Archivum
ROLE
UI/UX, Product Designer
DURATION
2 Months
2024
THEMES
User Research
Project Brief
What Works?
This project focused on improving the workplace experience through user-centered design. I researched archivists and identified opportunities where design could enhance their work lives.
Research
Exploring the role of Archivists
For my secondary research, I explored a variety of YouTube videos related to archival work, including official corporate videos and personal vlogs, noting recurring pain points mentioned by archivists.
Visiting London's Archives
The opportunity to visit different archives in London and speak with seven archivists was a real highlight of this project, who were very generous with their time despite their busy schedules.
My interview preparation involved creating a list of questions and sending participant forms to all the archivists I would be interviewing.
The user profiles I created after each interview included the archivist's background, their specific job role, and any frustrations or challenges they raised during our conversation.
*Archivists' real names have been removed to protect their privacy
To further understand archivists' experiences at work, I translated their stories into user journey maps.
In addition, When on site, I often took images when it was permitted and used it to make visual field notes, noting down my processes and thoughts. I paid special attention to:
Items present at site
What visitors and staff were doing
I even conducted textual analysis, listening to what visitors and staff had to say to gain a non-biased, observation.
Core Insights
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Manual archival processes, such as managing inquiries, research visits, retrieval, and cataloging, are often time-consuming and cumbersome.
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Archives often struggle with limited funding (especially for digitisation), understaffing, and insufficient resources for equipment and storage.
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The combination of understaffing and manual processes results in significant backlogs and overwhelming workloads for archival staff.
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The global lack of recognition for the importance of archives translates to underpaid and underfunded archival positions.
The majority of archivists shared similar frustrations, and analysing these patterns revealed underlying connections between the issues.
Many of the key issues were a result of two core issues: Low advocacy and Time consuming archival processes.
How might we…
Development
My proposed solution is an electronic tagging system combined with a user-friendly application to support independent archival research and retrieval, freeing archivists' time for other essential tasks.
1.
2.
Inspired by the archival slips used in practice, my initial electronic tag designs aimed to (1.) automate the slip printing process for researcher self-check-in.
However, recognizing the potential challenges of implementing a large-scale check-in system, (2.) I refined the design to integrate electronic tags with existing archival labels and collection slips, offering a more streamlined and cost-effective solution.
Moving forward, I made a plan of the features I knew I wanted on the e-tag (refer to mind map), and started ideating different forms.
The final tag design was developed in Rhino, scaled accurately based on research into standard archival box sizes and existing tag designs.
3D modeling allowed me to explore several design iterations before simplifying the form for clarity and ease of use, with a focus on the tab's functionality.
Lastly, I used cardboard to prototype the electronic tag, evaluating its dimensions and the functionality of the pull-out tab.
Once the form was finalised, I photoshopped the electronic display to visualise and experiment with how information would be displayed on a digital mockup.
Mobile Interface
I envisioned the app to complement the e-tags, integrating a research booking service and a digital catalog. Users can reserve items, select time slots, access handling guides, browse archives, and more.
I planned the sitemap out to visualise the flow of the app and what screens to design for.
To inform my UI design, I explored case studies within two key areas: existing apps with catalog and booking features, and current archive websites, focusing on how they structure and present information.
As I developed from Lo-Fi to Hi-Fi, I focused on creating a nature-inspired UI that evokes playfulness while maintaining a clean aesthetic. The resulting design uses earthy tones accented with orange/yellow and incorporates geometric, flat-color illustrations.
Archivum
Designed for Archivists
Solution
Electronic Tag
Customizable Display
E-tags display information tailored to each item, drawn directly from your archive database.
QR Code Integration
Scan the QR code on each e-tag for seamless management during research and retrieval.
Multiple attachments
Easily attach e-tags to different archival items with swappable backs.
LED Tag
Quickly locate missing items: simply pull the tab, place the tag on the shelf, and the LED light will show you where the item is.
Archivum App
Exploration & Booking
Archivum offers a self-service platform for archival research. Users can independently discover materials through the online catalogue, book appointments with smart scheduling, and utilise customised research guides to ensure a productive and informed research experience.
Research Guides
A key goal of Archivum was to enhance user understanding of archival practices. Personalised research guides, tailored to ordered items, provide essential handling information and archival context. This empowers researchers and frees up archivist time for more complex tasks.
