Change is hard. Innovation is risky. Space is costly and time-consuming to change or create. Institutions can keep planning large, slow, expensive, and risky learning space projects that might miss the mark. Or they can use “leaner” ways to imagine, test, and create learning spaces. Matthew Swift and Gabi Patacsil presented "Lean Learning Space Design" at SXSWedu 2017.

1. Lean Learning Space Design

2. introductions
Ameet Doshi,
Director of Service
Experience and
Program,
Georgia Tech
Emily Puckett Rogers,
Space & Design
Assessment Librarian,
University of Michigan
Gabi Patacsil,
Senior Strategist,
brightspot strategy
Matthew Swift,
Associate Director,
brightspot strategy

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diverse learning spaces

5. space + services

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space + services

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cost of design

8. how do you know if you
are placing the right bets?

9. agenda
1. intro to prototyping
2. intro challenges
3. activity #1: telling the story
4. activity #2: developing the concept
5. activity #3: share-out
6. our experience

10. intro to prototyping and
piloting

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design thinking + prototyping
because of this
how information is
Need Solution Iterate

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design thinking + prototyping
because of this
how information is
Need Solution Iterate
this is where prototyping is helpful

13. a prototype is a model of an idea

19. a prototype helps you test your
assumptions

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workspace prototype + pilot
• a working prototype
• tested over a longer period of time
• with real users
• and often more formal assessment
what is a pilot?

21. quick case study

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NCSU Hunt Library

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service point concept
integrating circulation, reference, and tech support

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scaled mock-up

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going live

26. let’s practice

27. 1. Service / Consultation Space
2. Collaboration / Break-out Space
3. Tech-Focused / Specialized Lab Space
4. Active Learning Event / Workshop
Space
your challenges for the day

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“Research Hub” at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
Library (left) and Singapore Airlines (above)
Scenario: Service / Consultation
Service expectations are changing. For example, many of your users are
regularly exposed to side-by-side interactions such as those found in the retail
world at Apple Stores and Microsoft Stores. Many airlines ask their customers to
use kiosks to make interactions quicker and more efficient for both the provider
and customer.

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Chandler-Gilbert Community College Tesla Store kiosk Warby Parker Reference Desk
Examples: Service / Consultation Experiences
Service experience can be mediated or augmented by technology
Delta Airlines mobile app Microsoft Store Brooklyn Museum of Art ASK

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Duke University Libraries (“The Edge”)
Scenario: Collaboration / Team Break-out Space
As research and learning becomes more team-oriented, libraries and learning
spaces are now viewed as “go to” locations for group meetings and other
collaborative activities.
G. Wayne Clough Undergraduate Learning Commons, Georgia
Institute of Technology

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University of Michigan Libraries Hypepopatamus Atlanta UCLA Libraries
Examples: Collaboration / Team Break-out Space
Collaborative space concerns include noise mitigation, flexibility, cost, and technology
Oxford University Brookes Building Stanford dSchool Microsoft Visual Studio “Team Room”

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Hesston College Medical Center Simulation Lab
Scenario: Technology-focused or Specialized Lab
Libraries and other educational spaces are integrating more specialized labs to
support activities such as visualization, data analysis, technology training, and
maker culture, to name a few.
Univ of Michigan UM3D Lab

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Rochester Institute of Tech. Eco-Design Lab NCSU Hunt Library Visualization Lab Kaunas University of Technology Finance Lab
Examples: Technology-focused or Specialized Lab
The characteristics of these labs vary greatly: from high-tech to low-tech, messy making
Georgia Tech Invention Studio Warwick University Learning Grid University of Oregon Crafts Center

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MIT TEAL room
Scenario: Active learning event/workshop
“Flipped” or active learning is a high priority within educational settings at all
levels. Research suggests that interactive, participatory learning experience
result in better outcomes.
General Assembly, Atlanta

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University of Oklahoma, Collings 325 Bryant University Bello 102 Stonehill College, DisCo
Examples: Active learning event/workshop
Challenges to functional active learning spaces include noise mitigation, technology
infrastructure and size / scale
University of Windsor, College of Engineering Case Western Reserve University Oregon State University (“TEDification”)

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activity #1
Tell your story.
Who is this space or service for?
How will they use it?

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activity #1: storyboard method

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activity #1: steps
1. Form a team at your table.
2. Read your team’s scenario: service, technology
space, active learning workshop.
3. Develop a concept to solve for your
scenario.
4. Create a story to communicate your
concept with the scenes packet.

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activity #1: storyboard elements
Develop your main character.
Basics (name, age, occupation)
Intellectual (education level, knowledge and awareness)
Emotional (motivations, strengths and weaknesses)

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activity #1: storyboard elements
Create at least 4 key scenes.
1. Setting: Where are we? What’s the context?
2. Goal: What is the character’s (user) goal or objective?
3. Conflict: What do they need to achieve the goal?
4. Resolution: How do they achieve their goal?
Develop your main character.

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activity #1: storytelling tips
Use short, simple statements and ideas.
Heighten the drama.
Use lots of imagery.

