Designing the CML User Interface

Users view the interface of the Corporate Media Library (CML) application using Microsoft® Internet Explorer version 4.0. The browser interface implements all interaction with the CML application, with the exception of automatic overdue and recall notice delivery. The interface is a collection of Web pages; the design of each Web page addresses the requirements outlined in the Planning and Research section. Internet Information Server serves up ASP pages that present functionality to the user. The CML Web pages change appearance dynamically as different CML application functions are activated. See CML Web Site Design and Coding the CML User Interface for further documentation on dynamically changing the appearance and function of a Web page.

The CML serves two distinct groups, employees of the F & M Corporation who want to search the library for materials of interest and administrators who need to manage the library and modify application settings. The user interface must be designed to provide a subset of functionality available to administrators only. The navigation from page to page within the CML Web site must be carefully planned to provide maximum functionality to all users while preventing unauthorized access to administrative Web pages.

The user interface needs two discrete areas of functionality. One collection of Web pages must address requirements of all F & M employees and another group must fulfill requirements of administrators. Their descriptions follow:

Web Pages for all F & M Employees

Web Pages for Administrators

F & M employees with administrative privileges must be identified. Restricting Administration Access describes the options for restricting access to the CML application, subsets of the application, and the databases that are available to system administrators.

Web Pages for All F & M Employees

All employees need access to pages that provide the following functions :

• Home page. The home page provides links to Web pages that perform the library functions and a link to the administration menu. When a user does not have administrative privileges, access to administrative functions is denied.
• Search the library. One page lets the user search the library database. This page allows the user to choose subsets of the library material to search. Another page shows the results of the search, and a third page displays detailed information on each title found. CML Web Pages and Searching for Library Materials describe the design and implementation of this requirement.
• Submit a checkout request. This page lets the user submit a request to check out a library title. CML Web Pages and Coding CML Checkout Requests describe the design and implementation of this requirement.
• Display a request confirmation. This page returns a confirmation of the user's checkout request. When no copies of the requested title are available, it also returns the user's position on the waiting list. Repeated requests for the same title are not allowed.
• View items checked out. This page lets users keep track of titles they have requested and checked out. It also lets users cancel requests that they no longer want; this feature reduces the waiting time for library titles. CML Web Pages describes the design of this page.

Web Pages for Administrators

System administrators need access to the following pages, in addition to those provided for all employees:

• Online administration. Library administration requires a number of different Web pages to enable all the tasks the administrator has to perform. These pages provide the capability to add, modify, and delete title, item, author, and subject information in the library. There are also pages for checking out, checking in, and renewing library titles. CML Web Site Design and Coding CML Administration describe the design and implementation of this requirement.
• View the library online. The CML developers decided to add a page that displays all the titles in the library. This page shows all important information about each title and also how many copies the library has of each title. This functionality was not defined in the original CML requirements, but the developers felt that it would be a worthwhile addition to the library application. CML Web Pages describes the design of this page. In addition, a page was added that enables administrators to filter the library titles and display only a selection of library material.
• Modify application settings. This page also emerged after the original requirements were identified. The developers realized that the application is much more flexible if administrators can change settings such as checkout periods and default information. Also, this page allows all the settings to be changed from one place.
• Automatic delivery of overdue and recall notices. No user interface is needed for the delivery of overdue and recall notices. However, administrators need access to the application settings that specify the number of days for which library materials are checked out and the length of the recall period.