RefWorks-COS Plans to Launch RefWorks 2.0
BETHESDA, MD, November 30, 2009 – RefWorks-COS has announced its plan to launch a new user interface in early 2010 for RefWorks, its web-based research management, writing and collaboration tool.
Dubbed, RefWorks 2.0, the new interface greatly improves the user experience, putting all of RefWorks' sophisticated features right at users' fingertips. It uses intuitive Web 2.0 conventions and a cleaner layout, making it easier to navigate and more visually appealing.
Throughout the development of the new interface, the RefWorks design team had the user foremost in mind, analyzing usage habits, reviewing user feedback, conducting surveys, and engaging users before and during the design process. The new Web 2.0 interface focuses on the site usability and the end-users needs, providing sophisticated and contemporary design elements to highlight many of the current, valuable features in RefWorks.
RefWorks 2.0 also includes some back-end technological improvements that will make it easier for RefWorks to develop new features and to work with customers and partners in new ways.
"For years, we have focused on adding functionality to RefWorks based on direct feedback from our users. The product is feature rich; however, some of its best features are not being fully utilized as they have become harder to discover within the existing interface." said Colleen Stempien, RefWorks-COS' Executive Director of Operations. "With RefWorks 2.0, not only does this new interface make all of our existing features easier to discover and use, it greatly facilitates our ability to further develop more features and make them quickly accessible to our users."
Though it is anticipated that most users will be able to take full advantage of RefWorks 2.0 from the outset, a six-month phased transition period is planned so that RefWorks administrators and users have ample time for preparation, training and adjusting to the new interface.
The new interface will also introduce an updated RefWorks logo, and will be launched along with a new RefWorks-COS website, which marks the completion of the integration of the RefWorks and COS organizations.
Since its launch in 2001, more than 3 million users and over 1,200 organizations around the globe have chosen RefWorks to manage their research information needs.
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®, Dialog®, ebrary®, EBL® and Serials Solutions® businesses – and notable research tools such as the Summon® discovery service, the RefWorks® Flow™ collaboration 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.