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Understanding your users OR what the @*%$ do they really want?
- 1. Understanding your users Or Sandy Buchanan
- 2. Coming up in today's episode... • Gathering feedback – Surveys – Observation/ UX – Work/ Stats • The reference interview – What it is – How to do it • with fun and exciting activities! • and pictures of a cat, a dog and a guinea pig
- 3. You will be judged... IMG_6079byBrandonO'Connor.2010CreativeCommons.FromFlickr
- 4. We're librarians- and we worry Me,Worried?byGreeblie2008
- 5. Three Forms of Feedback
- 6. Je ne parlez pas le Library
- 7. Please enter your destination
- 8. No cake for you SliceoflemonpoppycakebyMaggieHoffman.2008.CreativeCommons2.0
- 9. Catching your guinea pigs LittleGuineaPigbyHayvanUzman.2015.CreativeCommons4.0Attribution-SharealikeInternational
- 10. A Matter of Timing PragueAstronomicalClock,2013
- 12. Survey
- 14. Branding
- 15. Fun Activity No.1 This first exercise is about some of the issues around 'thinking like a student' and some of the advantages of observation as a method. And I'm afraid it involves drawing You don't have to draw if you're embarrassed; and I do need a few volunteers who won't be drawing. But be warned, they don't necessarily have the easier job!
- 16. Observe/ UX
- 18. As others see us
- 19. Washing Machines
- 20. Work/ Stats
- 21. Communicate
- 22. The Blue Bird of Fiery Retribution
- 23. Questioning the Question: the reference interview
- 24. Fun Activity No.2 So, do you have any horror stories? What is the most stupid/ inane/ pointless/ unanswerable/ difficult question You've ever been asked? And now we've done that, what made those questions so tricky?
- 25. What's a reference interview? Illustration by Sidney Paget, for the Sherlock Holmes story The Boscombe Valley Mystery by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
- 26. But will I ever play the violin again?
- 28. Where are the journals?? Do they want recent journals, or older materials? Journal Collection Stack But wait... aren't there specialist journal collections? Law TESOL Languages Although maybe they really wanted newspapers after all ... But we've also got electronic journals... In fact, we've got FAR more electronic journals. So do they mean those? Any journal article on the subject, or one article in particular? Can we find the article in question on the discovery tool? If we can't find it, do we need to use a specialist journals database? Fire up the subject guides! If we can find it, does it actually do what the student needs it to do? If we find it, but we don't own it, can we get it through Document Supply? Nope. Still can't find it. Is the reference they have right?Is the reference even for a journal article? Could it be a book chapter, for example? Where did the reference come from? Oh, so your tutor gave it to you? Right, let's try and figure out what they really meant.... Sigh heavily, and try to find out if the assignment has any further requirements that might help. "...on a really broad topic , wholly unsuited to, and unrepresentative, of, journal searching." "My tutor told me to find a journal article..." "I want to find a journal article in British Standards" "...but has neglected to tell me what a journal is" Ah. Do they actually know what a journal article is? Emergency Information literacy! Do they know how to find journal articles on the discovery tool? They don't? Do they know how to find anything on the discovery tool? Is the subject one well-supported by the discovery tool?Do they need to use the journal databases on the subject guides? "What's a subject guide?" Which subject guide? Which database? Has does this crazy database even work? Hmm, this is a big job . Maybe a one-to-one's in order....
- 29. Fun activity no.3 So, you saw how many different directions a simple question like "Where are the journals" can head off in. So how many different possibilities are there for: "I can't log in" Get into teams, grab your post-its and go!
- 30. Danger Signs: Under the Surface CrocodilenearJaco,CostaRica©MikeBaird,2007.TakenfromFlickr
- 31. Draco Dormiens Nunquam Titillandus: Beware of the Librarian
- 32. Can I help? Can I? Can I? Can I? LabradorRetriever©EduardoMillo,2007,fromFlickr
- 33. Parts of the Reference Interview • Welcome: – Hello!
