One site – multiple users: Designing a portal for multiple user groups

Dr Kathy Lynch, Senior Lecturer, Faculty of IT, Monash University, Melbourne, AUSTRALIA. Email: kathy.lynch@infotech.monash.edu.au

Dr Heather Bowe, Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Arts, Monash University, Melbourne, AUSTRALIA. Email: heather.bowe@arts.monash.edu.au

Keywords

web portals, usability, Indigenous languages

Abstract

In this paper we discuss the development of the Indigenous Language of Victoria – Resource Portal (ILV-RP); a resource with the aim to be an access point to resources for Victorian Indigenous languages for a number of user groups - researchers, teachers, Indigenous persons, and students: All looking at the same content but through different lenses.

We describe the role web portals play in information access, and present an argument for their use in this project. We share our experiences in developing a web portal to meet the needs of a diverse group of users, as well as the results of a series of usability studies conducted to refine the user requirements and improve the usability of the portal.