Sensis will usher in all-new compact directories next month, which are 85% of the current book size. They will be distributed in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide and Brisbane between July 2011 and May 2012.

Steven Maidens, PMP’s general manager for publishing and directories, said the printing facility in western Sydney had to undergo “minor operational changes” to accommodate the resizing, and said the new designs had been well-received.

“Anything that increases end-user frequency of use is a positive thing,” he said.

“Sensis believes that the new directories will be a more user-friendly size and, therefore, a more useful product.”

The initiative was developed in conjunction with consumer interest groups including the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network, Vision Australia and the Council on the Ageing (COTA).

COTA Australia chief executive Ian Yates expressed his support for the new-look directories.

“The White Pages and Yellow Pages print directories are relied upon by thousands of members of our community, in particular older people,” he said.

“Many older people still prefer to use more traditional means to search for information and the changes to the format and the typeface in the compact-sized directories have made them even more user-friendly.” Sensis that feedback from user research showed that users wanted a book that is lighter, more compact and more practical.

Comment below to have your say on this story.

If you have a news story or tip-off, get in touch at editorial@sprinter.com.au.  

Sign up to the Sprinter newsletter