Den Danske Ordbog som app – hvorfor og hvordan?

Resumé

In addition to the existing online version, The Danish Dictionary was published as an app in May 2013. This paper sums up the considerations of the team who created the contents and design of the app. It attempts to explain why the app came to look the way it did by examining e.g. how the technical platform affects usage, how navigation can be optimized on a device with no physical keyboard, and what functionalities should be given priority in the app. The relatively small screen size of a handheld device, as compared to a laptop or desktop computer, forced the team to prioritize and include only the essential content elements. Financial constraints also played a role, and the paper discusses the consequences of a tight budget. Finally, the paper takes a look at other apps for future improvements, and considers the recommendations given in a critical review that followed.