Website designers: how do they experience information literacy?

Abstract

This paper presents the findings from the first phase of a larger study into the information literacy of website designers. Using a phenomenographic approach, it maps the variation in experiencing the phenomenon of information literacy from the viewpoint of website designers. The current result reveals important insights into the lived experience of this group of professionals. Analysis of data has identified five different ways in which website designers experience information literacy: problemsolving, using best practices, using a knowledge base, building a successful website, and being part of a learning community of practice. As there is presently relatively little research in the area of workplace information literacy, this study provides important additional insights into our understanding of information literacy in the workplace, especially in the specific context of website design. Such understandings are of value to library and information professionals working with web professionals either within or beyond libraries. These understandings may also enable information professionals to take a more proactive role in the industry of website design. Finally, the obtained knowledge will contribute to the education of both website-design science and library and information science (LIS) students. Keywords: information literacy; website design; phenomenography Implications for Best Practice. Understanding the widening picture of information literacy in the workplace provides important evidence for information-literacy advocacy. This may also contribute to the curriculum design for the education of library and information science (LIS) professionals. . A clearer picture of website designers' engagement and interaction with information in their job may assist information professionals to serve them more purposefully. . Information professionals play roles in web design teams, especially as information architects. A deeper understanding of different experiences of information literacy in designing websites may help them to practice in a more informed manner. . An understanding about the variation in experiencing information literacy among website designers may provide a significant contribution to curriculum design within website-design science education. . A clear understanding of the character of website designers' information literacy could assist in the professional development of both website designers and the information professionals who work closely with them.

Information literacy, creativity and work performance

“…They experience information literacy as the ability to recognize, access, and use textual, physical and social sites of information specific to workplace context and work practices (Lloyd, 2009). Web designers experience information literacy as problem solving, using best practices and knowledge bases, building successful websites, and participating in learning communities (Sayyad Abdi et al, 2013). Based on the studies discussed above, the experience of using information varies considerably according to the context in which the workplace is embedded.…”

Information literacy and informed learning:

“…The idea of information experience design emerged from my interest in translating the theoretical understanding of IL into practice. The idea emerged from reflections on my doctoral study (Sayyad Abdi, 2014;Sayyad Abdi et al, 2016) which took a relational view of IL. From a relational perspective, a phenomenon is seen as the logically structured complex of the different ways of experiencing an object, for example information (Marton, 2014).…”

New Information Literacy Horizons: Making the Case for Career Information Literacy

“…Early WIL research is valuable because it identified IL as an important facet of the 21 st century workplace. Modern WIL research seeks to establish the contextual parameters of IL in workplace settings by mapping the lived experience of individuals employed in different sectors, organisations, roles, and locations [17], [20], [21], [22], [23], [24], [25], [26].…”