The IBdata Web System for Biological Collections: Design Focused on Usability

The software design process must put users at the core of the process to enable them to meet their specific objectives effectively, efficiently, and successfully. Thus, a software design for a computing system to consult biological collections guided by the concept of usability will result in an effective and efficient biodiversity informatics tool. Here, we introduce IBdata, a web system to consult biological collections, developed using a design approach based on the architecture of three layers: database, business rules, and user interface. The user interface design was guided by the concept of usability focused on four core concepts: simplicity, adaptability, guide the user through the journey, and feedback. The IBdata web system that we developed is composed of three modules (query, capture and editing, and administration), permitting it to query a database with about 1.7 million specimen records. Biodiversity data query systems must be effective and efficient and should meet the user’s expectations. Software design methodologies play a central role in achieving these goals, and, in this context, interface design techniques that put the user at the core of development are valuable, as in the development of the IBdata web system.