Ethnography and a wider perspective on library user experience
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Transcript of Ethnography and a wider perspective on library user experience
Ethnography and a wider perspective on library user experience
Andy Priestner (@andytraining)
https://www.flickr.com/photos/francisco_osorio/15846068506
How good are librarians at seeing the big picture?
https://www.flickr.com/photos/pikerslanefarm/2798037108
https://www.flickr.com/photos/auduhomes/9330082354
A case of tunnel vision?
Some can’t see past ‘library’…
https://www.flickr.com/photos/sashavasko/4400528704
Focus too much on library use
(and usually only in terms of footfall, loan stats and survey data)
https://www.flickr.com/photos/vmwelt/18763194909
Failure to focus on students who don’t use our libraries
LIBRARY
IT CAREERS
And thoughts beyond library only go so far as integration with other support departments
STUDENT SUPPORT
COURSE ADMIN
https://www.flickr.com/photos/alwaysshooting/14913046889
But where does ‘library’ actually fit within the wider student experience of University?
https://www.flickr.com/photos/francisco_osorio/9513730462
How can we start to uncover and understand the bigger picture?
If we keep within our library field of vision it’s a bit like a cropped Photoshop image – what part of the picture are we missing? We’re not missing much in this cropped kitten picture, but what about on these classic album covers..?
https://www.flickr.com/photos/74576085@N00/6335630844
Through ethnography: talking to and listening to students…
…and thereby piecing together their whole learning landscape…
https://www.flickr.com/photos/alanenglish/744025274
…and better appreciating where (and if) library fits into that landscape
https://www.flickr.com/photos/kthbiblioteket/4472643699
Simple sticky note exercise undertaken with students at Cambridge University: ‘Detail your entire experience of University life – warts and all – with one element per sticky note. Use as many notes as you need.’
https://www.flickr.com/photos/michaelmattiphotography/10197758956/
SO
CIA
L sports
sex
drugs
alcohol/bars
friends
girl/boy -friend
shopping clubs & societies
coffee & cafes
summerball
music
eating out
travel
student union
theatre town
cinema
house parties
https://www.flickr.com/photos/michaelmattiphotography/10197758956/
CO
UR
SE
readings study space
essays
practicals
library deadlines
IT support
exams
data
tutorials course staff
lectures
project work revision
time-table PCs
printing
https://www.flickr.com/photos/michaelmattiphotography/10197758956/
DA
Y-TO
-DA
Y
laundry health
communal living
buying food
getting from A
to B stress
cooking meals
cycling
managing money
your room
packing &
unpacking
home -sick
calling home
counsell-ing
disabled access
https://www.flickr.com/photos/michaelmattiphotography/10197758956/
TECH
N
EXT
phone signal
WIFI tablet laptop phone
power
interviews CV job search
pursue academic
career
pursue course
elsewhere
https://www.flickr.com/photos/michaelmattiphotography/10197758956/
readings study space
library IT support
data revision PCs
printing
WIFI power
https://www.flickr.com/photos/124429633@N03/14360887815
A pan-Cambridge innovation programme delivering new products and services derived from ethnography and human-centred design
https://www.flickr.com/photos/bakokojp/8269964720
Spacefinder would seek to illumine and uncover the University’s many spaces and match them to study needs and preferences
Derived from ethnographic research
• diary studies • collaborative design
workshops (pictured) • interviews (unstructured,
structured, guerilla)
https://www.flickr.com/photos/cipherswarm/29754107
https://www.flickr.com/photos/leonfishman/6738681839
Problem identified… Students were not finding spaces that matched their study preferences and these needs were hugely diverse…
study preferences
• in groups • totally alone • ‘together alone’
(studying independently but next to friends who can help them)
• alone but in crowded quiet reading rooms (to make them work)
• alone but in a noisier location (some can’t work in silence)
https://www.flickr.com/photos/johncohen/152850884
https://www.flickr.com/photos/dinoboy/6868841128
types of space
• common areas • cafes • pubs • parks
(not just libraries)
https://www.flickr.com/photos/bakokojp/8269964720
Spacefinder would seek to illumine and uncover the University’s many spaces and match them to study needs and preferences
ethnographic / design research was continuous during the project
• prototyping • testing and iterating
(photo: students testing a prototype phone version of Spacefinder)
“I wanted to write personally, to thank you for Spacefinder, and tell you how useful students are already finding it. This is an achievement which shouldn't be underestimated. I thought you might be amused to know that the general response has been one of sheer astonishment that the University have helped produce something so up-to-date and relevant to student life!” Poppy Logan Cambridge University Students Union – Welfare and Rights Officer
https://www.flickr.com/photos/michaelmattiphotography/10197758956/
library PCs
phone signal
WIFI
tablet
laptop power
coffee & cafes friends
stress
music
eating out
phone signal
cycling
printing
disabled access
Spacefinder is successful because it fulfils many needs beyond library and recognises a broader student experience and learning landscape…
study space revision phone
getting from A
to B
power disabled access power disabled access
phone signal
stress
Survey results, quantitative data, and more importantly a focus solely on library would never have led us to Spacefinder.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/francisco_osorio/8424407891
Survey results, quantitative data, and more importantly a focus solely on library would never have led us to Spacefinder.
We had to become interested in a
wider picture of experience
and piece that together through ethnographic research and human-centred design.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/francisco_osorio/8424407891