Improving user interfaces for a request tracking system: Best practical RT

Abstract

User Interface (UI) design guidelines have not been adequately applied towards the design of UI of request tracking systems. Moreover, UI of request tracking systems in particular have not been researched in federated e-Science organisations. These systems, however, play a central role for the collaboration in e-Science. The users of e-Science infrastructures that constitute data and High Performance Computer (HPC) facilities interact with the cyber-infrastructures to use their features mainly for research purposes. The incoming problems and information queries i.e. user requests are shown using a Graphical User Interface (GUI) of the Request Tracking System (RTS) – like other software systems. In this paper, a field study has been conducted and it has been found out that in the process of using a cyber-infrastructure the users face problems on one hand as well as the people who process incoming user requests also need better UI of RTS on the other hand. From this field study observations were made and amendments in the current UI of RTS were proposed. Moreover, the UI of RTS has been evaluated and recommendations have been made to improve it in a federated e-Science environment using a field study.