Perpetual Beta: Treating Users As Co-Developers Marcus Banks, Sadie Honey, and Julia Kochi UC San Francisco Library and CKM Medical Library Association Annual Meeting, Chicago May 2008

What Is Perpetual Beta? “ The open source dictum, ‘release early and release often’ in fact has morphed into an even more radical position, ‘the perpetual beta,’ in which the product is developed in the open, with new features slipstreamed in on a monthly, weekly, or even daily basis.” Tim O'Reilly. What Is Web 2.0., Page 4. End of the Software Release Cycle. http://www.oreillynet.com/pub/a/oreilly/tim/news/2005/09/30/what-is-web-20.html?page=4 A less loaded term is “iterative design”

“ The open source dictum, ‘release early and release often’ in fact has morphed into an even more radical position, ‘the perpetual beta,’ in which the product is developed in the open, with new features slipstreamed in on a monthly, weekly, or even daily basis.”

Tim O'Reilly. What Is Web 2.0., Page 4. End of the Software Release Cycle. http://www.oreillynet.com/pub/a/oreilly/tim/news/2005/09/30/what-is-web-20.html?page=4

A less loaded term is “iterative design”

Iterative Design: Decision Continuum May 2008 Iterative Design Potential: Decision Continuum Low High Interdependent services with other libraries (ILL) Established policies at own library (Loan periods) New services (wiki server for the campus)

Three Projects, One Concept Federated / Metasearch Question Tracking System User Toolbars All released before they were perfect Plan is/was to iterate to improve the product Lessons we have learned along the way… May 2008

Federated / Metasearch

Question Tracking System

User Toolbars

All released before they were perfect

Plan is/was to iterate to improve the product

Lessons we have learned along the way…

Federated / Metasearch May 2008

Question Tracking System May 2008

User Toolbars May 2008

Three Projects, One Concept Lessons we have learned along the way… May 2008

Lessons we have learned along the way…

Set Expectations Be clear (to yourself as well) that this is an experiment Be clear about whose problem you are attempting to solve Those impacted by the change may not be the beneficiaries Define success (and failure) Be clear that you will significantly change course, or abandon a project altogether if warranted May 2008

Be clear (to yourself as well) that this is an experiment

Be clear about whose problem you are attempting to solve

Those impacted by the change may not be the beneficiaries

Define success (and failure)

Be clear that you will significantly change course, or abandon a project altogether if warranted

Question Authority Most people don’t look at an interface and see the ways that it can be improved You have to train your users (including staff members) to constructively criticize the product You have to train yourself to hear and respond appropriately to the criticism May 2008

Most people don’t look at an interface and see the ways that it can be improved

You have to train your users (including staff members) to constructively criticize the product

You have to train yourself to hear and respond appropriately to the criticism

Be Realistic Establish a realistic pace for change—to yourself and users Be aware of staff views re: rate of change Exhausting if constant; need times of stasis Limited resources mean a slower rate of change May 2008

Establish a realistic pace for change—to yourself and users

Be aware of staff views re: rate of change

Exhausting if constant; need times of stasis

Limited resources mean a slower rate of change

Get Feedback Determine how you will get feedback before the project begins It will not come without effort “Watch” usage Are you able to track user statistics? May 2008

Determine how you will get feedback before the project begins

It will not come without effort

“Watch” usage

Are you able to track user statistics?

Consider Interdependencies Cascade effect in which one change can affect many other services Handle with care Rate of iteration will be slower with interdependent projects May 2008

Cascade effect in which one change can affect many other services

Handle with care

Rate of iteration will be slower with interdependent projects

Pull the Plug Be willing to accept a project isn’t worth continuing Letting something drag on indefinitely is demoralizing Define success and/or failure at the beginning of the project Be aware that staff may feel like they have “failed” if a project gets cut May 2008

Be willing to accept a project isn’t worth continuing

Letting something drag on indefinitely is demoralizing

Define success and/or failure at the beginning of the project

Be aware that staff may feel like they have “failed” if a project gets cut

Rinse, Repeat Hold a post-mortem, or “after party” Reviewing what went wrong is not a personal criticism There is a lot to learn from a “failed” project Hard but essential step Try and try again Act on what you’ve learned May 2008

Hold a post-mortem, or “after party”

Reviewing what went wrong is not a personal criticism

There is a lot to learn from a “failed” project

Hard but essential step

Try and try again

Act on what you’ve learned