TECH 3.1 - Restructuring PKP's Approach to UX
Channel: Public Knowledge Project
Date: 2020-12-19

Presented November 22, 2019 at PKP 2019. Video edited and produced by Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona.

Title: Restructuring PKP's Approach to UX
Authors: Nate Wright (Public Knowledge Project)
Abstract: Software that provides a good user experience (UX) is often easier to promise than deliver. For years, PKP's flagship journal publishing software, Open Journal Systems (OJS), received poor reviews for its dense user interface (UI) and low design quality. To turn things around, PKP had to say "no" more often, manage an overwhelming stream of feature requests, devise simple heuristics to set priorities, and seek out more effective ways to get user feedback. Learn about particular challenges faced by PKP as the providers of a distributed platform and how they're working to balance the needs of a diverse set of users. Includes advice for those who want to prioritize UX work on a budget but don't know where to start, or who want to advocate for better UX development processes in an organisation that doesn't yet prioritize it.