Enabling Data Discovery and Data Re-use by Improving Software Usability

The Arctic Data Explorer (nsidc.org/acadis/search) is a federated data search tool with over 20,000 dataset records from over 10 repositories. Usability testing throughout our software project ensures that the needs and wants of the intended audience are met. Subsequent resources and focus evolve based on feedback gleaned by talking directly with and observing actual users. This poster describes our usability testing process over the last two years.