1. User involvement in Mediaspace - Beauty or Beast? Knud Schulz and Marie Østergård, Aarhus Public Libraries, Denmark

2. Knud Schulz, Marie Østergård, 2011 2 From Main Library of Aarhus to Mediaspace All development since 2002 has focused on Mediaspace All user involvement is about the progress from transaction to relations How do we learn and what do we learn? 8.500 m2 17.000/27.000 m2

3. Knud Schulz, Marie Østergård, 2011 3 Issues of Involvement WHY? To shape the library of the future – but also enrich the present To add competences Iterations make us wiser Ask when there is a real possibility of influence Never forget that you are the decision makers BUT The challenge is that we only get answers to our own questions How can we get answers to what we don’t ask? How can we make sure that our resources are well-spent? What if they say smth we don’t want to hear? Examples of methods

4. Knud Schulz, Marie Østergård, 2011 4 Phototyping5 groups of people forming visions. Everyone gets a camera and has to answer in pictures: what is it like to be a user in Mediaspace and what is it like to work there? A great variety of competences involved Using pictures communicates well Starts discussions and reflections

5. Knud Schulz, Marie Østergård, 2011 5 Phototyping5 groups of people forming visions. Everyone gets a camera and has to answer in pictures: what is it like to be a user in Mediaspace and what is it like to work there? Focus on group combinations Consensus groups risk becoming self-absorbed and non-challenging

6. Knud Schulz, Marie Østergård, 2011 6 Village SquareA Village Square where users and staff introduced ideas and projects and where participants spent hours elaborating on developing those ideas Invites users to use the library space for ideas and projects A channel into user thoughts and ideas A test-space for topics we need developed Access to user networks

7. Knud Schulz, Marie Østergård, 2011 7 Village SquareA Village Square where users and staff introduce ideas and projects and where participants spent hours elaborating on developing those ideas An enourmous amount of ressources spent No promise of tangible results Risk that users want smth else than us

8. Knud Schulz, Marie Østergård, 2011 8 User driven designChildren’s lab: A week’s workshop with children btw 9-14 prototyping a library. The results were used as part of the competition programme Direct access to children and not just children’s adults Children carries a large network In 2014 these children are btw 16-21!

9. Knud Schulz, Marie Østergård, 2011 9 User driven designChildren’s lab: A week’s workshop with children btw 9-14 prototyping a library. The results were used as part of the competition programme Need for unusual adult-competences to carry it out Difficult to ask the ”right” questions and not influence the result

10. Knud Schulz, Marie Østergård, 2011 10 Lead UsersMindspot:Target group from 14-20. Events inside and outside of the library meeting the users in their own environment. Hiring young people – Mindspotters - on a short term basis to create events and develop ideas for this user group Using user competences Construct a universe Access to new network and user groups We change the image of the libraryworker

11. Knud Schulz, Marie Østergård, 2011 11 Lead UsersMindspot:Target group from 14-20. Events inside and outside of the library meeting the users in their own environment. Hiring young people – Mindspotters - on a short term basis to create events and develop ideas for this user group If Mindspotters become too assimilated they loose their value Renewal is essential

12. Knud Schulz, Marie Østergård, 2011 12 User driven developmentDevelopment of new technology using recording of voices, scenarios and an interactive table to conduct 10 interviews with user groups. Taking place in the library space. New formate creates new idea development from users Form makes a statement about being willing to risk smth

13. Knud Schulz, Marie Østergård, 2011 13 User driven developmentDevelopment of new technology using recording of voices, scenarios and an interactive table to conduct 10 interviews with user groups. Taking place in the library space. Difficult as a ”stand alone” installation Prototypes demand a lot of caring Evaluation becomes time consuming

14. Prototyping35 staff members, 5 groups, inventing visions for activities, functions and services. Ideas were used directly in the competition programme Inclusion of staff experience If you dare let the imagination free things tend to be possible Commitment and discussions of visions

15. Prototyping 35 staff members, 5 groups, inventing visions for activities, functions and services. Ideas were used directly in the competition programme Risk that ideas are impossible Risk internal fight for m2 Extremely time consuming

16. Knud Schulz, Marie Østergård, 2011 16 Involvement of other professionsProcess developing values. Involvement of large variety of professions asking them their view on Mediaspace’s raison d’etreand consulting them about various issues A mash-up library – variety of versions of the library future Makes Mediaspace a knowledge hub Gives a view into the future of other professions

17. Knud Schulz, Marie Østergård, 2011 17 Involvement of other professionsProcess developing values. Involvement of large variety of professions asking them their view on Mediaspace’s raison d’etreand consulting them about various issues What if they think Mediaspace is a horrible idea? All people have their own agenda We need to be able to filtrate the ideas

18. Knud Schulz, Marie Østergård, 2011 18 Participatory design6 workshops with citizens and architects, remodelling the building from a user perspective A test space for ideas Let the users be experts on being users If we choose against users wishes we know what we are up against

19. Knud Schulz, Marie Østergård, 2011 19 Participatory design6 workshops with citizens and architects, remodelling the building from a user perspective What if the users want smth we don’t? Architect commitment is essential All involved must have process- and listening skills

20. Knud Schulz, Marie Østergård, 2011 20 next library/HalmstadConference. June 19-21 in Aarhus. 4 exceptional keynotes, 18 workshops Library professionals set the agenda Contribute to the design and knowledge of Mediaspace

21. Knud Schulz, Marie Østergård, 2011 21 next libraryConference. June 19-21 in Aarhus. 4 exceptional keynotes, 18 workshops Beauty or beast? It depends on you……….

22. Knud Schulz, Marie Østergård, 2011 22 www.urbanmediaspace.dk