Online Information Exhibition

We are exhibiting at this year’s Online Information Exhibition - come and say hello at stand 730.

Sarah is also speaking with Ed Fay from the London School of Economics about their new digital library project on Wednesday, 30 November, 15:50 - 16:20, Theatre 1. Here’s a taste of what they will be discussing...

Design for information repositories, digital libraries and research environments should be about more than making things pretty. It should deliver real value by attracting interest, building confidence and inspiring uptake.

When it comes to creating interfaces for finding, creating and sharing knowledge online, the theory of what works and doesn’t is limited. Usability theory offers a great start but it doesn’t have all the answers. How do you make something user friendly if the audience is incredibly diverse, and may not understand the value of your resource in the first place?

The answer is simple, before you can expect people to use your resource you need to inspire them to experiment, to explore and then build up engagement over time. The interface layer needs to create a wow factor that motivates people to learn a new application.

An emphasis on designing the information architecture to support different visitors, from the serendipitous explorer to the professional researcher, is also essential. If you think of the design as multi-layered, supporting various styles of use and routes to content, whilst at the same time reducing usability barriers, you'll be a good way toward designing a resource that is truly valued by all of your audiences.

The functionality and data of an online information resource are usually extremely complex. A successful design is the result of a collaborative process as the data and technology are hugely influential in the overall user experience. That’s why we’re working closely with organisations such as LSE, Mimas and JISC Collections to combine our knowledge of persuasive design and online user behaviour, with the expertise of subject specialists, library professionals, and internal technical teams.