The modern library web environment consists of multiple content sources and applications that perform essential functions that often overlap and could potentially create a fractured user experience. For example, content in a library’s website may be replicated in LibGuides, blogs, a knowledge base, or even a course management system like Blackboard. Search functionality in a discovery platform may be replicated in a federated search tool or the ILS OPAC. What's even more challenging is that all these tools might be managed by different departments within your library. This presentation will highlight the technical and political challenges to building a single web experience for users and really focus on how to overcome these challenges.
Library Mobile Web Design: Tips, Tricks and ResourcesRachel Vacek
Going mobile with your website? This presentation will walk you through some things to consider when thinking about the functionality and content of your library’s mobile presence, and point to useful tools for building your mobile website.
Considerations for Your Mobile LibraryRachel Vacek
The ubiquity of mobile devices has changed how people access information, and users expect libraries to provide mobile interfaces to that information. In this session, learn about the benefits and drawbacks of building a mobile website versus building a mobile application and get ideas for innovative services and tools for your library’s mobile environment
The modern library web environment consists of multiple content sources and applications that perform essential functions that often overlap and could potentially create a fractured user experience. For example, content in a library’s Drupal website may be replicated in LibGuides or WordPress blogs. Search functionality in a discovery platform may be replicated in a federated search tool or the ILS OPAC. This presentation provides tips, tackles technical and political challenges to building a single web experience for users, discusses solutions and use of APIs (application programming interfaces), provides concrete examples, and more.
Byg Tilgængeligt - Build Accessibly. My presentation for Community Day 2012 on 10 May 2012. Communityday.dk - for developers. Download file to get all the great tips and links in the notes.
Therapy for your CMS: Improving the User ExperienceRachel Vacek
In web design, much of user experience design is focused on the needs and expectations of end-users. However, when developing within an open-source content management system (CMS), it becomes essential to also consider those who will be using the CMS.At the University of Houston Libraries, the Web Services department learned how essential it is to balance usability and functionality when developing a CMS after they really started using and getting feedback on their over-engineered intranet implementation in Drupal.This talk will include lessons learned from our initial mistakes, but focus primarily on the challenges and successes of the CMS built for the Libraries’ website and the methods we used for engaging users to help determine the initial direction for the development of the CMS. Attendees will leave with ideas on how to simultaneously provide flexibility and advanced tools to improve the user experience and apply “therapy” to their own CMS implementations. Background article: Improving the Drupal User Experience, http://journal.code4lib.org/articles/4578
Web-Scale Discovery: Post ImplementationRachel Vacek
Discovery services provide users a single
search box to access a library’s entire prei-ndexed collection. Representatives from
two academic libraries serving different
user populations will discuss marketing,
instructing users, evaluating the product,
and maintaining the resource after a
discovery service is implemented
Library Mobile Web Design: Tips, Tricks and ResourcesRachel Vacek
Going mobile with your website? This presentation will walk you through some things to consider when thinking about the functionality and content of your library’s mobile presence, and point to useful tools for building your mobile website.
Considerations for Your Mobile LibraryRachel Vacek
The ubiquity of mobile devices has changed how people access information, and users expect libraries to provide mobile interfaces to that information. In this session, learn about the benefits and drawbacks of building a mobile website versus building a mobile application and get ideas for innovative services and tools for your library’s mobile environment
The modern library web environment consists of multiple content sources and applications that perform essential functions that often overlap and could potentially create a fractured user experience. For example, content in a library’s Drupal website may be replicated in LibGuides or WordPress blogs. Search functionality in a discovery platform may be replicated in a federated search tool or the ILS OPAC. This presentation provides tips, tackles technical and political challenges to building a single web experience for users, discusses solutions and use of APIs (application programming interfaces), provides concrete examples, and more.
Byg Tilgængeligt - Build Accessibly. My presentation for Community Day 2012 on 10 May 2012. Communityday.dk - for developers. Download file to get all the great tips and links in the notes.
Therapy for your CMS: Improving the User ExperienceRachel Vacek
In web design, much of user experience design is focused on the needs and expectations of end-users. However, when developing within an open-source content management system (CMS), it becomes essential to also consider those who will be using the CMS.At the University of Houston Libraries, the Web Services department learned how essential it is to balance usability and functionality when developing a CMS after they really started using and getting feedback on their over-engineered intranet implementation in Drupal.This talk will include lessons learned from our initial mistakes, but focus primarily on the challenges and successes of the CMS built for the Libraries’ website and the methods we used for engaging users to help determine the initial direction for the development of the CMS. Attendees will leave with ideas on how to simultaneously provide flexibility and advanced tools to improve the user experience and apply “therapy” to their own CMS implementations. Background article: Improving the Drupal User Experience, http://journal.code4lib.org/articles/4578
Web-Scale Discovery: Post ImplementationRachel Vacek
Discovery services provide users a single
search box to access a library’s entire prei-ndexed collection. Representatives from
two academic libraries serving different
user populations will discuss marketing,
instructing users, evaluating the product,
and maintaining the resource after a
discovery service is implemented
This presentation will focus on Web 2.0 technologies and the use of these technologies in Caribbean libraries of all types. Coverage is wide-ranging, catering to the needs of experts and non-experts: creating a book review blog, social bookmarking a reference collection, developing a policy driven wiki, recording a podcast, creating a tutorial using digital video, attracting fans on a Facebook page and providing regular tweets on upcoming events in the library. Geared towards Cybrarians in the Caribbean the presentation uses examples of Web 2.0 tools currently implemented in libraries in Trinidad and Tobago.