- 34. Parts of the Reference Interview • Overview: – So what's up, dude?
- 35. Parts of the Reference Interview • Reassurance: – It's okay to ask
- 36. Parts of the Reference Interview • Initial answer: – Your answer is X, but also...
- 37. Parts of the Reference Interview • Confirmation 1: – Before I go any further, I am about to do the right thing, aren't I?
- 38. Parts of the Reference Interview • Intervention: – [Actually sorting out the issue]
- 39. Parts of the Reference Interview • Confirmation 2: – Has that solved your issue?
- 40. Parts of the Reference Interview • Finish: – So that's what you do next time. TTFN!
- 41. Open Questions: I Need a Bit More to Go on ... DesertRipples©Pedronet,2011,fromFlickr
- 42. 'Satiable Curiosity "I keep six honest serving men (They taught me all I knew); Their names are What and Why and When And How and Where and Who." From 'The Elephant's Child', from the Just So Stories by Rudyard Kipling IllustrationbyJosephGleesonfrom1912DoubledayeditionofJustSoStories,courtesyofNewYorkPublicLibrary
- 44. Checking the Question: That's Not My Teddy Bear! ©HoriaVarlan ©StevedePolo ©EmilyStanchfield ©AndreaBlack ©Falcon1961 ©TimEvanson
- 45. Any Questions? Creative Commons and Public Domain images thanks to Flickr, Wikimedia Commons., SHIMMER and my own photos.
Editor's Notes
- The obligatory cate photo
- There are three forms of feedback we use: Surveys: going out and asking people what they think Observations: going out and watching what people do Work: gathering and analysing all the data that is created in the course of our day-to-day work We'll have a closer look at the peculiarities of each of these methods in a little bit, but first we'll have a look at some of the things they have in in common
- Think about the terminology and language you use in your questions. Libraries and IT are strange places, with their own weird processes and jargon- students may not know the processes or terminology, and so they way they choose to describe things may not be the way we would do it. This goes double for international students. If students don't understand what you are asking, you're not going to get useful information back from them. A degree of translation is necessary: don't think about what you call it, think about how someone who knew nothing about it would describe it.
- Start with the answer you want- not in the sense of rigging the results, but as in making sure that you end up with answers that actually give you useful information. There's no point in asking questions and not ending up with data you can actually use. So work out what information would help you make your decisions, and then construct the questions accordingly. Just like a sat-nav, you start with the destination you want.
- When you are setting your questions, also make sure that you're asking about something you can actually do something about. So- in an example of really bad practice- when I'm teaching, I'll ask the students if there's anything else they would have liked me to include in the class: and, inevitably, each year there are always a few students who reply 'cake'. Naturally, they're not going to get cake: the library has no cake budget. But this is where setting expectations matters. There is no point in asking for information about things you can't change: what are you going to do about it, after all? So we had a recent survey about our different ebook platforms. Obviously, we can't change the nature of the platforms themselves, as that's not in our power: but we can choose which platforms we buy from, and alter our purchases accordingly. If you want, you can always tag a 'Is there anything else you want to add?' question at the end, just in case the student has something they really want to get off their chest: it can always go into a general pool of feedback.
- Advanced booking proved unreliable, since students made appointments but didn't turn up. What seems to have worked is just going out onto campus and approaching the students on their home ground- just go up and ask them. You can rotate between different buildings and times of day to get a good spread Cafes have proved good recruiting grounds, since you get lots of students, but they tend not to be working, so they're a bit more relaxed and they have some free time. Or you can also site yourself by a busy route through the campus. Since you're outside the library, it also means you're not restricting yourself to the subset of students who are natural library goers. It can also mean that you can collar small groups of students: students often discuss topics far more freely with their friends than with library staff and you can get better data as a result Getting hold of students who are mainly online- such as distance or placement students- can be trickier. This is where some contacts such as the Student Union or the office or individuals who look after student satisfaction at your institution can be useful, as they are likely to have a pipeline through to the students. A small reward can be a nice way of recognising their contribution and showing you value what they've done.
