Hi there Cristiano and we did receive this - thanks (perhaps like me you
are on the digest list?).

I take on board all your points and respond briefly to each below.

Thanks again for the feedback - justified and insightful.

Best,

Jemima
+44 (0)20 7887 8648 





-----Original Message-----
From: Cristiano Bianchi (keepthinking)
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] 
Sent: 23 August 2005 11:54
To: Jemima Rellie
Subject: Re: Launch of Carousel - a visual search interface to Tate's
Collection


I don't seem to be able to post to the group, so here it is... Regards,
Cristiano
--------------

Jemima,

carousel is a very interesting application and I would welcome more  
of these kind of visual, non-textual ways of exploring collections,  
which is the way physical museums work :-)

>>>> Agreed!

However, the application seems to have been rolled out a bit too soon  
for its own good. I mean:

- it's not clear what clicking on a work does. Does it come out with  
similar works, associated by (invisible) keywords? Or are they  
totally unrelated?

>>>> The associations are based on our subject search index.  Hopefully
the 'About' text makes this reasonably clear - but we will consider
supplementing this.

- if the associations are made by keywords, would it be such a bad  
idea to show what those keywords are and allow people to understand a  
bit more?

>>>> Considered and rejected.  We wanted it to be as purely visual as
possible, and for people to reflect on the associations rather than be
spoon fed them.  This was a decision we will review though for sure.

- why it is not possible to have at least some basic caption  
immediately, or on click, visible with each image, as if the text is  
not a way to navigate the collection and it is true, as you say, that  
visitors might not know the name of what they search or like, but I  
would bet they would want to!


>>>> It is possible of course, but we chose not to, just as some
curators chose to put the caption some distance from the work in the
physical gallery - again to encourage direct and immediate visual
engagement with the work.  But again this is a decision we will review.


- having info opening a separate window is easy, but a bit cheeky and  
a killer in terms of usability and accessibility. We are tempted to  
use it ourselves at times, but we always refrain, trying to find  
different ways. At present you always open new windows: if visitors  
forget to close them, they end up having tens on the screen.

>>>> Yup - this is the functionality I think is most problematic.  We do
not use new windows in this way elsewhere on the site. It does of course
have some advantages here (even arguably from a usability perspective
:), but we will certainly find a better solution for the next version.

- the role of favourites: it seems that once I have put a work on the  
list, I cannot click on it anymore, or can I? Also, would that list  
inform what happens on the left (i.e. the 9 panel work browser)? It  
could be interesting to consider the favourites as the best and most  
complex expression of a visitor's taste, hence presenting, in the  
browser, works related to the corpus of the favourites.

>>>> Yes you can - well, if you roll over it a box offers you abridged
caption info, a link to further info and the option to delete the image
from your favourites.  Again - I think we need to review and tweak the
layout here.  The works that are selected as favourites do determine to
a large degress which furhter works are presented alongside (as
explained in the help text).


Nice try. I'm sure it'll get better!

>>>> You're very kind, and yes no doubt it will!  Genuine thanks for the
constructive feedback.


Kind regards, Cristiano

Cristiano Bianchi
keepthinking ltd
Bull Inn Court
15 Maiden Lane
London WC2E 7NG

Just launched: National Galleries of Scotland Online Collections
http://www.nationalgalleries.org/collections/

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On 23 Aug 2005, at 10:33, Jemima Rellie wrote:


> Hi all and Tate Online is delighted to announce the launch of a new, 
> visual search interface, based on technology developed by BT.
>
> Called Carousel (http://www.tate.org.uk/collection/carousel/), it 
> presents a shuffled selection of some 2000 artworks from Tate's 
> Collection which evolves as the visitor engages with individual
> pieces.
> It is intended to complement the range of text based search options
> offered at www.tate.org.uk, and help visitors who know what they like
> but not necessarily what it is called.
>
> This is release 1.0 of the application - and we already have a 
> reasonable wish list for future roll-outs, but do please let us know 
> what you think of it so far.
>
> Hope all are well and enjoying Summer,
>
> Jemima
>
>
> ----------------------------------------
> Jemima Rellie
> Head of Digital Programmes
> www.tate.org.uk
> +44 (0)20 7887 8648
>
>