MMI Online Collection Browser Requirements

Owned by Megan Forbes
Last updated: Sept 19, 2012 by Jesse MartinezVersion comment
2 min read

Introduction

In fall 2011, the Museum of the Moving Image will upgrade its collections management system (CMS) to the new software product CollectionSpace. As part of this upgrade, the back end of the Museum's online collection browser will move from the current CMS, OpenCollection, to CollectionSpace, and the front end will be improved to increase usability. The online collection browser, available at http://collection.movingimage.us currently contains over 5000 records; this will increase at the rate of several thousand records per year for the foreseeable future.

The chief goals of this project are:

  • To swap the back-end data source of the online collection browser from OpenCollection to CollectionSpace;
  • To design and implement a new front-end interface that increases the ease and efficiency with which visitors may view our collection information;
  • To design the browser in such a way that the code may be contributed back to the CollectionSpace open-source development community.

Functional Specification

MMI Collection Browser Functional Specification

Must Have Functionality

1. Search
a. User may search for object records via a combination of dropdowns, checkboxes, and free-text entry fields
b. User may limit searches to only those items which have images
c. User may limit searches to only those items that are currently on exhibit
d. User may select a button to "view all" objects in the catalog
e. User may select a button to clear search parameters (start new search)

2. Search results display
a. User may view search results as thumbnails with accompanying text
b. User may view search results as a text-only list
c. User may refine a search to further narrow results
d. User may return to existing search results after viewing an object record

3. Object record information
a. User may view individual object records by selecting a search result
b. User may move "forward" and "backward" to see all returned object records
c. User may pivot to another search by selecting hyperlinks within an object record, e.g. artifact class or work type

4. Authority term record information
a. User may view authority term records by pivoting from an object record
b. User may view all records related to an authority term record

Nice to Have Functionality

Out of Scope Functionality

1. User accounts, logins, saved searches, and personal collections
2. User feedback or comments on object records
3. E-commerce for media (either rights & reproductions or "put this on a mouse pad")

Wireframes

MMI Online Collection Browser Wireframes

Schema

MMI Collection Browser Search Schema
MMI Collection Browser Object Schema for 2.6
MMI Collection Browser Authority Term Schema for 2.6
MMI Collection Browser Media Schema for 2.6