Users, their experiences and how persona development and usability helps us to do the right thing

1. Users, their experiences and how persona development and usability helps us to do the right thing JoAnne Sparks University of Oxford March 2009

2. Outline • Introduction • User research and stakeholder management • Archetype and persona approaches • Usability (interface, space and process) • How to be all things to all people • Conclusions

3. Introduction • Professional profile: • 26 years professional experience • Academic, nonprofit and corporate • Health science and research • Passions and interests: • Users • Access • Doing the right thing • Our profession and the future

4. Short CV • University of Oxford, Assistant Director, Research & Learning Services • Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Director of Library Services • Bristol-Myers Squibb, Director, Content Integration & Access • Drexel University, Associate Dean, Resource Management

5. User Research and Stakeholder Management • Understanding your organizational context • Customer segmentation • Multi-dimensional • Age, background, training, experience, expectations • Market research • Information seeking behavior patterns • Consumption levels • End goals or outputs • Profiling and engaging your user groups

6. Archetype and persona approaches • David Snowden, archetypes, sensemaking, Cynefin model • www.cognitive-edge.com • Mary Lee Kennedy, personas on Microsoft’s intranet • http://www.infotoday.com/it2002/presentations/kennedy.pps • Donna Gibson and Kathy Anderegg, Content Integration & Access group, Bristol-Myers-Squibb • Medicinal Chemistry • Process Chemists • Process Chemical Engineers

7. Techniques everyone can use • Gather data early and often • Aggregate and analyze your data • Understand the gaps • Visualize your customer segments • Narratives*, pictures and scenarios * “Take the time to write a compelling narrative; make each person you profile memorable.” Kate Gomoll Web Redesign 2.0 Workflow that Works

8. “Personas” of various scientists • Medicinal Chemist – works alone and is looking for a “recipe” • Senior level – very expert • Junior level – needs more support and still works independently • Process Chemist – group oriented • Solves problems as a team • Social and learns in a group setting

9. MSK Clinical Librarians • Customized for specific specialties • Range of possible offerings (on demand) • Mature specialties (thoracic surgery) • Low volume (gynecology) • New prospects (translational research)

10. Usability • Interface • Web sites, applications, online library systems, web 2.0 creations • Space • Libraries, bookstores, coffee shops, consulting spaces, offices • Process • Orders and requests, information retrieval, enquiry and search • Design of objects • Coffee and teapots, desks and furniture

11. Usability – interface, applications • Neutral point of view • Design for the users, not the library staff! • Test often and in small bits • Most important person is the user

12. Usability – space and process • Consulting workstations in open plan spaces • Flexible uses • Location, traffic flow • Furniture design, overall usefulness

13. Usability – objects “If you want a golden rule that will fit everybody, this is it: Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.” William Morris, The Beauty of Life, 1880 Norman, D. A. (2002). Emotion and design: Attractive things work better. Interactions Magazine, ix (4), 36-42. http://www.jnd.org/dn.mss/emotion_design.html

14. How to be all things to all people • Neutral point of view • Wholistic from the customer’s point of view • Custom versus generic • Prototyping, incremental testing • Continuous improvement and learning

15. Primer on the basic approach • Demographics – analyze the user segments • Screen for typical users (not outliers) • Clear testing objectives • Storyboard, paper prototype, interactive wireframe • Scheduling and logistics • Neutral facilitator and notetakers • Analyze the findings • Debrief with all involved staff • Take action on the findings

16. Why do it? • Superior services will transform into extraordinary services • At an individual level between librarian and reader • At a team level • At a local service level • At a library system level • Embedded librarians, clinical informationists • Key to successful implementation • Strengthens ongoing program

17. How much does it cost? • Free to millions of pounds • KEY THING IS FREE – the mindset • Prototyping – early is best and generates savings • Full build – late stage testing IF YOU DON’T do usability --- • How much does rebuilding cost? • Cost of getting it wrong – long-term • Cost of not doing is the same

18. Additional References Kelly Goto and Emily Cotler • Web Redesign 2.0 Workflow that Works • http://www.web-redesign.com/ Jakob Nielsen • Usability consulting for web interface, gadgets • http://www.nngroup.com/ Donald A. Norman • The Design of Everyday Things • http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0465067107/ Bruce “Tog” Tognazzini • http://www.asktog.com/columns/069ScottAdamsMeltdown.html Apple computer interface guidelines, 1987

19. Conclusions

20. Contact information • JoAnne Sparks • Email: joanne.sparks@bodley.ox.ac.uk