- It's worth organising your surveys and observations at the right time of day: you're much more likely to get student volunteers at lunch breaks and between classes, not when they're hurrying into lectures first thing in the morning. it's also worth avoiding times when students are being surveyed from other quarters, such as the NSS, to avoid them feeling overwhelmed or fed up. So this tends to mean that there's a distinct survey season, which limits the amount of research you can do. Equally, observations and routine data-gathering as part of work are sufficiently different that this usually isn't an issue.
- We gather all this information because it can be used as evidence- and to show that evidence to other people, you need to record it and organise it. So for example, when running user tests on library website, we record what student does on screen-casting software (Camtasia in our case) so we can show other relevant people later Information can also be useful later on, even if it's random comments from staff-student meetings and feedback boxes: it may be worth keeping data because the answer you want may already be in there, and you don't necessarily have to do all that research. Indeed, if some of your surveys and investigations aren't quite as conclusive as you hoped they might be, digging around in existing data may help you triangulate where the answer really lies
- I don't want to go into specifics of how to run surveys, partly because there are lots of different methods that need to be tailored to particular situations, and partly because this is one of the bits I don't do myself! But it's the sort of thing where there is very often training classes available; and if you can't get to training, there is almost certainly someone somewhere in your institution who is responsible for student feedback and satisfaction on a wider scale, and you can always pump them for information. They'll be useful contacts anyway.
- Tell people about what you've done because of the feedback they've given. People will be more willing to contribute if they know something may be done based on what they said: it goes someway to establishing a connection between you and your users, letting everyone know what's going on and why. It also makes you look better if you show that you're willing to listen If you can't change something, explain why: if there's a good reason, then (most) students will probably understand. And if there's not a good reason for not changing something... It's also worth announcing a day or so before you carry out a survey, to let students know you're coming (but not too far ahead, or people will just forget): it means that the survey will not come as a surprise and people may be more receptive
- At Sheffield Hallam, the team that run our surveys have a distinct brand, 'Have Your Say'. Helps connect survey with end results- takes ages to get anything done, so helps remind students that something will/may come out of the feedback they're giving you Also acts as armour when surveying, makes you look and feel a bit more professional: wear a branded t-shirt and lanyard when surveying
- But surveys have limits: they can tell you what students and staff think/ remember/ believe/ are willing to confess to: but that isn't always what they actually do in reality. This is where observations come in: rather than ask questions, you just watch and record what your users do. This might sound a bit creepy, but you can just unobtrusively sit down at a desk like any other student and watch where people go and congregate: that can tell you where to site things, or if some facilities or services might require better signage, for example. But observation can also take more active forms: by giving your participants a short task or exercise, you can see how they interact with your services. A lot UX (User Experience) revolves around physical spaces, but most of ours looks at our web presence. We run regular tests to try and make sure the students can understand the terminology we use and that they have all the information they need to find what they want. So each student will be set a handful of simple tasks- find journal X, find video X, find the library opening hours, etc- and we will observe what they do (it can be very hard to sit quietly and not to tell them how to do it!): if they're willing, the student will also 'think out loud' so we have some idea of their thought processes. If something is working, we change it, and then re-test the new version in the next batch of testing. Of course, this means our webpages constantly undergo minor tweaks and revisions, but hopefully it's always getting better.
- One of the complications is that students don't necessarily behave in the way we design their resources- so when they look for videos online, they may not necessarily use our library catalogue to do so- so, although we want to know how students really use our resources, we're sometimes asking them to do things in a way they probably wouldn't do if left to their own devices. The environments and services we construct for them don't always reflect what they would normally do. This can be nuisance when trying to plan your user test: but the more testing you do, the more you understand how the students think/work, and can factor that in when you plan your questions and tasks.
