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Below is the original drafting work carried out and coordinated by the UX Interest Group in 2021.

The final USE Design Principles are located here, USE Design Principles

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Samvera community packages run the gamut from Ruby gems, to generators, to Rails and Elixir applications, Node modules, JavaScript UI components and more. Thinking about a meaningful purpose the UX Interest Group could serve the community in 2021, the following questions have surfaced.

  • What does such a wide variety of Samvera code have in common, besides serving the digital repository needs of the Library/cultural heritage community?

  • What does it mean to be a “Samvera application”?

  • What if general criteria existed which Samverians (developers, product owners, managers, designers), could reference when designing and developing an app or module?

Mission

The UX Interest Group proposes crafting a set of Design Principles, which reflect the values and goals of the Samvera Community. In addition, perhaps these Design Principles could:

  1. Serve as a guide for application design before development begins.

    1. For example, when creating wire-frames for a new feature, does the wire-framed content meet Design Principles standards?

  2. Act as a reference point for applications in active development.

  3. Be a tool to evaluate existing Samvera applications, such as:

    1. Identify areas which might fall short of meeting Samvera Design Principles, thus becoming opportunities for improvement.

Interpretting Interpreting these Principles from Different Audience Perspectives

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  • Backend Developers (current & future)

  • Front End Developers (current & future)

  • Administrative Users

  • End Users / Patrons (students, faculty, research, general public, etc.)

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Samvera Design Principles (working draft)

Samvera is a vibrant and welcoming community of information and technology professionals who share challenges, build expertise, and create sustainable, best-in-class solutions, making the world’s digital collections accessible now and into the future.

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What are the Principles?

Human-Centered. Efficient. Unified. Sustainable. Ethical.

Human-Centered

Inclusive & Equitable

Accessible & Universal

Engaging & Unambiguous

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Unassuming

2. Efficient

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  • How Welcoming/Approachable is the App?

  • Where/How does the app (unintentionally) leave any users out (culturally, language, eye-sight conditions, etc)?

  • How obvious is it How to request help or Report a problem?

  • How does the design translate well to multiple communities and account for cultural/institutional differences? Neurodiverse communities?

  • How does the user experience stay consistent across different devices?

  • How does the app empower the user to successfully complete their journey?

  • How familiar does the user interface feel?

  • How cluttered does the application feel?

  • How does the app stay responsive across viewport sizes?

  • How easy is it to find and manipulate any accessibility features?

  • How does the app use simple language (Ie. Explains all accronyms)?

  • How easy is it to translate to other languages for different users?

  • How easy is it to navigate without a mouse? with a touch screen?

  • Are used icons universally recognized for desired function?

  • What technical proficiency level does the app assume/require of its users?

For Developers:

  • Does the app follow WCAG requirements? At what level?

  • How does the app adapt to various devices?

  • How does the app actively engage/empower users?

  • How easy is it to switch from using another application to this application?

  • Where does the user feel friction when trying to complete a task?

  • How important and easy is it to share?

  • How does the user know this is the correct application to use for their need?

  • How does the application user interface promote focus and minimize distraction from the task?

Efficient

Modular while functioning as a whole

Minimal (in design & latency)

Intuitive

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& Predictable

Configurability Balanced with Efficiency

  • How does the app take advantage of DRY principles (what is DRY)?

  • How is it logically separated?

  • Does the UI display more than is needed?

  • Can the action be carried out with fewer lines of code?

  • How easy is it to understand and follow with minimal to no training needed?

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  • How easy is it

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  • for users to avoid and correct

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Predictable, uncomplicated and precise.

 (breadcrumbs & buttons placement, etc. Best practice wireframes)

3. Unified

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Follow standards, guidelines, conventions and best practices.

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  • errors?

  • How does the app use consistent breadcrumbs & buttons placement?

  • How does the app use consistent color and icons?

  • Does the application create endless configurability/flexibility to the detriment of the workflow? Ie. Endless top folder creation instead of applying information architecture/minimum rules for information organization/categorization. Ie. Endless choice typically doesn’t lead to efficiency

Unified

Standards & Best-Practices

Consistent behavior patterns & functionality

Clearly documented (for designers and users)

4. Sustainable

  • Flexibility balanced with Friction

  • Prioritise Sustainability over Trends

  • Maintenance demands should match organizational commitment to a resource.

  • Design (visual, technical, etc.) should be forward-looking, taking into account likely future scenarios, and avoid short-term trends.

5. Ethical

Transparent

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  • Does the app use popular open-source libraries/packages?