Web 2.0, library 2.0, librarian 2.0, innovative services for sustainable car...Cheryl Peltier-Davis
Abstract
Caribbean libraries are being challenged to adapt to changes in the external environment. Challenges in the form of budget cuts and shrinking resources, retraining staff and reorganizing workflows, delivering traditional and innovative services to an Internet -savvy consumer, and competition from aggressive rival information services such as Google. As a result of these and other challenges in this increasingly complex and virtual environment, library administrators have been coerced into becoming more creative in their attempt to provide new and improved facilities, products and services. This paper analyses the linkages between Web 2.0, Library 2.0 and Librarian 2.0 and discusses the benefits of developing library services centered on the Web 2.0 model. The paper identifies specific Web 2.0 technologies such as blogs, wikis, social networks, folksonomies (tagging and tag clouds), RSS feeds, podcasts, instant messaging and mashups and suggests ways Caribbean libraries can harness and integrate these technologies to provide innovative and sustainable library services. The paper also provides a comprehensive resource list of these emerging technologies which are available free on the Internet.
Library 2.011 Free Web Tools for Libraries Cheryl Peltier-DavisCheryl Peltier-Davis
This presentation will highlight free Web 2.0 tools on the Internet, offering in-depth summaries and practical applications of these tools in libraries and other working environments. Coverage includes: creating a book review blog, social bookmarking a reference collection, creating subject specific RSS feeds, developing a policy driven wiki, recording a podcast, creating a tutorial using digital video, attracting fans on a Facebook page or providing regular tweets on upcoming events in the library.
The user, the Technology & the Library (and why to go in between)Guus van den Brekel
Seminar 2
ReachOut to Research (R2R)
Small seminar about library services supporting research & technology
Reachout to Research : library support services.
See also Seminar 1: http://www.slideshare.net/digicmb/reach-out-to-research-library-support-services-r2r
http://lanyrd.com/2013/r2ruit/
Discusses tools and tips for implementing innovative services with free social media tools and mobile apps applied in libraries and other working environments. Iincludes apps supporting the latest trends in cloud storage, crowdfunding, ebooks, makerspaces, MOOCs, news aggregation, photo and video sharing, self-publishing, social networking and bookmarking, video conferencing, visualization and wearable technology --all tailored to the needs of libraries and the communities they serve.
This is a keynote presentation that I presented to the Oklahoma Chapter of the Association of Research Libraries on looking at how academic library websites in the next few years might look, and how the research and design process has evolved in the past decade or so.
This month's podcast includes highlights from Nathan's trip to the Computers in Libraries conference in Washington D.C. Favorite sessions included a Library of Congress digital preservation project, several takes on local technology interest groups, user-oriented design, and social media strategies. Non-conference news gets a few minutes too, just to be fair.
In this month's news, I talk about Google's new tablet, ereaders that watch you, an introduction to maker spaces, and the latest on DRM and ebooks. Tune in!
Following a survey of UK learners in Secondary and Further Education regarding their use of Web 2.0 we are trialling a number of web 2.0 sites and services in the classroom. Here are some of the ways Web 2.0 sites and services are being used in the classroom.
At the University of Houston Libraries, we wrote a microgrant for prototyping mobile services on iPod Touch devices. We looked not only at user needs and expectations, but we also looked at how librarians are using mobile devices to help them in their job.
Funding Mobile Innovation in the Library: The Why and HowRachel Vacek
This is the keynote for the Spring 2010 CALLR Meeting (http://www.callr.us/). Mobile technologies are having a big impact on libraries today. This presentation covers why libraries should be paying attention, highlights libraries that are doing innovative things with mobile technologies, and how to get funding to bring mobile devices into your library.
This presentation will focus on Web 2.0 technologies and the use of these technologies in Caribbean libraries of all types. Coverage is wide-ranging, catering to the needs of experts and non-experts: creating a book review blog, social bookmarking a reference collection, developing a policy driven wiki, recording a podcast, creating a tutorial using digital video, attracting fans on a Facebook page and providing regular tweets on upcoming events in the library. Geared towards Cybrarians in the Caribbean the presentation uses examples of Web 2.0 tools currently implemented in libraries in Trinidad and Tobago.
Web 2.0, library 2.0, librarian 2.0, innovative services for sustainable car...Cheryl Peltier-Davis
Abstract
Caribbean libraries are being challenged to adapt to changes in the external environment. Challenges in the form of budget cuts and shrinking resources, retraining staff and reorganizing workflows, delivering traditional and innovative services to an Internet -savvy consumer, and competition from aggressive rival information services such as Google. As a result of these and other challenges in this increasingly complex and virtual environment, library administrators have been coerced into becoming more creative in their attempt to provide new and improved facilities, products and services. This paper analyses the linkages between Web 2.0, Library 2.0 and Librarian 2.0 and discusses the benefits of developing library services centered on the Web 2.0 model. The paper identifies specific Web 2.0 technologies such as blogs, wikis, social networks, folksonomies (tagging and tag clouds), RSS feeds, podcasts, instant messaging and mashups and suggests ways Caribbean libraries can harness and integrate these technologies to provide innovative and sustainable library services. The paper also provides a comprehensive resource list of these emerging technologies which are available free on the Internet.
