Government information is now being made available on the go via smart phone applications. This session will explore creating mobile applications using government information as well as one government library’s experience evaluating mobile applications for use in an agency setting.

1. .GOV ON THE GO
MOBILE CONTENT ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION
HEIDI PETERS
RESEARCH SPECIALIST
DoD SUPPORT CONTRACTOR
photo by flickr user xraijs_

2. OVERVIEW
• Context
o Wide Angle
o In the Weeds
• Goals
• Methodology
• Results
• Next Steps
07-18-2012 | SLA Annual
photo by flickr user un_cola

3. CONTEXT: WIDE ANGLE
January 2012—29% of U.S. adults own
tablet/e-reader
March 2012—46% of U.S. adults own
smartphone
April 2012– 10% global Internet traffic is
mobile use
May 2012– India mobile web use surpassed
desktop web use
07-18-2012 | SLA Annual
Source: May 2012 KPCB “Internet Trends” report; March 2012 Pew Internet report

4. CONTEXT: IN THE WEEDS
• Support DoD R&D agency with highly
mobile user base
• Avg. 30-50% of work week spent on
travel or off-site program development
work
• Need immediate access to authoritative
information
• FY12 user survey demonstrated 17%
growth in interest for mobile content
07-18-2012 | SLA Annual

5. PROJECT GOALS
• Utilize iPads being trialed by agency to
support off-site research work
• Provide high quality, authoritative
content to our user base at their point of
information need, regardless of their
physical location
• Investigate “state of the field” for STEM-
oriented mobile applications
07-18-2012 | SLA Annual

6. METHODOLOGY
1. Select mobile resources to review
2. Obtain IT evaluation/approval
3. Develop assessment toolkit
4. Content and usability assessment
5. Analyze results
6. Formulate next steps
07-18-2012 | SLA Annual

7. SELECTION OF RESOURCES
• ID current STEM resource vendors
offering apps or mobile optimized sites
• Focused testing on familiar, trusted
resources for our user base
• Apps had to be available at no additional
fee
• Included non-mobile optimized sites to
establish performance baseline
07-18-2012 | SLA Annual

8. PARTNERSHIP WITH IT
• Installation required security evaluation
and approval by IT department
• Had to determine correct POC and
procedures
• First group of apps submitted took over
2 months to approve
• Second group of apps submitted took
less than a week to approve
07-18-2012 | SLA Annual

9. TOOLKIT DEVELOPMENT
• Created assessment tool to objectively
gauge usability & content provision
• Based tool design on guidance outlined
in NSF “Project Evaluation” handbook
• Metrics included:
o Content availability & currency
o Ease of sharing or saving content
o Functionality & navigation
o User interactivity
o Affective design
07-18-2012 | SLA Annual

10. ASSESSMENT & RESULTS
• Simulated work environments of off-site
agency personnel
• Strengths
o Provision of dynamic content & news
o Quick reference
• Weaknesses
o Apps trying to replicate desktop
database research
o Interface scaling & design
07-18-2012 | SLA Annual

11. NEXT STEPS
• Technology open house event to
showcase accomplishments of pilot
• Use of assessment toolkit going forward
to evaluate new mobile content
• Communicate our findings with vendors
o Evaluation of content and container
o Participate in mobile conversation
o Drive innovation and change
07-18-2012 | SLA Annual

12. questions?
Heidi Peters
heidi.m.peters@gmail.com
07-18-2012 | SLA Annual