Mark, I actually wouldn't say I'm disagreeing with you (:)) or that your cynicism isn't completely justified.
Indeed, the library website redesigns always, on the whole, turned out unique (besides the common design patterns of "cluttered", "jargon-y" and "aesthetically woeful"). That being said, almost every one picked up *some* design cue from another website, whether it be verbiage, layout of search boxes, where 'contact us' should go, etc. and I imagine given the number of library websites + the number of library websites designed by "library website redesign committee" that all went through this due diligence stage, there *must* be overlaps of design cues. That's all I'm saying - that on the aggregate, there are probably patterns, although I would not say they are necessarily coherent or even well-thought out, I think patterns would emerge. -Ross. On May 11, 2012, at 11:38 AM, Mark Jordan wrote: > Ross, > > Good counter example, and I'm sure your experience is a common one. Pat's > question caught me in a moment of deep cynicism -- I'm not saying there can't > be library website design patters, just that libraries more often than not > end up implementing new sites by reinventing the wheel, and justifying that > reinvention by arguing that their local wheel needs to be a oval, not round. > In fact, I'd have to ask about your experience (simply because it is probably > shared by a lot of people), at the end of the process, how much of a design > pattern did the implementation group infer from your study of other sites, > and how much of the study focused on subjective design components like > colors, fonts, and other eye candy. And how much of the study was perfunctory > due diligence, performed despite the assumption that the library or the > library's perceived users somehow required an oval site architecture. It's > the "for whatever local reasons or biases we had" that I am cynical about. > > Mark > > > > ----- Original Message ----- >> On May 10, 2012, at 5:49 PM, Mark Jordan wrote: >> >>> Wouldn't the NIH syndrome endemic to libraries make such a set >>> unlikely? >> >> But every website redesign committee I have ever sat on (which have >> been many; since the dawn of the web -- every one a scarring >> experience) has always started by compiling the library websites >> (and occasionally outside of the library, but almost *always* >> library websites) that have designs we admire or aspects that we >> would like to emulate or incorporate. >> >> Every single one. >> >> I can't imagine that this phenomenon was exclusive to the three >> universities I have worked for, which would lead me to believe that >> *some* design patterns must show up in a significant cross-section >> of library websites (although, like Sean, I agree that so often, >> other website designs were rejected for whatever local reasons or >> biases we had). >> >> -Ross. >> >>> >>> ----- Original Message ----- >>>> So, there are a gajillion and one design pattern libraries out >>>> there...has >>>> anybody come across a set of design patterns focused on library >>>> web >>>> sites? >>>> >>>> Thanks, >>>> Pat >>>> >>