Library 2.011 Free Web Tools for Libraries Cheryl Peltier-DavisCheryl Peltier-Davis
This presentation will highlight free Web 2.0 tools on the Internet, offering in-depth summaries and practical applications of these tools in libraries and other working environments. Coverage includes: creating a book review blog, social bookmarking a reference collection, creating subject specific RSS feeds, developing a policy driven wiki, recording a podcast, creating a tutorial using digital video, attracting fans on a Facebook page or providing regular tweets on upcoming events in the library.
The user, the Technology & the Library (and why to go in between)Guus van den Brekel
Seminar 2
ReachOut to Research (R2R)
Small seminar about library services supporting research & technology
Reachout to Research : library support services.
See also Seminar 1: http://www.slideshare.net/digicmb/reach-out-to-research-library-support-services-r2r
http://lanyrd.com/2013/r2ruit/
Discusses tools and tips for implementing innovative services with free social media tools and mobile apps applied in libraries and other working environments. Iincludes apps supporting the latest trends in cloud storage, crowdfunding, ebooks, makerspaces, MOOCs, news aggregation, photo and video sharing, self-publishing, social networking and bookmarking, video conferencing, visualization and wearable technology --all tailored to the needs of libraries and the communities they serve.
This is a keynote presentation that I presented to the Oklahoma Chapter of the Association of Research Libraries on looking at how academic library websites in the next few years might look, and how the research and design process has evolved in the past decade or so.
This month's podcast includes highlights from Nathan's trip to the Computers in Libraries conference in Washington D.C. Favorite sessions included a Library of Congress digital preservation project, several takes on local technology interest groups, user-oriented design, and social media strategies. Non-conference news gets a few minutes too, just to be fair.
In this month's news, I talk about Google's new tablet, ereaders that watch you, an introduction to maker spaces, and the latest on DRM and ebooks. Tune in!
Following a survey of UK learners in Secondary and Further Education regarding their use of Web 2.0 we are trialling a number of web 2.0 sites and services in the classroom. Here are some of the ways Web 2.0 sites and services are being used in the classroom.
At the University of Houston Libraries, we wrote a microgrant for prototyping mobile services on iPod Touch devices. We looked not only at user needs and expectations, but we also looked at how librarians are using mobile devices to help them in their job.
Funding Mobile Innovation in the Library: The Why and HowRachel Vacek
This is the keynote for the Spring 2010 CALLR Meeting (http://www.callr.us/). Mobile technologies are having a big impact on libraries today. This presentation covers why libraries should be paying attention, highlights libraries that are doing innovative things with mobile technologies, and how to get funding to bring mobile devices into your library.
Do you collaborate on documents within committees that are made up of members scattered around the world or your institution? Are you looking for alternatives to email discussion groups that will push your content out to committees and beyond? And, most importantly, are you interested in tools that manage documents that can easily be transferred as staff and committee rosters change? This presentation discusses the pros and cons of some of the best online and open source tools for simultaneous creation, sharing, and management of content.
How to Rock the Planning Process for your Next Digital Library Web ProjectRachel Vacek
Does thinking about web projects for digital libraries make you feel as though you're trapped between a rock and a hard place? You will need to engage digital library partners and stakeholders; collect and analyze diverse data streams to understand use of your current digital library; define the roles of project team members; develop a comprehensive communication plan that serves a diverse audience; produce and disseminate project plans; and that’s all before web development of the project even begins! Talk about a Sisyphean task! Instead of pushing that rock up the mountain only to have it tumble back down again, join us for a presentation that highlights effective strategies for planning digital library web projects. This presentation will describe the planning process for the University of Houston Digital Library Redesign Project. We’ll tell you how we rocked it and we’ll point out where things got rocky. No matter what web project you are hoping to initiate for your digital library, you can be the project planning rock star.
Cool Tools to Help Libraries Bridge the Gap Between Print and Digital Environ...Rachel Vacek
Emerging technologies like QR Codes and Augmented Reality can help libraries extend services, widen access to resources, and promote events to users in exciting and innovative ways. Using simple and free technologies, QR codes can be created easily and embedded almost anywhere. These oddly shaped barcode-like icons are processed by camera phones to direct the user to online websites, videos, or they can simply provide more information. Augmented reality takes existing visual or video information and adds additional layers of computer-generated graphics, pattern recognition, and other visual effects. This session will highlight how other libraries are using these technologies to promote, market, outreach, teach, and engage with users in new and exciting ways. There will also be time for participants to discuss present and future applications of these tools, and other possible uses for enhancing resources and services in their institutions.
Seeing the Library through the Terminator's Eyes: Augmented RealityRachel Vacek
Augmented reality is a location-aware technology that can help libraries widen access to resources and promote services to users in exciting and innovative ways. This emerging technology superimposes layers of computer-generated content such as 3d images, photos, and data over what you are looking at in real-time. This session will explain augmented reality and highlight potential uses and real world examples of how libraries are using this technology to promote, market, outreach, teach, and engage with users in new and exciting ways.
