A Usability Evaluation of Research Data Management Librarian Academy (RDMLA): Examining the Impact of Learner Differences in Pedagogical Usability

Abstract This paper reports the results of a usability and user experience (UX) investigation into the Research Data Management Librarian Academy (RDMLA) course site, a free online learning platform developed through community effort. Remote synchronous usability test sessions were run with 42 participants. Participants completed a pre-session interview, performed tasks related to the course orientation unit and two content units, and filled out a post-session questionnaire. Significant differences were found among people with different demographic attributes, educational backgrounds, occupations, and levels of research data management (RDM) training, in areas related to self-rating, task performance, and post-task and post-session evaluations of RDMLA. Significant correlations occurred among participants’ pre-session, post-task, and post-session ratings, as well as performance measures. Qualitative descriptions of the participants’ perceptions of the future of RDM in LIS were also reported. The study results indicate a need to add a new criterion - diverse learner population - into the framework of pedagogical usability.