download data without having to access each individual Sampling Unit Summary page. 

The data made available from intersecting the environmental layers data with the location of a particular Study Location was added to the extract data due to User feedback.

Compare Study Locations

This functionality allows a user to view and compare a range of data values in their raw form and through visualisations for any number of Study Locations returned from the Searching functionality.

What succeeded:

The ability to be able to compare a standard set of data across sites in varying geographical locations in one screen and via a range of visualisations was seen by the users as a key function of the application.

What we learned:

The users contributed to the particular data visualisations in this page in terms of the business logic/rules for each graph/chart and also the design and layout of the page real estate. The identification of the types of data that would “work well together” as visualisations, that provide a meaningful “view” of a site were implemented and refined from this user input. 

General Mapping/Spatial Feedback

The S2S application contains a fairly standard Mapping interface using OpenLayers and the Google Maps API, this functionality was leveraged from the capability provided within the Atlas Of Living Australia’s spatial portal. This provides standard map navigation tools along with the ability to select points visible in the map and add them to a selection list.

At the request of the users the opacity of the map’s layers can be altered plus the layer attribute details can be viewed. The mapping functionality also allows users to build sets of environmental layers (derived from the full list of environmental layers provided by the ALA) that they can store and re-use as personal sets of contextual layers during their searches. 

Individual User Experiences

User 1

User 1 was predominantly involved in identifying the types of visualisations that would be most valuable to non-ecologically focused users through making the data in S2S discoverable and in defining how it would be best to display interesting and significant relationships across the different data types. This users input was key to defining the data outputs in the application.

“The intuitive navigation allows me to easily visualise trends in the data that would otherwise be extremely difficult and time consuming to consider, furthermore, results are presented in such a way that novel associations can present themselves – helping to stimulate new ways to think about ecological associations and identification of genuine and interesting knowledge gaps where new research can be focussed."

User 2

User 2 was key in providing the scientific understanding and business rules behind a number of the visualisations in the application in particular in the Point Intercept Sampling Unit Summary visualisations. This user was particularly pleased to see that the data generated by Auscover from its remote sensing activities can be ground truthed by data collected under AusPlots/TREND and the correlations or differences in the data be easily and clearly visualised. They are especially keen to be able to now take the application further in this area if possible.

User 3

This user was predominantly involved in detailing what raw data for each Study Location and Visit would be relevant for display and download and how this data was to be grouped together in the application.  As with the other users this user was also involved in providing feedback to the project team around the data visualisations.

User 4

User 4 commented on how following the implementation of the data visualisations in the application, it was now possible to demonstrate to the landowners and managers of the country where the data collection activity had taken place the value and usefulness of this type of data collection. This then encourages further access to areas for future re-visits and also for access to other areas where monitoring surveys may not have taken place before.

“The Soils toSatellites tool is important in fostering the continuing relationship between the scientific community and those who grant us access to their land. By allowing land managers to visualise the data shortly after we’ve collected it and see how it fits in to a bigger picture, it’s easy for us to show the value of the work. It can also help landowners to manage their lands, whether to maximise agricultural productivity, ensure strong conservation outcomes, or a mix of both.”