Full day workshop covering the design, technology, and policy involved in creating Web sites that can meet the diverse needs of your users. Includes lessons on designing with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0 (WCAG2), creating alternatives to images and video, and accessibility evaluation.
World Usability Day 2016 in Antwerp (Belgium), Thursday, November 10th - Workshop by Clovis Six (UX Researcher at Internet Architects) & Saskia Videler (Content Strategist at The Dutchess)
"Atomic design as a communication tool in design and stakeholder meetings"
In this workshop we will approach your UI as re-usable building blocks and see how it can create sustainable value to the conversations within your organisation. The key focus areas will be to bring clarity, performance and fun to the meetings between you and your stakeholders.
Clovis Six started of as a developer at Collibra, a highly successful data governance start-up, and gradually morphed into the UX Researcher and Product Manager at Internet Architects he is today. The roles he took on in between (Visual Design, UX Design, Project Management, Dev Team Lead) enabled him to experiment with various ways of transferring deliverables and optimising design communication. One of these methods he will share with you in the workshop.
Geek out: Adding Coding Skills to Your Professional RepertoireBohyun Kim
Presented at the 2012 Charleston Conference Charleston Conference XXXII. November 9, 2012. An article version of this presentation at the Conference Proceedings is downloadable at: http://docs.lib.purdue.edu/charleston/2012/Tech/8/
Program description: http://2012charlestonconference.sched.org/event/b7cd8aed0d21408e6c23fd95b6162837#.UJLWcoWQkbQ
Presentation slides from Charleston Library Conference, November 10, 2017 on the Resource Access in the 21st Century Initiative #RA21 presented by Todd Carpenter, Robert Kelshian, Don Hemparian and Ann Gabrail.
Getting Down and Dirty with Accessibility and Usability workshop at TCUK12Karen Mardahl
Transcript and extra notes available at http://www.mardahl.dk/2012/11/02/getting-down-and-dirty-with-accessibility-usability-tcuk12-workshop/
Workshop at Technical Communication UK 2012 conference, Newcastle, UK.
Azure ML: from basic to integration with custom applicationsDavide Mauri
In this session, Davide will explore Azure ML from the inside out. After a gentle approach on Machine Learning, we’ll see the Microsoft offering in this field and all the feature it offers, creating a simple yet 100% complete Machine Learning solution.
We’ll start from something simple and then we’ll also move to some more complex topics, such as the integration with R and Python, IPython Notebook until the Web Service publishing and usage, so that we can integrate the created ML solution with batch process or even use it in real time with LOB application.
All of this sound cool to you, yeah? Well it is, since with ML you can really give that “something more” to your customers or employees that will help you to make the difference. Guaranteed at 98.75%!
Building and Deploying a Global Intranet with Liferayrivetlogic
Enterprise 2.0 is no longer a hype but a necessity in a new era where more enterprises are starting to have a global presence. As users' expectations of intranets grow it has become crucial for global enterprises to rise to the challenge and stay competitive by providing their employees with an effective means of collaboration, communication and socialization to not just increase productivity, but also strengthen employee loyalty.
This presentation will discuss how Liferay Portal facilitates the architecture of global intranets that meet these challenges, along with practical examples of how it can be used to achieve the results expected from an Enterprise 2.0 intranet.
Usually the last system to be implemented, but many times the most important lifeline for the customer, is the software help system.
Ideally, your software system is perfectly understandable and problem-free from lots of user testing and software iteration, but that’s usually not the case. Your customers may get frustrated and leave the site, and may even complain about their crappy experience to others. Providing your customers with effective Help is the last chance you have to turn a frustrating experience into a meaningful one.
As a User Experience professional, what Help strategies should you consider? What content do you need? How do you find an appropriate Help Authoring Tool for your software product? There are many vendor systems out there that offer many features. What do you really need? Attendees will learn about help system considerations such as: how to connect the help system to your software, content management features, content strategy, localization, statistics, and more, which will assist you in finding a solution that helps your frustrated customers become happy customers.
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Filed Under: Atlanta, Drupal, Modules, Social NetworkingJul.14, 2010
Yesterday night I gave a presentation on Social Networking in Drupal at the Atlanta Drupal Users Group meetup. Grab the slides or watch the video!
The presentation was based on one I gave at DrupalCamp South Carolina/LinuxFest SouthEast.
Also check out the demo site! (Update: the demo site has been taken down.)
From Siloed to Connected - Using Engagement as a Means to Improve the Culture...Rachel Vacek
An organization's culture is complex and unique, and is made up of deeply seated values, beliefs, expectations, traditions, and motives that shape how employees respond to situations. In this session, learn how a small team in an academic library’s IT division has sought to enhance its culture, reduce the number of silos, improve the employee experience, and expand potential partnerships throughout the library and beyond. We’ll share how we gathered and prioritized ideas and subsequently offered programming with opportunities to learn from one another and from guest speakers. We touch on some of the documentation we put in place to bring some consistency and structure to onboarding. We’ll also discuss the training we offered to raise awareness of racism and better understand how racism appears on the job, particularly in IT work, as well as how we encourage colleagues to critically examine how to bring that lens to our division and overall library through meaningful action.With the move to being completely remote in March 2020, the team also hosted sessions that addressed communication, productivity, and social challenges within the division’s culture. Finally, we’ll highlight how we’ve assessed all this work and made strategic efforts to make the framework for the various programs reusable in coming years. Attendees of this session will leave with a plethora of ideas and considerations for how to enhance their own library culture through engagement, information sharing, and assessment.
