Description
- Re-organization and categorizing of information and tools
- Information architecture
- User experience layout, wire-framing and mock-ups
…for DeVry University and Keller Graduate School libraries.
Steps
The first step was to understand the Library System databases and platforms and meet with the library leadership team to create a “wish list”.
Following this was the categorization of every information item and software tool that was “served” via the Library website. We identified which were independent platforms and which would be integrated to the system. We also evaluated their individual flexibility for layout changes.
Next was the creation of Site Map for the new Library organization. Then a detailed and accurate Project Scope was created using Site Maps and original wish list. Wire-frames were developed for the most elaborate version of the libraries (DeVry brand)
Meetings with branding/art department to provide web interface items that met brand standards and access brand print and web Guidelines and materials before creating mock-ups. Meetings with development team to asses file delivery preferences and to assign specific roles.
Creation of annotated mock-ups for each Main Menu page (template) for development team.
Project Challenges:
The biggest challenge with this project were the constant interruptions due to organizational changes. The stakeholders would be distracted by other matters and then new members would join the team. We ended up functioning as the guide to bring everyone back on track to what we had discussed and agreed on last, explaining documentation and project pieces to different members of and having to create interim “status” meeting documents to document “where we left off”.
Another challenge was that the most crucial part of the site–or so we considered it–their Search platform, wasn’t defined until after we went thorugh wireframing and mock-ups. This resulted in having to “work around” many items in the wire-frames and mark them TBD.
Navigation for the site was highly controlled by the branding standards so some UX items and categorizations we proposed were knocked back because of a design and branding priorities.
