Abstract

This paper discusses the design process of an online library of legal materials related to American Indian tribal justice systems. A multidisciplinary team embarked on an NSF sponsored project aiming to develop the infrastructure and user interface for a comprehensive online resource for researchers and practitioners of tribal law. The project was complex in many ways, including: culturally, disciplinarily, in terms of media, and in terms of content. For the designers on the Tribal Law Exchange team, the value of the multidisciplinary experience extends well beyond the project. Thinking about design in collaboration with people from other disciplines allowed the team to brainstorm, test and revise a broader range of ideas—each with distinct perceptions about how end users might benefit. While it was not a direct route to the end result, the process led to better solutions for the user interface. It has also led to an understanding of how to embark on the next multidisciplinary project. Ultimately this shared experience will advance understanding of how to embrace the recursive nature of the design process, and communicate effectively with ‘designers’ from other disciplines.