Search, Report, Wherever You Are: A Novel Approach to Assessing User Satisfac...Rachel Vacek
In an effort to assess user experience and satisfaction with searching the University of Michigan Library catalog, we developed an online data collection tool that captured both data on user searches and their reports on various aspects of the search experience. We successfully piloted the tool, demonstrating both the usefulness of the assessment data and the readiness of the tool for use with a larger group of campus stakeholders. We focus in this paper on the features and deployment of the data collection tool, and we also discuss our pilot phase findings and our plan to use the tool in future assessment work.
Our Website Redesign Project and the Creation of a DEIA statementRachel Vacek
This presentation was delivered at the User Experience Leadership in Academic Libraries Meetup at North Carlonia State University Libraries in Raleigh, NC, on Monday, November 4, 2019.
Personal README Files: User Manuals for Library StaffRachel Vacek
Teams at three libraries are using personal README files to improve communication. As README files tell you how to use software, personal README files tell you how best to interact with teammates. Presenters will share the hows, whys and benefits of incorporating personal README files into your team's practice.
Presentation given at the Designing for Digital Conference in Austin, Texas, on Monday, March 9, 2020.
Transforming Organizational Culture Using UX StrategiesRachel Vacek
Many libraries hope to reimagine and transform their organizational cultures as well as their physical and digital spaces to better represent their expertise, collections, and resources, and to meet the evolving needs of their user communities. Some libraries use assessment and user experience methodologies to "prove" their value and to demonstrate student success. In this 60-minute presentation, the presenters will discuss the importance of how establishing user-centered values for the library can be an impactful strategy coupled with empowering library staff to become UX advocates. They will present methods, team structures, and approaches used within their libraries aimed at facilitating organizational and cultural change that puts the user at the center of service design, collaborative partnerships, and strategic and data-driven decisions.
Practicing intentionality in team and project workRachel Vacek
As part of our library's website redesign project, we are working to intentionally espouse and elevate principles of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in our work to ensure they inform and accompany all stages of a project, and to be a model for other projects. Learn how we're integrating these principles into team formation, project structure, communication and assessment plans, user research, and how this work impacts the library.
http://hdl.handle.net/2027.42/150634
Transforming library culture with a Digital Accessibility TeamRachel Vacek
By intentionally creating positions that incorporate accessibility into job responsibilities, and through the formation of a Digital Accessibility Team (DAT), our library has been able to further establish a culture of accessibility advocacy and awareness. Learn about DAT's accessibility services, including consultations, evaluations, and support for those who want to build accessibility best practices into all stages of projects and service design.
http://hdl.handle.net/2027.42/150635
Service Design: Thinking Holistically About Services and TechnologyRachel Vacek
In Spring 2017, our library started to transform how it designs and implements its virtual and physical services iteratively through user and staff engagement and service design thinking. Service design is a user-focused technique that involves understanding and planning for user needs, service touchpoints, and employee and user workflows. This presentation will use a case study to illustrate how we integrated user needs, current and future library services, and technology in the redesign of a web application and the service offering. Attendees will learn the basics of how to create a service blueprint.
Customizing Discovery Interfaces: Understanding Users’ Behaviors and Providin...Rachel Vacek
Customizing a library discovery layer using open-source software enables libraries to tailor services to its users, understand user behavior at user, department, and campus levels, and build integrations with library and campus services. Learn how and why a research library built a discovery interface to consolidate multiple interfaces into one.
This presentation was given on March 5, 2018 at the conference Electronic Resources & Libraries, in Austin, TX.
Challenges and Opportunities in Customizing Library Repository User InterfacesRachel Vacek
This presentation will dive into the ongoing challenges that academic libraries often face when improving the user experiences of out-of-the-box and open source repositories. Fueling the challenges are the ambiguity and fast-changing nature within the field of digital scholarship and the constant flux of technology platforms and tools. Fortunately, many libraries are paying more attention to users’ motivations and responding by designing user interfaces that support particular formats and contexts. We’ll explore emerging opportunities with repositories in looking at how far libraries should go in providing customizations to balance stakeholder and user needs, and how to plan for users’ ever-shifting expectations.
This presentation was part of a NISO and NASIG webinar, "Library As Publisher, Part Two: UX and UI for the Library's Digital Collections" and was presented on March 14, 2018.
Transforming an Organization through Service and Space Design StrategyRachel Vacek
Learn how one library is engaging with its user community to implement a service framework to transform its organizational capacity to design, deliver, and iterate high quality virtual and physical services in 21st century learning and research environments. This framework, through pilots and prototypes, informs future space transformations and will help create aligned and impactful user experiences. Presenters will share strategies and UX tools for engaging an organization in this type of work.
Fostering Great Experiences for UX-Tasked Student WorkersRachel Vacek
Library UX work can include conducting user research, analyzing data, managing stakeholder expectations, and making design recommendations. This can be overwhelming for solo UX librarians or small teams. In this session, learn how different institutions are utilizing student workers to assist with UX projects and providing them with great learning experiences. Hear the benefits, challenges, and success stories of student workers with UX responsibilities and how they can make a strategic difference in your library.
