Test the exhibition with readers

A successful build shows that the site was generated. A reader test shows whether the exhibition makes sense to someone encountering it for the first time. Do both before sharing it widely.

Rehearse the main route

Start at the homepage without using your editor bookmarks. Choose a story, follow every step and reach the ending.

Check that each source appears at the intended page, framing or time segment. Read the question and answer against that view. Open all panels and glossary links, then return to the story.

Ask someone to try it

Give a reader a small task: find the first story, explain what changed between two views, or locate the source behind a claim. Observe before explaining the interface.

Ask what they noticed, what they understood and where they lost the thread. Separate an interface problem from an interpretation that needs rewriting. Revise, then try the changed passage again.

Test other ways of reading

• Use a narrow window and a phone if one is available.
• Navigate with the keyboard and check that links and controls have a visible focus.
• Read alternative text and transcripts alongside the visual and audio material.
• Check text size, contrast and button wording.
• Follow external source links and verify credits.
• Check the interface language and any text the site supplies automatically.

If a source fails, test its catalogue page and manifest independently. If the framing is wrong, return to that step and capture or copy the intended view again.

Prepare the version you will share

Remove unfinished material from the publication route. In the Compositor, a draft is excluded from publication; making a story private is a different choice and uses a key. Verify the published result, not only the editor.

Record the public address, the date tested and any known limitations. Keep the source files and a short note explaining how to rebuild the exhibition.

Your result: a tested first edition and a short list of improvements for the next one. Choose the Compositor, Google Sheets or local authoring manual for the build process.