Hoff, Jane
Z-UX User
Experience
Schmidt, A.
(2016, May 4). Asking the right questions
| the user experience. Retrieved from http://lj.libraryjournal.com/2016/05/opinion/aaron-schmidt/asking-the-right-questions-the-user-experience/#_
Asking the
right questions
Summary: The author calls into question the age-old
tactic of “give the consumer what they want” when planning library
services. The author points out that the
responsibility then falls on the shoulders of those we aim to serve rather than
the knowledgeable professionals trained to make such decisions. He does advocate putting patrons’ needs
first, however he suggests a different angle for gathering necessary
information that will help LIS professionals create and design services around
the needs of patrons. Rather than asking
a broad question of “what do you want in
a library?” the author suggests asking, “how do you like to spend your time?” and “what interests do you have that you wish you had more information
available to you?”
Review: I really like how the author reframes the idea
of serving our patrons and creating a user-focused design. After years of customer service, where “the
customer is always right,” I understand the conundrum that the author
presents. All too often the customer is
not exactly right. Too often the
customer is not prepared to make decisions on the strategic plan of a business,
and to follow the customer demands might in fact lead to failure. But when you evaluate what the consumer (a
broad swath of customers) are responsive to in the product or service you
offer, you will have a fairly accurate direction to follow for success. In library service, especially school library
service where one’s budget is limited, it makes sense to ask questions that
lead to understand trends that can serve the community better, rather than
responding the few individuals who ask directly for a service or resource. Asking a community how they spend their time,
or how they would like to spend their time, might be a more feasible way of
serving the community as a whole.
Thanks for sharing this article, Jane. I'm going to use this approach at the public library where I work.
ReplyDelete@Leslie Fox Sometimes it really takes just a change in perspective! We're still focused on the same goals and targets, just approaching it from a different angle.
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