Fostering Organizational Change through Service and Space Design StrategyRachel Vacek
In Spring 2017, the University of Michigan Library completed an engagement with brightspot strategy, consultants who worked with our academic user community and staff to design a service framework and space strategy to guide our organization's work into the future. This holistic framework and philosophy have the potential to transform our large organization's approach to designing and delivering aligned and impactful user experiences. A Service Design Task Force was formed to take this strategy and begin to design pilots and prototypes for new and evolved services and spaces, with a particular focus on enhancing the library's ability to partner around consultation, digital scholarship, and designing for emergence. The three members of the Task Force represent expertise in learning and teaching services, user experience, space design, discovery services, and web technologies. Our goal in this work is to transform our organization's capacity to design, deliver, and iterate high quality virtual and physical services in 21st-century learning and research environments within the library through user and staff engagement, rapid prototyping, and design thinking. In our presentation, the Task Force members will share current and future strategies for engaging the organization in this work, including tools and formats for design and discussion that have supported our work with the library community. We'll also discuss next steps for piloting and prototyping new service ideas in existing library spaces in order to inform future space transformations.
Keeping UX Practical: Integrating User Experience Practices into ProjectsRachel Vacek
I participated in a Library Journal webcast on September 27, 2017, along with New York University’s Iris Bierlein and Emerald Publishing’s Kat Palmer, called “Smoothing the Path of the Research Journey: Designing for User Experience Excellence in Academic Libraries.”
This presentation is 1 of 3 presentations from that webcast.
Abstract: Leading scholars and librarians have used assessment techniques from personas to eye tracking to pin down just what are the best practices in user experience design for academic libraries. But different campuses have different needs, and as technology changes–and user expectations evolve in response–great UX remains a moving target. This webinar will cover the essential UX tools to designing an excellent experience for your own unique users–and share some key takeaways from sponsor Emerald’s own research.
Own the User Experience: Provide Discovery for Your UsersRachel Vacek
In the past several years, discovery systems have come a long way in enabling library staff to customize their user interfaces. However, there are still limitations to what a library can do to meet its particular user community’s needs. Fortunately, technology has advanced to a point where it’s becoming easier to use off-the-shelf, open source components to compliment your discovery index in order to create a highly configurable discovery environment. In this session, learn about how and why the University of Michigan Library chose to build a new discovery interface, the advantages and additional responsibilities of doing so, and considerations for your own discovery environment.
Customizing Discovery at the University of MichiganRachel Vacek
Panel of 3 ARL libraries will highlight the customized implementations of their respective discovery services and discuss the need for flexibility in discovery to meet institutional goals as well as the needs of diverse users. Panel will discuss trends in discovery UX related to APIs, vendor interfaces, and user personalization.
Contextual Inquiry: How Ethnographic Research can Impact the UX of Your WebsiteRachel Vacek
A contextual inquiry is a research study that involves in-depth interviews where users walk through common tasks in the physical environment in which they typically perform them. It can be used to better understand the intents and motivations behind user behavior. In this session, learn what’s needed to conduct a contextual inquiry and how to analyze the ethnographic data once collected. We’ll cover how to synthesize and visualize your findings as sequence models and affinity diagrams that directly inform the development of personas and common task flows. Finally, learn how this process can help guide your design and content strategy efforts while constructing a rich picture of the user experience.
Assessing Your Library Website: Using User Research Methods and Other ToolsRachel Vacek
This is a presentation given to the Oklahoma chapter of the Association of College and Research Libraries. It's about using web analytics and content audits as well as a variety of user research methods to better understand your users and assess and improve your website.
Impact the UX of Your Website with Contextual InquiryRachel Vacek
A contextual inquiry is a research study that involves in-depth interviews where users walk through common tasks in the physical environment in which they typically perform them. It can be used to better understand the intents and motivations behind user behavior. In this session, learn what’s needed to conduct a contextual inquiry and how to analyze the ethnographic data once collected. We'll cover how to synthesize and visualize your findings as sequence models and affinity diagrams that directly inform the development of personas and common task flows. Finally, learn how this process can help guide your design and content strategy efforts while constructing a rich picture of the user experience.
Model Attribute Check Company Auto PropertyCeline George
In Odoo, the multi-company feature allows you to manage multiple companies within a single Odoo database instance. Each company can have its own configurations while still sharing common resources such as products, customers, and suppliers.
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Overcoming the Challenges to Creating an Online User Experience
1. Overcoming the Challenges
to Creating a Single Online
User Experience
Rachel Vacek, Amigos Conference -
Head of Web Services Technology: Unexpected
University of Houston Consequences of Legislation
Libraries and Policies in Libraries
@vacekrae February 8. 2012
#amigostech
2. Poll #1
What area do you work in within your library?
• Systems/Web/ER/ILS
• Reference/Public Service
• Technical Services/Cataloging
• Access/Circulation/ILL
• Administration
• Other
@vacekrae #amigostech
3. Overview
• Examine today’s challenges of managing
library websites
• Understand what a single online user
experience means
• Learn tips for overcoming these
challenges
@vacekrae #amigostech
6. Poll #2
How many different applications are integrated
within your website?
