(okay, so the coffee bit is still in very early testing)!

Last year we embarked on a journey to rejuvenate our website’s Member Area. We wanted this platform to be interactive and operate as more of a centralised ‘base’ for our members. As stewards of digital heritage, we understand the importance of collaboration, knowledge sharing, and access to resources in preserving digital assets. While we run working groups, host mailing lists, and create member events, we were lacking a clear central space for our members to come together independently of us running specific events. And thus began a project we thought would be really fun, simple and totally achievable in a reasonable time! 

Without wanting to sound like a bit of a space-cadet, we wanted to make updates to this platform that would better reflect the organisation we have become and who we wanted to be in the future. In this quick blog, I’ll walk you through the process our Systems Administrator, Darren, and I have done so that our members can get more out of their experience with us. 

The main reason that this is a public blog, expressing our enthusiasm over something that the majority of readers aren’t going to be able to see, is because we wanted to give a huge shout out to the ‘Host a Student’ project from the School of Information at the University of Michigan. We did not have time amongst ourselves to do much of the design and navigation, but knew what we wanted. We wanted the space to be aesthetically unique from our main site, just different enough to mark it as a separate area. This project was the perfect answer. Every year, selected students engage in client projects to both provide benefits to the client organisation and enhance their skillsets. We were lucky enough to be one of those clients last year. We received free consultation, recommendations, and a handful of deliverables to help us address our Member Area. 

They approached it as ‘an information challenge impacting [the OPF]’ and a few of our members were kind enough to fill out review surveys about the Member Area to guide the students to anything in the overall vision we may have missed. This offered us invaluable information with which to move forward. Areas that existed already, like the Webinar Archive, have also been given both visual and system upgrades through this process. It was great to have a third party working in this section as it gave another layer of feedback we would have otherwise been without. 

Darren got to work, and figured out how we could best implement the suggested changes that I had tied together into a working, navigable space. 

A fresh and simple, user-friendly design

The first thing you’ll notice when logging into the Member Area is an updated, clearer design. We’ve overhauled the look and feel to ensure a more intuitive and visually appealing experience. The navigation is simpler; we’ve restructured the layout to make it easier to find what you’re looking for, whether it’s connecting with fellow members, accessing resources, or participating in discussions.

The students also opined that we should include more visuals in our Member Area, with updated graphics and a more organised interface which will encourage networking amongst the membership. This is something we hope to grow over time. 

Better spaces for networking

While there were multiple things we wanted to add to the new Member Area, it was important to us that opportunities to network were at the heart of this, and so we are in the process of introducing several new features to help our members connect more effectively with one another. 

For the moment, we have a new member-only forum. Here you can create discussions, share files, and develop learning opportunities. We hope that this will enable our members to get to know one another better, and connect based on shared interests and goals. 

Specialized Content on the Horizon

We’re also excited to share that we hope to soon roll out more specialised content exclusively for our members, better tailored to your needs and interests, helping you stay ahead in your field, and maximise the benefits of your membership.

• Look out for more webinars led by industry experts. These sessions will cover a range of topics, from professional development to industry trends, offering valuable insights and actionable advice.
• We’re curating a collection of in-depth articles, case studies, and whitepapers that will be available to members. These resources will be geared toward helping you navigate challenges within your organisations. 
• To celebrate the achievements and contributions of our members, we’ll be creating a space to share our members’ success stories. This is a great way to get inspired and learn from the experiences of your peers.

We are toying with other ideas within this area, – from Event Calendars to new messaging systems – but are looking forward to learning how best our members use this area for the foreseeable future before we re-focus. 

What’s Next? Your Feedback Matters

In the spirit of general improvements, these updates are just the beginning of a larger project. We’re committed to continuously improving our services as a whole to ensure we meet your needs and exceed your expectations. But to do that, we need your input.

• We are looking to add more feedback opportunities throughout the general website where you can share your thoughts on how we are doing. Let us know what you love and what could be better—we’re listening!
• As a reminder, we develop digipres tools, and we invite the whole community to participate in beta testing. This is a great opportunity to have a direct impact on the future of our platform. Check out our Github here to log issues and help us improve. 

Thank you

We hope you’re as excited about turning this new leaf as we are. The redesigned Member Area is more than just a platform—it’s a space where you can grow your network, access valuable resources, and be part of a thriving community of professionals.

Finally a huge thank you to Darren for all his hard work and efforts throughout the year to get this area live and running (and a wee pat on the back for myself too, I guess). Also, to Dual Lab, who have been available to answer all of our website-related questions. 

Thank you again to the students from the School of Information at the University of Michigan for giving us their time and attention, and the opportunity to work with them on this project. Also, to our members for being a part of our organisation. We hope that these updates will help you make the most of your membership and foster deeper connections within our community. Every new member or donation helps us to expand and improve our reference toolset for all. 

@ OPF members, give me an email if you’re needing your member access renewed!