4 research outputs found
Databases in Courts: the Kenyan Experience
One of the most significant challenges faced by courts today is managing the performance of their case management system to meet growing case loads efficiently and effectively. There are many different types of technology to help in developing an electronic courtroom, but the underlying technology is the database. Databases are used by courts for maintaining case records, personnel and other court management data. But many conditions such as training and technological infrastructure need to be in place to support successful systems. This work presents the results of a survey of case management operations and practices in Kenya. Current state of technology and court operations as well as a database design plan is examined. The findings of this study present a basis for planning, designing, and implementing a successful case management database system in Kenya
A study of lawyersâ information behaviour leading to the development of two methods for evaluating electronic resources
In this thesis we examine the information behaviour displayed by a broad cross-section of
academic and practicing lawyers and feed our findings into the development of the
Information Behaviour (IB) methods - two novel methods for evaluating the functionality
and usability of electronic resources.
We captured lawyersâ information behaviour by conducting naturalistic observations, where we
asked participants to think aloud whilst using existing resources to âfind information required for
their work.â Lawyersâ information behaviours closely matched those observed in other disciplines
by Ellis and others, serving to validate Ellisâs existing model in the legal domain. Our findings also
extend Ellisâs model to include behaviours pertinent to legal information-seeking, broaden the
scope of the model to cover information use (in addition to information-seeking) behaviours and
enhance the potential analytical detail of the model through the identification of a range of
behavioural âsubtypesâ and levels at which behaviours can operate.
The identified behaviours were used as the basis for developing two methods for evaluating
electronic resources â the IB functionality method (which mainly involves examining whether and
how information behaviours are currently, or might in future be, supported by an electronic
resource) and the IB usability method (which involves setting users behaviour-focused tasks, asking
them to think aloud whilst performing the tasks, and identifying usability issues from the think-
aloud data).
Finally the IB methods were themselves evaluated by stakeholders working for LexisNexis
Butterworths â a large electronic legal resource development firm. Stakeholders were recorded
using the methods and focus group and questionnaire data was collected, with the aim of
ascertaining how usable, useful and learnable they considered the methods to be and how likely
they would be to use them in future. Overall, findings were positive regarding both methods and
useful suggestions for improving the methods were made
Recommended from our members
A study of lawyers' information behaviour leading to the development of two methods for evaluating electronic resources
In this thesis we examine the information behaviour displayed by a broad cross-section of academic and practicing lawyers and feed our findings into the development of the Information Behaviour (IB) methods - two novel methods for evaluating the functionality and usability of electronic resources.
We captured lawyersâ information behaviour by conducting naturalistic observations, where we asked participants to think aloud whilst using existing resources to âfind information required for their work.â Lawyersâ information behaviours closely matched those observed in other disciplines by Ellis and others, serving to validate Ellisâs existing model in the legal domain. Our findings also extend Ellisâs model to include behaviours pertinent to legal information-seeking, broaden the scope of the model to cover information use (in addition to information- seeking) behaviours and enhance the potential analytical detail of the model through the identification of a range of behavioural âsubtypesâ and levels at which behaviours can operate.
The identified behaviours were used as the basis for developing two methods for evaluating electronic resources â the IB functionality method (which mainly involves examining whether and how information behaviours are currently, or might in future be, supported by an electronic resource) and the IB usability method (which involves setting users behaviour-focused tasks, asking them to think aloud whilst performing the tasks, and identifying usability issues from the think-aloud data).
Finally the IB methods were themselves evaluated by stakeholders working for LexisNexis Butterworths â a large electronic legal resource development firm. Stakeholders were recorded using the methods and focus group and questionnaire data was collected, with the aim of ascertaining how usable, useful and learnable they considered the methods to be and how likely they would be to use them in future. Overall, findings were positive regarding both methods and useful suggestions for improving the methods were made