When the Illinois Soybean Association (ISA) agronomy team approached us about creating an online library for farmers, we jumped at the opportunity to create a platform that allows easy access to a wealth of valuable resources.

We took a deep dive into existing online libraries and defined two key components that make up a good online library: content and organization.

Let’s start with the content. In order to create a practical library, we had to think like a farmer to pinpoint how they would use this tool and what would be the most necessary information to them. We worked closely with the ISA agronomy team to map out what major topics and categories should be included on the site.

ILSoyAdvisor produces a ton of information and houses amazing research that helps farmers better manage their operation. To manage this massive amount of data, we created tags that corresponded directly to all library categories. This makes it easy for the agronomy team to keep all content up-to-date and sorted correctly.

Useful content isn’t worth a thing if it isn’t well organized. A good sorting mechanism enhances the user experience by allowing users to easily find and access the content they are looking for. For large datasets or extensive content libraries, this streamlines the process of locating specific items quickly.

Ease of use and accurate delivery is especially critical on mobile devices where screen space is limited, and users might prefer quick access to information without scrolling through extensive lists. Designing a responsive sorting feature ensures that users can interact with and adjust sorting options without sacrificing the usability or functionality of the application or website.

As content grows or changes over time, a good sorting mechanism ensures that the user interface remains adaptable. It allows for seamless integration of new content or modifications without compromising usability.

Are you trying to work through a tricky data management project? Get in touch! We would love to have a conversation.