Are You Feeling The Pressure?

1. Are You Feeling The Pressure? Rochester Regional Library Council November 20, 2008 The Ratcheting Up of Library Technology Steven Bell, Associate University Librarian Temple University bells@temple.edu

2. Four Parts To This Workshop • Technology trends, change and the rachet • Strategies for technology adoption in library organizations • Creating better library user experiences • Keeping up with technology

3. Part I • Technology trends • Technology change • The technology ratchet

4. Forces of Change Demographics Socio-Econ Technology Librarians Institution Policy

7. Only The Paranoid Survive Andy Grove, Founder of Intel, wrote this bookabout surviving competition and change Wrote about the “inflection curve” We have no control over the “forces of change” but we can control our strategy

9. Source: BusinessWeek IN Supplement June 11, 2007 http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/07_24/b4038404.htm

10. Source: BusinessWeek IN Supplement June 11, 2007 http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/07_24/b4038405.htm

11. Source:Sharing, Privacy and Trust in Our Networked World, OCLC, 2007

12. Source:Sharing, Privacy and Trust in Our Networked World, OCLC, 2007

13. From: Curran, Murray and Christian. “Taking the information to the public through Library 2.0.” Library Hi-TechVol. 25. No. 2, 2007 pp288-297.

14. 2. Think of it as a spiral – pressure increases on the center The Ratchet Metaphor • What is a ratchet?

15. Technology Ratchet What Technologies Make You Feel Pressured? • Web Technologies • blogs, wikis, rss, aggregators, social collaboration tools, social networks, flickr, tagging, folksonomies, gaming, podcasts… • Library Technologies • link resolvers, federated search, institutional repositories, open worldcat… • Academic Technologies • courseware, hardware/software, learning objectsscreencasting…

17. Part II • Strategies for technology adoption • Bandwagon jumping and shiny toys • Tips for technology adoption • A thoughtful approach - design change

21. Technology ImplementationWiki Case Study • Identify problem – possible solutions • Wiki identified as technology with potential • Learn more about wikis • Practice editing a wiki • Obtain a wiki account for experimentation • Show staff but allow time for acceptance • Identify compassionate pioneer • Allow pioneer to experiment and discover • Develop strategy for implementation • Incorporate staff training/learning • Implement • Evaluation

22. Reverse The Technology Ratchet Consider the opportunity costs Balance experimentation (play) and investment of time Pick your edge – lead or trail Identify your compassionate pioneers Reverse mentoring Make a plan and let it guide – but there are exceptions

23. Part III • Creating better library user experiences • UX Trends • The experience economy • The design approach

24. The Age of User Experience • What Defines It? • Make it simple • Complexity/Confusion are deal breakers • If you have to learn it – we have a problem • Good design is critical • Features get used if they provide a good user experience Source: EWeek.com - http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1895,1914495,00.asp

25. What’s Broken - Activity • This is a 2-4 minute activity • Think about something at your library that you think is broken. Either something that doesn’t work or a solution that has no problem attached to it. • Just jot down a description of that on a sheet of paper • Also – why do you think it is broken?

26. Simple Satisfies instantgratification No unnecessary features Millennial seal of approval Complex Takes time to learn Many features Added value Better quality Personalized help Simplicity – Complexity Conundrum – how to resolve the tension between the two yet encourage qualityresearch and education Google Experience vs. Library Experience GOOGLE LIBRARY

27. What Do Libraries Offer? Fear of Complexity

28. What’s Broken At Your Library? • Library anecdote – “This is broken” • See Seth Godin’s blog or his presentation at GEL2006

29. Designing A Better Experience The Experience Economy • Book about designing user experiences • Moving from commodities to experiences • Make it memorable • It has to work

30. Word Association What comes to your mind when you hear the word DESIGN Write it down

31. Question Do you think library workers are designers? Yes or No

32. What is Design Anyway?

33. What They Have in Common The Design Approach! empathic thinkingidentifying the problem before the solution brainstorming processprototyping processformative/summative evaluation

34. Identify the problem before the solution • Understand the users • Work creatively to identify and develop the solution • Bottom Line – it’s how designers approach challenges Key Points:

35. Design Thinking Approaching library problems the way designers approach design problems. “Librarianship by Design” draws mostly from instructional design for influence How is it different? Thoughtful process to create new services Integrates needs assessment and evaluation User-centered not technology-driven

36. Thinking Like A Designer

37. DT vs ISD In what ways are design thinking and instructional systems design similar Compare ADDIE and the IDEO Method ADDIEIDEO Analysis Understand/Observe Design/Develop Visualize/Brainstorm Implement Implement Evaluate Evaluate/Refine

38. Design Thinking Empathic Design Prototyping process Formative and summative evalution

40. UX: What is it? A Definition: UX is the quality of experience a person has while interacting with a specific design.

41. Customer Service vs. User Experience CS UX • Caring • Nice • Go extra mile • Courteous • Training • Satisfied Patron • Fast/Convenient • Answers • Rule Bending • Holistic • Totality of Experience • WoW Factor (not broken) • Memorable • Loyalty • Localized • Design-based • What kind of experience • Understanding user

42. UX: The Totality of the Experience • Not just one fragmented experience • More than one WOW • Must be designed into the larger library service operation • Creates equal expectations throughout library

43. From Customer Service to Experience • Start with core values – design from there • Focus on relationship design – build trust andcreate meaning for users • It’s more than customer service • Must be useful and usable (simple/complex) • Think about UX as the brand

44. Design a Better Library User Experience • Design for local audiences • Design for personal experiences • Design for outcomes not features • Design for success stories • Design for user education

45. Add Your Voice To The Conversation

46. Part IV • Strategies for keeping up and keeping found things found • Professional development • Going beyond librarianship • Coping with technology change

47. What Are Keep Up Needs Three Types • Databases/Systems – have to learn new features, interface changes, upgrades; • formal training may be needed. • example – RefWorks, VR systems, etc. 2. New web technologies – social collaboration tools; learn by playing/experimenting example – scholar; jing; facebook apps 3. New developments in peripheral fields - computing; instructional technology

48. Challenge And Opportunity Challenge: Time constraints and cost Opportunity: Use technology to learn about technology

49. Leverage Tech For Training Resources: WebJunction – discussion lists / online training Sirsi Dynix - webinars OPAL – online training ACRL E-learning Blended Librarian – webcasts College of DuPage – Soaring to Excellence DVDs

50. TBLC Play Days? Sponsor an online technology summit Base it on PLCMC’s 23 Days program Staff development works bests when library staff are learning together Opportunity for reverse mentoring