ProQuest Works with Users and Library Development Partners to Enhance Its Platform Interface
ANN ARBOR, MI, August 24, 2015 – ProQuest introduced an enhanced platform interface that makes it easier for users to complete their research tasks. Driven by deep analysis of researcher behaviors on the ProQuest platform, extensive testing with users and librarians, beta testing with a variety of customer development partners, and large scale A/B testing, the enhancements make discovery and access of ProQuest’s rich, diverse content more intuitive and effective.
“ProQuest’s goal is to continually improve users’ research experiences,” said Allan Lu, ProQuest vice president, Research Tools, Services and Platforms. “We’re committed to deeply understanding their research workflows so we can identify barriers and bottlenecks that delay their success. We’re very excited about these enhancements because they make the user experience simpler and more productive.”
Pages have been redesigned with simplified layouts that enable users to focus on the content and tools they need to complete their research tasks no matter what type of device they’re using. In fact, displays will automatically scale to the size of the user’s device and remove non-essential functionalities to ensure ease of use and access to content.
Improved document viewing delivers a better reading experience and search results are now easier to navigate, especially for those users accessing ProQuest content from other discovery services such as Google Scholar and Ex Libris’ Primo. Sandy Barstow, Head of Collection Development at University of Wyoming, defined the interface as “cleaner and more responsive.”
The enhancements are powerful, but according to Stephen Ayre, Clinical Librarian at George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust, “don’t disrupt users” familiar with the former interface.
Throughout 2015, ProQuest is streamlining and innovating numerous products that touch the spectrum of research, from point of funding through discovery, accessibility and management, evolving the research experience as only ProQuest can. All the changes have been developed in consultation with librarians and tested by users to ensure meaningful, significant advances.
About ProQuest (www.proquest.com)
ProQuest connects people with vetted, reliable information. Key to serious research, the company’s products are a gateway to the world’s knowledge including dissertations, governmental and cultural archives, news, historical collections and ebooks. ProQuest technologies serve users across the critical points in research, helping them discover, access, share, create and manage information.
The company’s cloud-based technologies offer flexible solutions for librarians, students and researchers through the ProQuest®, Bowker®, Coutts® information services, Dialog®, ebrary®, EBL™, and SIPX® businesses – and notable research tools such as the Summon® discovery service, the Flow® collaboration platform, MyiLibrary® ebook platform, the Pivot® research development tool and the Intota™ library services platform. The company is headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan, with offices around the world.