DRAFT - June 14, 2012
Goals & objectives
1. Establish best practices for virtual work & user research work
- standardize processes for new web sites
- improve our documentation
- get the tech support staffing help that we need
2. Continue to gather more data about our users
- do micro usability tests about specific processes or services, as needed (including lifecycle of a service)
- do micro user studies (observation or interviews) about specific services, as needed
(NOTE: a micro-test is one that involves less than 4 of our staff and can be completed in a few weeks) - explore using a better tool for the Tell Us service
3. Analyze & apply existing data about our users
- create personas
- analyze survey data for UX use
- understand, analyze, and use web analytics from Google
- do heuristic tests of web interfaces, as needed
4. Prioritize & complete the projects we've agreed to take on
Examples of projects:
- holistic discovery project (includes implementing new discovery tool)
- new web site for library locations & study spaces
- make a few new video tutorials, recommend best practices
- improve SFX menus
- Vail Collection web site
- Exhibits web sites
- review of Hayden for space improvements (SSIS)
- finalize the assessment LibGuide (public site about our work)
- sunset or improve the program for loaning e-reading devices to the public
- create a guide & workshop that helps users with personal information management
- improve courtesy notices
- use survey data to help determine what needs more marketing
- scan and deliver PDF service
- implementing LibAnswers
- new and improved LibGuides
- explore getting software for tracking qualitative research
5. Continue finding ways to reach out to the rest of our organization and bring user needs into everything
- clarify UX role in space (Public Spaces UX group, Stephanie's role)
- develop a storage container for stories, comments, flip charts that all staff can use
- continue "what's up with UX" events
- offer "writing for the web" workshops to staff
- find better ways to track priorities for UIG and all UX, use this list within our group and also to communication with levels above us about all that we're working on
6. Find more ways to help our organization innovate
- make the betas program more sustainable, explore ways to get more betas in the pipeline, do more regular assessment and graduating/graveyarding
- find ways to bring the idea seeds from last year's game-storming into our work (enrich our services with MIT culture, etc)
- continue Emerging Tech subgroup
- research possible roles for libraries in online education like MITx, EdX
7. Collaborations, communication outside of MIT, and professional development
- communicate with our users about the results of the studies and survey
- UX members continue participating in organizations, such as UPA Boston, CodeAcademy, LITA, Anthro-lib, etc.
- form a UX tribe
- continuing training in these areas: heuristic testing, usability studies, information architecture, etc.