Business Summary
divibib GmbH operates »Onleihe«, the leading digital lending platform for libraries in the German-speaking region. Together with dotSource, »Onleihe 3.0« was reimagined and designed as a holistic experience across the app, web view and e-ink reader in order to significantly improve user experience and accessibility.
The focus was on a consistent UX and UI design, a rigorous alignment with the needs of different user groups, and the implementation of key requirements of digital accessibility. The result: a modern, standardised digital offering that provides libraries and users with a clearly structured, harmonious look and feel.
Client | divibib GmbH |
Industry | Media, Publishing & Printing |
Technology | Atlassian Confluence, Miro, RapidUserTests, UXPin, Adobe Creative Cloud |
Focus | UX Consulting, User Research, Brand Experience |
How divibib Benefits from the UXD Project
Consistent design language: Unified branding across the app, website and e-reader
Modern user interface with a clear structure makes it easy to search, borrow and manage content
Digital accessibility: Compliance with relevant standards (WCAG 2.1 AA) makes »Onleihe 3.0« accessible to everyone
Seamlessly optimised user journey across all devices based on real user surveys
Relaunch of the technically revamped platform delivers a modern, future-ready digital offering
Project Overview
About divibib
Since its foundation in 2005, divibib has developed into a leading provider of digital media lending in the DACH region. Libraries use the powerful platform to lend their licensed digital media to readers and listeners. divibib hosts with the German provider plusserver, ensuring that all data remains in Germany and that data protection is taken particularly seriously.
The digital services of the ekz Group, of which divibib is part, also include catalogues and IT infrastructures. As a company based in Germany, ekz has a long history of working with public libraries.
Initial Situation
The »Onleihe« began in 2007 as a web project and was supplemented by a mobile app in 2011. Across the various touchpoints, the service that had evolved over the years showed differences in layout, interaction logic and brand presentation. As a result, the app, website and e-ink reader did not offer a consistently uniform user experience, making it harder for users to find their way around and weakening the brand recognition of divibib.
In addition, from a technical perspective, the existing solutions no longer met modern requirements in terms of performance and digital accessibility. All of this made a fundamental overhaul of the »Onleihe« necessary.
Challenges
The different channels such as app, web platform and e-ink reader each came with their own technical framework conditions, which had to be translated into a shared UX and design concept. This required close coordination between dotSource’s design and development teams.
It was also necessary to integrate the results from user research, feedback loops and user tests into the process in such a way that they could be taken into account across all touchpoints.
Comprehensive Redesign Across All Channels
User-centred development
Using qualitative and quantitative user research methods, requirements were gathered and users’ wishes and pain points were analysed. In joint workshops, those involved developed proto-personas and mapped the current and desired states of various user journeys.
Design phase for UX and UI
With the help of wireframes and interactive prototypes, specific user interfaces were designed, tested and then optimised for intuitive use. In addition, the dotSource design experts developed a digital style guide.
Built-in accessibility
Key requirements for digital accessibility were already incorporated into the concept creation and structuring of the new »Onleihe« in order to avoid costly adjustments later on.
Fresh brand identity
The brand experience specialists at dotSource designed a new brand identity for the »Onleihe«, including a new logo, a new colour palette and a brand and print style guide for the CI-compliant use of the new assets.
App in a new look
As part of the project, app icons, loading animations and App Store banners, as well as numerous micro-animations, were also created for the completely revamped divibib app.
Platform Relaunch
In addition to design measures, the »Onleihe« platform was technically overhauled, including a new code base and the integration of cross-platform tracking.
Project Deep Dives
Understanding Users Through User Research
Central to the project’s success was the user-centred development approach. Throughout the entire process, concepts and UX/UI designs were evaluated early and regularly, and user surveys as well as several beta testing rounds ensured that user needs remained at the centre of all decisions.
The result: a consistent user experience across all channels and intuitive usability for all target groups.
Accessibility as a Key Requirement
Digital accessibility plays a central role for divibib, as libraries, as public institutions, are obliged to design their digital services in accordance with the so-called Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.1AA). The aim was therefore to make the »Onleihe« accessible to and operable by all users.
High contrast and easily scalable text were firmly integrated into the platform as technical requirements. Specific tests, for example in collaboration with the German Library for the Blind, helped to verify accessibility in real usage scenarios.
Cross-Functional Development
The close collaboration between the design and development teams at dotSource was crucial to the success of the project. Through regular cross-team coordination as well as extensive testing with test subjects and real Onleihe users during various development phases, valuable feedback was able to be incorporated into the development process at an early stage.
Future enhancements, such as support for Apple CarPlay and smartwatches, are intended to make the completely overhauled platform even more multimedia-rich and user-friendly.
Future-Proof with »Onleihe 3.0«
The comprehensive redesign lets divibib and its »Onleihe« shine in a fresh new light. The combination of brand experience and UX/UI design by dotSource proved to be a major advantage, as it enabled synergies to be leveraged within the project and ensured a consistent user experience across platforms and channels. The improvements to digital accessibility also ensure that many users – especially older and visually impaired users – can read comfortably again.
Thanks to the relaunch, divibib can not only attract new users, but also win additional libraries as partners through its high-quality offering. In future, the EKZ Group is expected to offer further services for libraries and users of all media, which will make library life even more pleasant for all readers.
Online Consulting Session UX
Your Contact for Further Questions
