This document summarizes a user needs assessment being conducted by John Kaye of the British Library to identify major user groups and their characteristics and needs in using a new UK data service platform (USP). The assessment will analyze literature, web analytics, and conduct interviews. It will identify key user groups like academic researchers, educators, and policymakers. It will also analyze topics, disciplines, and locations of resource use to develop use scenarios and recommendations to inform the design of the USP.

1. User Needs Assessment
November 2012
John Kaye – British Library
www.slideshare.net/johnkayebl

2. Overview
 Timescales, aims, approach and outcomes
 Proposed Report Structure
 Identifying the Users
 Initial Findings – User Behaviour
 Initial Findings – Disciplines and Topics
 Data to be collected & Analysed
 Questions and Discussion

3. Timescales & aims
 First Draft February 2013, Final April 2013
 Identify the potential major user groups of the USP
and outline their characteristics.
 Examine their goals, purposes, and objectives in
using the USP:
 what do users want to accomplish?
 what are their overall aims?
 how can the USP help to accomplish these aims?

4. Approach & Desired
Outcomes
 Desk based analysis and literature review based on
existing data sources
 The main outcomes of this report will be:
 A review of the current situation
 Typical user groups and their characteristics and aims
 A set of use scenarios to aid the design of the USP
 Recommendations for the design of the USP
 Recommendations for future research

5. Proposed Report
Structure
 Introduction (scope, method and context)
 Who are the users?
 Current Situation
 Location type and use of resources
 Disciplines and topics trends
 Other initiatives
 User Group Needs
 Needs for Academic Researchers
 Undergraduate
 Postgraduate
 Career
 Needs for Educational Teachers (School and University)
 Needs for Policy Makers
 Needs for Funders
 Use Scenarios
 Recommendations

6. Identifying the
Users
 The Cohort Studies and their outputs have a range
of potential users, they are used in academic
research, teaching and as evidence in forming policy
in the public sector.
 Academic research: Undergrad, Postgrad, Doctoral,
Post-Doc, Academic, non-institutional researchers
 Educational Teaching: School, Undergrad, Quant
skills
 Funders: ESRC/MRC
 Policy: Education, Health, Social, Central Govt,
Organisational Policy (NHS, LEA etc.)

7. Identifying the
Users
 Government department (policy) users include (From Longitudinal
Champions):
 Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
 Department for Communities and Local Government
 Department for Education
 Department for International Development
 Department for transport
 Department of Health
 Department for Work and Pensions
 Food standards Agency
 Government Equalities Office
 Home Office
 Ministry of Defence/Defence Analytical Services and Advice
 Ministry of Justice
 Office for National Statistics
 Scottish Government
 Welsh Government

8. Identifying the
Users
 3 categories of web users search needs:
 Navigational search, the immediate intent is to
reach a particular site (e.g., ESDS Homepage);
 Informational search, the intent is to acquire some
information likely to be contained in one or more
web pages (e.g., cohort studies);
 Transactional search, the intent is to perform some
web-mediated activity (e.g., download dataset).

9. Initial Findings
User Behaviour
 Researchers of Tomorrow: The research
behaviour of Generation Y doctoral students:
“In a survey enquiry asking about their last incident of
information-seeking activity, the majority of all
doctoral students (including Generation Y) across all
subject disciplines were looking for text-based and
secondary, pre-published research resources
(journal articles, books etc) and not primary source
materials.”

10. Initial Findings
User Behaviour
 e-journals dominated.
 Of the total survey sample, 30% used Google or Google
Scholar as their main source to find their research information
 Google sources were strongly favoured above other sources by
arts and humanities, social science and engineering and
computing science students.
 Students rarely seemed to be aware of the actual publisher or
e-information source itself when searching for e-journal articles,
for example relying on their libraries’ own e-resource interface
or a Google application to locate and access resources, without
being particularly interested in the names or nature of the
originating organisations..

11. Initial Findings
Topics &Disciplines
Use search data to inform users needs as some of the best data comes
from what users type into search boxes themselves.

12. Initial Findings
Topics &Disciplines
ESDS Top 20 Catalogue, Variable and Question Bank Searches

13. Initial Findings
Topics &Disciplines
ESDS Longitudinal Page Visits – Total Unique visits 45,013
BHPS
NCDS
ELSA
MCS
BCS70
LSYPE
FACS
UKHLS
GUS
0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 7000 8000 9000
Unique page views

14. Initial Findings
Topics &Disciplines
ESDS Longitudinal Download Statistics December 2010 to Q3 2012
LFS
BHPS
HSE
BCS
BSA
Understanding Society
NCDS
ELSA
BCS70
MCS
LSYPE
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800
Downloads Dec 2010 - Sept 2012

15. Initial Findings
Topics &Disciplines
Longitudinal Champions Employment
Older People
priorities – Policy users Health and disability
needs: Children/ Families
State Pension reform
Education
Well-being
15 Government Personal w ealth and poverty
departments or bodies Young people
Travel
17 topic areas Social mobility
Food Safety
99 questions Crime
Neighbourhood and housing
Immigration
Sport and Culture
Early years/
0 2 4 6 8 10 12
Number of questions

16. Data to be collected
& Analysed
 Carry on literature review
 Paper abstract analysis from CLS bibliography
 CLS web views, search, download statistics
 MRC web views, search, download statistics
 ESRC DTC new PhD subjects
 HALCyon cross cohort analysis
 Biobank Search Terms
 BL catalogue and web search data
 BL ‘Explore’ user needs analysis
 Referral sources e.g. wikipedia
 Govt. Department needs via UKDF
……and anything else we can find!

17. Questions &
Discussion
John Kaye – Lead Curator Digital Social Sciences
The British Library
96 Euston Road
London NW1 2DB
john.kaye@bl.uk
Twitter: @johnkayebl
Telephone: 020 7412 7450
Blog: http://britishlibrary.typepad.co.uk/socialscience/