This chapter reviews some of the most important human dimensions applicable
to the design and use of information spaces, with a focus on library applications.
The chapter begins with an introduction to the area of information
spaces, presenting an established view of human information processing that
can be used to understand the way in which users make sense of information
that is presented to them through information spaces. Designing effective
systems that allow access to information spaces is a complex problem and there
has been substantial research into the area. This chapter will turn to describing
a set of well-established principles, drawn from the work of Norman (1988), that
views consistent and well-grounded design as a key issue in alleviating problems
of use by considering design in relation to users. To this end, a design case
is presented to explore user task scenarios with respect to a particular library
application, thus illustrating the emerging usability issues as they relate to
interface design features. Notwithstanding the importance of the high-level
design principles, the diverse background of the individual users accessing
information spaces are not necessarily acknowledged or addressed. The
chapter will therefore go on to present an analysis of what are argued to be the
most important individual differences that can influence the way that users
interact with systems and make sense of the information that they encounter.
Finally, the chapter will consider the design of information spaces to allow for
their context of use in terms of issues related to devices and mobility that are likely to become increasingly important in the coming few years for the provision
of information spaces and the electronic library interface.