The cascade of interactions in the digital library interface

Each design element or layer in an information system interacts with every other design layer in a synergistic, neutral, or conflicting manner. This cascade of interactions culminates in the interface, where all the prior interactions have either worked to produce effective information retrieval or to produce a hodgepodge of system elements working at cross-purposes. Very large networked and World-Wide-Web-based online databases and online public access catalogs provide numerous illustrative examples of how the cascade works. Good design requires that these interactions be well understood and properly designed for the purposes of the information system in question. Interactions among metadata and indexing systems, information system front-ends, user search capabilities, and interface design are discussed and used as illustrations for the effective design of digital library access. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.