  • How would the application continue to meet standards & best-practices if core developers left?

  • Does the app feel very different on any screens?

  • Where would a user find the app’s documentation?

  • Does the documentation branding and structure stay consistent throughout for the application and across Samvera or organization’s applications?

  • Where would a developer find the. app’s documentation?

Sustainable

Mindful of Trends

Maintenance Demands Match Resourcing Realities

Forward Thinking

  • Is the app built upon technologies less than 2 years old?

  • How would the application continue to be maintained if core developers left?

  • Who has access to the source code?

  • Are bug issues outweighing new feature issues?

  • Are there any trends in design you are considering incorporating reliant on Proprietary systems?

Ethical

Transparent

Mindful of Unintended Favouritism

Digital Safety & Wellbeing

  • Is the app’s codebase open source (for ease of Adoption & Integration)

  • Is the app Community driven/managed

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  • Does the app have a visible public policy around User Data Collection and Analysis

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Mindful of trends and unintended favouritism thru integration choices (ie. FB, Google+ integrations)

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Prioritise security in code

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Ease of Adoption for all communities

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Prioritise Design choices that favour all communities.

Drafting notes below

Human-Centered

Points: 

  • Inclusive

  • Accessible, Accommodating

    • Be approachable, uncluttered and give people room to maneuver.

    • Make sure that your website is unobtrusive and can be accessed by different devices of all shapes and sizes.maintain device independence

  • Universal

  • Equitable

    • Be welcoming, don’t discriminate.

    • Engage with people.

    • Aesthetics matter.

  • Be welcoming, don’t discriminate, and engage with people. Create different user experiences and make certain they have equally valuable outcomes. 

Flexible:

  • 

Provide options.

  • Modular Application development

  • Think who, how, why, what, where & when people will be using your website.

  • Make sure there is choice for diverse users and .

Straightforward:

  • Be obvious and not ambiguous.

  • Make sure your website’s features add value, not complexity.

  • Good design is as little design as possible.

Title: Efficient

Points: 

  • Minimal latency

  • Easy to understand and follow

  • Make it easy for users to avoid and correct errors 

Good Documentation

Development happens with efficiency of entire application in mind, not individual needs

Perceptible:

  • 

Don’t assume anything.

  • Make sure the application’s purpose is clear, and its content, structure and sequence are meaningful.

Informative:

  • Be timely, predictable, uncomplicated and precise.

 (breadcrumbs & buttons placement, etc. Best practice wireframes)

  • Make sure people know where they are in your application/component. navigation

  • Provide different ways for them to find what they’re looking for.

  • Modular

Preventative:

  • Intuitive to use, minimize need to have instructions

  • Provide easy to follow instructions and gently guide users in interacting with your application.

  • Help users minimize errors when submitting data, through well considered form design.

Tolerant (with Feedback):

  • Open to change (should we go here with principles)

  • 

Handle errors respectfully and indicate precisely what the error is, where it is and how to fix it.

  • Remember to let people know the outcome.

Effortless:

  • Balance flexibility with friction.

  • 

Don’t make demands or place restrictions on your users.

  • People should not have to work or think hard to find what they want in your application (intuitive).

  • Ensure the app can be used efficiently and effectively.

Title: Sustainable

One of the main reasons community uses Samvera products is sustainablility.

Points: 

  • Maintenance demands should match organizational commitment to a resource.

  • Design (visual, technical, etc.) should be forward-looking, taking into account likely future scenarios, and avoid short-term trends.

  • Project design should consider costs, both human (such as labor for creation and upkeep) and financial.

Security of using Open Source

Consistent:

  • Follow standards, guidelines, conventions and best practices.

  • Provide a familiar environment with memorable functionality.

Title: Unified 

Points: 

  • Be consistent, not uniform

  • Follow standards, guidelines, conventions, and best practices

  • Consistent behavior patterns and functionality

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  • ?

  • Does the app rely heavily on 3rd party modules (FB/Google/etc)?

  • Does the app assume the user has access to specific 3rd party modules?

  • Does the app prioritize security in code?

  • What risks are there of the app being used as an entry point for ransomware and other cybersecurity threats?

  • How does the application interface with other applications that may hold or process personal/high security/restricted data and what risks, if any, are introduced through that integration?

  • What does the user need to know about how the application acquires, uses, and stores personal/high security data before they use the application?

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Contribution Acknowledgements for the Samvera Design Principles:

Source:

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  • University of Virginia Library Design Principles

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People/Members: