1. 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/kenne
dy.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. “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
http://www.jnd.org/dn.mss/em
otion_design.html
Norman, D. A. (2002). Emotion
and design: Attractive things
work better. Interactions
Magazine, ix (4), 36-42.
Usability – objects

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.h
l
Apple computer interface guidelines, 1987

19. Conclusions

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