The purpose of the master’s thesis was to design a user interface prototype of the digital local publications collection of Ciril Kosmač Public Library Tolmin, which would provide users an overview of the ethnographic material of libraries in Bovec, Kobarid and Tolmin. The main goal of the research and prototyping was to gain advantages for both, library members and employees. The prototype improves work with local history material, facilitates the search for this material, enables faster and easier access to material, and increases its availability.
Based on theoretical guidelines, a review of existing solutions and the implementation of surveys and interviews, we defined potential users of the local publications collection by segmenting and designing personas. This was followed by the creation of scenarios and a user experience plan that helped set the information architecture of the prototype. With user experience scenarios and plans, we gained insight into the thinking, needs, motivation and hesitation of users. We took all this information into account when building the information architecture. With the help of information architecture we organized the contents of the ethnographic collection, so that users could easily find the material, and quickly master the functionalities of the collection. The final image of the prototype was then tested using short assignments. No major problems or errors were detected during the testing of the interactive prototype.
By creating an interactive prototype, we introduce guidelines for the design of a user interface prototype for Slovenian and foreign libraries which do not yet have a local publications collection or want to improve it. The produced prototype provides an example for the graphic image of the local publications collection.
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