[Openaaq-discuss] discussion on the AAQ model for transactions

[Alex P. <ale...@zw...>]

Hi, everyone,

The Alberta Library's AAQ user mailing list just had a discussion on
policy and the model for client-staff interactions. I'm pasting in my
contribution as it relates to my post about recreating the client
question posting module.

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The current model for AAQ is meant to be a single round trip: Client
posts question via AAQ web form -> Client gets answer via email

The model accomplishes two needs: easy (attractive) access for clients
to post questions, and a "push" mechanism for the answer -- the answer
finds you by email rather then requiring a second visit to a web site.

In a way, this is a broken system, because to have the client refine the
question after getting an answer would mean linking from email to
another web form or having a second system attempt to grab information
out of a returning email. But the intent was to answer a question, not
conduct a lengthy research project.

The downside of an interactive system (like having a community website,
with user logins, all interaction on the web, etc.) would be that you
couldn't have a fixed transaction for any interaction, which was
something that was a goal of AAQ. There would also be a question of who
is being served, the student with an assignment due soon who will ask
one question and forget about the service for a long time, or the patron
who spends four nights a week at the local library, who would do well in
a community web site modeled service.
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One other thing I culled from TAL's discussion is this URL:
http://www.nypl.org/questions/index.cfm#email

It's the posting page for the New York public library service and
demonstrates a transaction model with no user account creation. Each
user is asked for the question, some meta-data about them, and the
telling "How will you use this information?".

So what I'd like to hear from you is:

What is your client base for AAQ?
What client groupss do you envision for AAQ?
What administrative needs are there for the client profile?

That's your homework.

Alex