The MedlinePlus public user interface: studies of design challenges and opportunities.
OBJECTIVE
What are the challenges involved in designing, modifying, and improving a major health information portal that serves over sixty million page views a month?


METHODS
MedlinePlus, the National Library of Medicine's (NLM's) consumer health Website, is examined.


METHODS
Challenges are presented as six "studies," which describe selected design issues and how NLM staff resolved them.


RESULTS
Improving MedlinePlus is an iterative process. Changes in the public user interface are ongoing, reflecting Web design trends, usability testing recommendations, user survey results, new technical requirements, and the need to grow the site in an orderly way.


CONCLUSIONS
Testing and analysis should accompany Website design modifications. New technologies may enhance a site but also introduce problems. Further modifications to MedlinePlus will be informed by the experiences described here.
Marill
Jennifer L
JL
Public Services Division, National Library of Medicine, 8600 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, Maryland 20894, USA.
Miller
Naomi
N
Kitendaugh
Paula
P
D003628:Database Management Systems; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008004:Licensure; D049293:MedlinePlus; D019303:Multilingualism; D009317:National Library of Medicine (U.S.); D012985:Software Design; D014481:United States; D014584:User-Computer Interface