- So in one test, we used a UX technique called mapping, which essentially involves your participants drawing a map or drawing of the service or building you're interesting in. What they remember or choose to focus on indicates what aspects matter to them. It's often used for physical spaces, but we used it for our library homepage, 'The Library Gateway'. So this is the Library Gateway in all its glory... And this is what most of the students actually drew!
- This is not just the students being awkward: no-one pays much attention to things they don't regularly use. After all, students may only use our resources periodically when they need them for assignments. Students will also be used to web services frequently changing and updating, so they may not be that curious about any changes or additions to the library's web pages. So this is my washing machine: it has 15 settings- and I've only ever used 4 of them. I've no idea what the other eleven do: and I had an exciting afternoon when I unwittingly engaged the child lock and had to dig up the manual to extract my laundry.
- This is one of the areas we'd like help with- if you've got it working, we'd like to know! Library business will generate lots of data from transactions, gates, etc- can spot upcoming trends- but lacks a narrative, so even if you can see what's happening, not always sure why Granualarity an issue- Could gather more information with each transaction- but that takes time and effort- the students' time and effort, too!- and someone then has to sort through it all. It's a big complicated job
- But sharing information also an issue- generate all this data, but then what do you do with it? Who else might find it useful? Can be a vicious circle- no-one's sharing feedback, so no-one's using the feedback, so no-one's sharing the feedback, so...
- Good idea to have someone keeping an eye on feedback coming in via social media Twitter- especially visible and volatile Need to respond quickly to online feedback- the sort of thing that can rapidly escalate- in a very public way!
- So that's what happens when we go out and ask the students questions: but what happens when they come to us? Understanding the underlying meaning behind user's questions is where the reference interview comes in.
- While many of the enquiries we receive are very straightforward, some require a bit of deduction to figure out what is going on, because people frequently don't ask for what they really want. Like any good whodunnit, people hold back information, mistake or misrepresent facts or even outright lie. A reference interview is a way of identifying the real question, by careful questioning and following up clues.
- Our job is to an extent much like being a GP: our clients come to us knowing that there's a problem, and wanting that problem fixed, but they may very well have no idea what the real nature of their problem is, or what fixing it will take. They certainly won't know the technical terms (how would you describe that pain you have?). And that problem could be anything. We must listen to their description of symptoms, carry out the right tests, diagnose the condition and dispense the cure. But all our patients know is that something is wrong, and that they would like it to stop.
- So, why is it so difficult? If we take a common enquiry...
- ...This is some of the directions it can go in! I put down as many as I could think, but I may well have missed some [I've got some print-outs here if you want a closer look] What seems to be a simple question with a simple answer can be anything but, as it can mask an entirely different problem.
- Your knowledge and expertise may alert you to oddities in the question, and possible hidden problems. If something doesn't look or feel quite right, there may well be a need to question further. You can also spot if there is a deeper underlying problem: for example, if a student is asking for journals for a purpose that isn't really suitable, there might be an issue with their understanding of information resources, which needs fixing, rather than just saying ' the journals are over there'. You can also pick up body language cues if a student is worried, confused or angry, which may have a bearing on the issue
- Students generally don't want to be at the library helpdesk. Librarians are scary creatures, and students may be wary of approaching us for fear of wakening our wrath. Students may never have been in a real library before and may be confused by the lack of tweed: likewise, some library experiences they may have had in the past may unfortunately not have been good ones. However friendly and welcoming we'd like to think that we are, the way we see ourselves is not necessarily how the students think of us. People also get embarrassed- don't like admitting that they don't know things, and feel a bit guilty because they feel they should know. Having to ask is a sort of failure; and so they don't want to be here. Some subjects may also be quite embarrassing in themselves (such as art students photocopying their life drawings of nudes). So they try not to waste our time, by not asking the big questions they really need answering. Or testing the water and waiting until we've answered one question to ask the other, really difficult question they actually wanted answering, Columbo-style -one more thing...