• 1-5
• 6-10
• 11-15
• More than 15
@vacekrae #amigostech
7. Poll #3
Who manages each of those applications
integrated into your website?
• Each application is managed by a different
individual/department/committee
• Multiple
individuals/departments/committees
manage multiple applications
• One individual/department/committee
manages all of the applications
@vacekrae #amigostech
13. Different Library Types
• Academic
• School libraries
• Public libraries
• Special Libraries
– Business
– Law
– Medical
– etc.
@vacekrae #amigostech
14. Multiple Sources for
Content Creation
• Website CMS
• Mobile website CMS
• LibGuides
• LibAnswers
• Blogs
…And multiple people
throughout the library
create that content
@vacekrae #amigostech
16. Organizational Politics
• Special Collections/Digital Services
– Finding aid tool
– Local/institutional repository
• Information Technology Services
– Server/website access
– Network/user accounts
@vacekrae #amigostech
17. Assessment Tools
Google Analytics Can apply these
across your library’s
Transaction logs web presence
Click Analytics
Analytics from
Database A separate sources
Database B can be challenging
to compare
Database C
@vacekrae #amigostech
18. Programming Resources
• In-house (or community-contributed) custom
programming can help hide the seams
• Too few libraries have advanced
programming knowledge or skills in-house
• While this is changing in larger organizations,
some smaller libraries will not be able to hire
a programmer for the foreseeable future, if
ever
@vacekrae #amigostech
19. Where is the user?
Example: User looks for an article from home
Link
Library Discovery
Resolver Database Full-text
Website Layer
(Serials (various) article
(Drupal) (Summon)
Solutions)
@vacekrae #amigostech
22. What is a single
user experience?
@vacekrae #amigostech
23. Poll #4
Does someone in your library oversee the
entire web presence?
• Yes, an individual
• Yes, a department, team, or committee
• No, each person or department
manages their own section
• Not sure
@vacekrae #amigostech
24. User Experience (UX)
• Accessibility
• Information Architecture
• Interaction design
• Writing for the web
• Usability and usefulness testing
• User research
• Visual design
• Web analytics
@vacekrae #amigostech
25. Single User Experience
Apply UX concepts across your
website’s multiple applications and
content sources so users feel like they
are interacting with a single website
26. Interface, branding and functionality
should be familiar across systems
@vacekrae #amigostech
27. Single UX isn’t easy
1 website = 1 UX
Complexity
1 website with multiple applications
integrated well = 1 UX
1 website with multiple applications not
well integrated = Multiple UX
Multiple UX across 1 website =
Confused users
@vacekrae #amigostech
29. Tip #1: Ask questions
• What is the purpose of the website?
• What is the purpose of each section of
the site?
• Who is the audience?
• Is the branding and content presented
consistently across every application?
• Is the functionality associated with
each user behavior presented
consistently?
@vacekrae #amigostech
30. Tip #2: Create content
style guides
• Provide consistency
• Clear up confusion among multiple
contributors
• Resolve questions on frequently
problematic elements like abbreviations,
capitalization, tone, brand, naming
conventions
– Rockwell Pavilion vs. EDR Pavilion
– User vs. patron
– Website vs. web site
@vacekrae #amigostech
31. Tip #3: Create consistent
brand
• Establish a plan
for using:
– Fonts
– Colors
– Logos
• Create consistent user expectations
@vacekrae #amigostech
32. Tip #4: Create a consistent
social media presence
• Branding • Be frequent
• Voice • Integrate where
• Be engaging appropriate
@vacekrae #amigostech
33. Tip #4: Take advantage
of APIs
• Some APIs allow for complex interactions,
others just permit widget construction
• Most ILSs, institutional repositories and
discovery platforms provide APIs
• Many content management systems also
have APIs
• Structured data coupled with APIs means
content can more easily be pulled across
multiple platforms
• Helps to prevent duplicative work
@vacekrae #amigostech
34. Tip #5: Create appearance of
uniformity
• Start with high
impact, low effort
projects
• Use consistent
branding
• Streamline the data
sources you control
• Try to employ
similar functionality
across applications
@vacekrae #amigostech
35. Tip #6: Play the politics game
• Create buy-in from all stakeholders when
making decisions about a web application
• Some people can be territorial about the
systems they manage, but remember you are
working together to provide the best services
you can for your library
• Try to get involved in all decisions about the
services your library offers on the web
• Accept the limitations of your environment
– Tech skills
– Staffing
– Funding
– Time
@vacekrae #amigostech
36. Tip #7: Be nice to others
• If you aren’t the manager of an application
that is integrated into the library’s website,
it means that you will have to work closely
with others
• Not everyone will
grasp the importance
of a single UX –
help them to
understand
@vacekrae #amigostech
37. Tip #8: Research
before you buy
• Is the user interface customizable?
• Are there APIs available?
• Can you push out or pull in structured data?
• How is the customer support?
• Is there an open source version of the
application?
• Are many other libraries using this
application?
• How will this application integrate with the
other existing systems?
@vacekrae #amigostech
38. Is a cohesive
single user
experience
even possible?
Yes, but it’s not easy.
