Redesigning the open-access institutional repository: A user experience approach

Abstract

This paper details how a university library evaluated its institutional repository using a user experience design (UXD) methodology and redesigned it based on the findings. The online repository, running on DSpace, was not being utilized as expected by academics and researchers, so a detailed user evaluation and usability study was undertaken to find out the reasons why. Findings showed lack of usability and a mismatch between user expectations and system architecture. Hence, significant improvements were made to the user interface, and in communicating the status of items held in the repository (open or closed access). The authors assess the impact of these changes and argue that better usability results in greater visibility of the open-access repository, and hence, greater visibility for the university’s researchers. Other challenges regarding the adoption of open access by academics and researchers at the university are also discussed.