- As we've mentioned, students understanding and view of what's going on isn't always the same as ours: so they may enthusiastically provide lots of information in their questions and requests, but it's not necessarily relevant or correct information. What they ask for isn't always what they actually want or need: the reference interview is part of uncovering what's going on. 9,000 results referencing software example
- As we've mentioned, librarians can appear mysterious and spooky beings, so it's important to be friendly and welcoming right from the beginning: if you look too fierce and unapproachable, the student may never come over to make the enquiry in the first place.
- Obviously, at some point you need to ask them why they've come to talk to you.
- Again, students often feel like a prize idiot for having to ask a question, so explaining to them that they're not being a nuisance and that answering these questions is part of your job will help calm and reassure them.
- Whatever the initial question is, it's usually a good idea to give at least a brief answer before delving more deeply. It shows your ability and willing to help, and if the student doesn't have a lot of time to spare- or it turns out to be not a very complicated enquiry after all- it stops you wasting a load of time. Your answer can then lead into more probing questioning.
- Before you go too far, it's a good idea to paraphrase the question and bounce it back to the enquirer, to check your understanding and make sure you don't waste time and effort investigating the wrong thing.
- This is bit where you identify and solve the problem: it's the key stage as far as the enquirer is concerned, but is only part of the wider process. This may involve more questioning, as you gather further information on requirements, context and deadline
- Before you finish, you should always check that you: a) have been working on the right problem all along, and; b) have resolved it to the enquirer's satisfaction. It's also at this stage that the students will often ask you the additional questions they've neglected to ask so far.
- It's a good idea to finish on a learning point and summarising what you did for the student: that way, if they encounter the same situation again, they will know what to do for themselves the next time. And being polite and saying goodbye never hurts for encouraging them to come back and asking you more questions.
- An open question is a way of getting more information about the enquiry. It doesn't have a set yes or no answer: instead, the person you're asking defines the answer: to an extent, you're finding different ways of saying 'tell me more about...'. This is often how you get the background to establish the context to the enquiry. A bit of background detail have a major impact on how you answer an enquiry. It may be that what the student is trying to do is wholly inappropriate for their end purpose, or they've gone with a method they're familiar with when there's a much easier or more effective alternative. So if a student is looking for a book on, say, aeroplanes, it will make an immense difference if they're a postgraduate studying aerospace engineering or are a trainee primary school teacher looking for something to take into class for the kiddies. It also helps to establish the level of detail and quantity of information. There is a real difference in the resources you need to look up a quick definition of something and what you need to write a literature review. Likewise, your response may vary for an assignment due in a month or one due in 30 minutes
- I don't know if any of you were read the story of the insatiably curious Elephant's Child when you were young- if not, I feel very, very old- but this poem from it rather handily lists a lot of the sort of questions that are open questions. So an open question might be: "What sort of thing is an 'X'?" or "Which years do you want the statistics for?" or "How has your tutor told you to do this part of the assignment?" or "Which of these factors matters most, and why?"
- Once you've got sufficient information, you can then use closed questions to narrow down the options. You supply the possible answers, and ask the student to pick one. It's a very quick and efficient way of getting to the heart of what they want, and usually the way to go once you think you've figured out what the enquiry is really about. Essentially, it's multiple choice: do you want option A or option B? Of course, often they will want option C, which you never thought of: this is why it's a good idea to keep an open mind and prepare the ground with open questions first.
- Are you familiar with those kids' books where you have to sort through various options for lost teddies- or tractors, or puppies, or cows, or whatever- rejecting various candidates because they're tummy is too fuzzy or their nose is too shiny, before getting to the right one on the last page? Well, there is a strong element of this in the reference interview. I've mentioned the role checking and confirmation plays in a reference interview: after all, the first thing you need to do when trying to find something is to actually know what you are looking for. It's really easy to make false assumptions about an enquiry and waste time- and patience- by heading off in the wrong direction. So regularly bounce what you think the real question is back at the enquirer, to make sure it's what they think is the real question too.