@vacekrae #amigostech
39. Thanks!
Rachel Vacek
Head of Web Services
University of Houston Libraries
vacekrae@gmail.com
Presentation also available on
http://www.slideshare.net/vacekrae
@vacekrae #amigostech
Editor's Notes
No legislation, but rather the consequences of unexpected policies around managing your library’s web presence when there are multiple applications that are integrated, and multiple individuals, departments, and committees that manage those other applications. It’s hard to create a single user experience that isn’t fractured.
Before we get started, I would like to quickly see what areas you work in within libraries. What area do you work in within your library?Systems/Web/ER/ILSReference/Public ServiceTechnical Services/CatalogingAccess/Circulation/ILLAdministrationOther
Think about the number of applications you use in your libraryCMSCatalogILLLibGuidesMaybe a few others….
Go through the types of applicationsCatalog (Innovative)Research Guides/ study guides (LibGuides, LibAnswers from Springshare)Digital Library / Local repository (CONTENTdm)Institutional or state repository (Texas Digital Library)Discovery service (Summon)Computer Availability (Lab stats from Computer Lab solutions)E-Reserves (Docutek)Content Management System (Drupal)Finding Aids (archon)Course Management system (Blackboard)Interlibrary Loan (Illiad)Blogging software (Wordpress)Link ResolverE-JournalsProxy pagesOther applications might be room booking service, computer reservation system, calendaring tool, Tool that lets users give to the library via online paymentsEven with a discovery layer tool that brings disparate sources of content together, we still need multiple tools for different services and functionsAlso, functionality can be very different from system to systemSearchingBrowsingNavigationHow customizable each application is
How many different applications are integrated within your website?1-56-1011-15More than 15
Now that we know about how many applications you are running via your web presence, time to ask the more political question:Who manages each of those applications integrated into your website?Each application is managed by a different individual/department/committeeMultiple individuals/departments/committees manage multiple applicationsOne individual/department/committee manages all of the applicationsIf you have a different situation than those options, you can share it in chat.In my library, my department (Web Services), is tasked with overseeing the web presence. Therefore we have to work with every department in the library, and in the branch libraries. We manage many home-grown, open source, and purchased/licensed web applications and systems, but other departments also manage many of the systems that are integrated in to the web presence.We also don’t currently have any sort of a web management committee, which I would recommend to help reach consensus and agreement and buy-in on many of the challenges that might come up.
Another challenge to creating a single online UX is that our users are coming from everywhere. Out physical library has one door in and one door out. Not the case on online environments.
We have different access points for each application, and of course many of these are integrated within one another. Some are alias’s
Branding across applications is one thing, but going the extra mile within databases.Not all are possible.Headers, colors, and fonts may be modifiable, but screens can still be locked in a very different layoutLayouts and search functionality are still differentCode is too often proprietaryAlso, consistency between virtual and print branding. Which do you design first? More than likely the person that is in charge of signage within the physical library, or that orders stationary, or maybe even design newsletters is not the same person that manages your web presence. These people need to communicate!!!
Old logos linger around.Institution creates new branding, and you suddenly get confusion about what is official or not.Branding for user in icons, avatars, etc. for social media. Challenging, because it’s a different shape that your logo.Who chooses the font? Can you recreate things with the correct font?Cougar red. So many different colors.
With multiple people in the library creating content across multiple systems, you end up with duplicative content. They are little silos and this isn’t helpful for keeping content current or accurate.
Small libraries might not have this problem as much.Also, if you are in a smaller library, you might have to deal with consortial decisions, or even someone who works in a government building who doesn’t understand your users as well as you do making decisions about what applications you should have, the design of the user interface, or both. People in different departments might also have different levels of skills or experience working with the applications, so it becomes crucial for someone (or a dedicated committee) to pay attention as to how these applications are integrated into the bigger picture. Someone needs to take a holistic approach to the website to make sure the library is trying to present just one library experience. So…. In my library, these areas manage these applications.
Not on the list is Web Services, which manages everything else and tries to bring everything together.
Assessment is so helpful in making strategic decisions about the value each application brings to users.Each tool has its own means of gathering statistics and information about useIt can be hard to reconcile the numbersLike comparing Apples to OragnesNot even all the databases are COUNTER compliant
So where is the user in all these challenges? Lost at sea?Here’s an example:
Note:Branding is differentLet’s say they don’t find their article. Search functionality is different in these systems. If they get stuck and need help, end up in an ER tool, assuming they can find it.
SOOOO many challenges.
Let’s take a step back for a sec.
I’ve mentioned a bit about wanting to get to a single user experience. The single most important thing to get there is the answer to this question. (needs to be a yes)Does someone in your library oversee the entire web presence?Yes, an individualYes, a department, team, or committeeNo, each person or department manages their own sectionNot sure
Give amazon as an example of how users can do all kinds of things. Lots of separate tools, functionalities, yet all feel like you never leave the site. Wishlist, Lists, comments, shopping cart, reviews, help, browse, search, etc.
Understand your users!!!
User vs. patronActive vs. passive voiceNarrative vs. listsemail or e-mail, website or Web site
Talk about Nike not even needing text anymore. Visual recognition. And users have expectations based on what they have experienced before.
Logos not always the same size.
Start Start slow. Think turtle. No need to jump into everything.List out all the applications, how things are integrated, etc. Write out what needs to be done for each one. Prioritize that list.
"You can catch more flies with honey than with Vinegar"