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activity #1: storyboard elements
Add characters and
other elements to
compose your story.
Add backgrounds
from the Scenes
library to indicate
the location
Add a caption:
what is happening
in the scene?

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Dave is a sophmore at UT Austin and a research novice. He is starting to take more advanced courses with more
intensive research requirements.
Scene #1: Meet Dave
I’m anxious about my Sociology
research project. I don’t know
where to start….

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Dave goes to the Library website and schedules a research consultation with Karen, a reference librarian
Scene #2: Dave looks for help
Need help with your
research?
Schedule an appt.

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Dave meets Karen at a visible and well marked service point. After a few minutes discussing his needs, Karen realizes
that Dave needs a more in-depth consultation and recommends they pop into a consult room.
Scene #3: Dave and Karen meet
Research
Consults
We’re going to need more time,
let’s go to a consult room…

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Dave and Karen spend the next 45 minutes discussing Dave’s research needs, mapping out a research plan on the white-
board, and walking through the basics of navigating the Libraries online resources.
Scene #4: In-Depth Consultation
Let me tell you about my
Sociology project….

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activity #1: storyboard method
Create your
storyboard:
30 minutes
Shareout:
10 minutes
1.
2.

48. discussion

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activity #2
Sketch the space.
How does your story translate to a space?

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activity #2: steps
1. Focus on the main space in your story, e.g.,
service point, technology space, active learning space
2. For each scene that takes place in this
space, think about the attributes that
support the activities in these scenes, e.g.,
furniture, technology, and services (including people).
3. Sketch out the ideal space with these
attributes.

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activity #2: space mockup tips
Start with the big ideas. Then apply the details.
Think about how activities relate to each
other in the space.
Annotate, annotate, annotate.

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activity #1: space mockup
Sketch your space:
15 minutes

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activity #3: team shareout
1. Identify the teams with the same scenario.
Pick one volunteer team to share their
story and space concept.
2. How do your stories and spaces differ?
How are they similar?
3. What can you learn from each other?

54. our experience with pilots
and prototypes

55. Early and Often
Quickly and Roughly
Prototyping Best Practices
Resist the temptation for a “perfect” prototype. The goal should be to quickly test in
order to gain quick insights for a more thorough final product.
3 West Quiet Space Pilot Roving Service Model Pilot
Self-service lockers Pilot
Laptop Kiosk Pilot

56. Define Goals
Prototyping Steps
Prototyping steps appear straightforward here but a pitfall can be over-designing the
product or service
Define Method
Learn from it
Build itTest it

57. Ad-hoc Assessment at Georgia Tech
In line with the “quick and rough” best practice for prototyping spaces and services,
ad-hoc user feedback can be relatively easy to gather
3 West Quiet Space Pilot

58. Project Management Portfolio Elements:
• Project charter includes Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
• Alignment with strategic goals and objectives
• Resource assessment (Do we have the requisite tools, budget, training, staff?)
• Regular weekly and bi-weekly reporting
• Tollgate / Project Close-out includes Assessment
“Culture of Assessment” at Georgia Tech
Creating a culture of assessment is highly dependent upon integration of pilot and
prototyping projects into existing and organization-wide management systems

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Design Institute Nashville Design Challenge with
Margaret Sullivan Studio
Attend meetings or events in your
community from similar or inspiring
organizations. Learn what else is happening
or planned.
Find metaphors that speak to your
aspirational design goals.
Get Inspired
Look in, around, and outside your community.

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User Perspective
Offer opportunities for learners, teachers, others to walk you through your space or service from
their perspective.
University of Michigan Library User Journeys

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Beaufort County Library System St Helena Branch
Co-Design
Crowdsource Planning: host workshops or co-design sessions with members of your community
to boost your research or data gathering.

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Internal Focus
Teach colleagues about your
project, educate them about
its importance, or prepare
them for the change.
External Focus
Cultivate could-be donors or
influencers by thoughtfully
including them in portions of
the process.
University of Washington – Odegaard Undergraduate Library
Build Excitement
By including others in your process, you can educate colleagues about your project and its aims,
build buy-in, or find and cultivate champions who can help move the project forward.

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What is unique to your community? What
differentiates your library, school, or organization?
Consider the design’s goal, function, and
features.
Cooper Hewitt Museum pen Bayview Linda Burton-Brooks Branch Library
Mission and Vision Alignment
What does success look like to your organization?

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Who, What, Where, Why, When, How?
Connect the “what” to the “why” and tell your story.

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Qualitative
What are the themes you hear in the stories
people tell you about your design or
prototype?
What gets people excited, confused, or
nervous about your design or prototype?
How can you connect your goals to their
goals?
Quantitative
What are the number-based points of
information or data you already collect?
How can they help inform your design?
What don’t they tell you?
Who, What, Where, Why, When, How?
Connect the “what” to the “why” and tell your story.

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Culture of Assessment (Engagement)
Measure what matters to you and your institution and build in time, tools, and methods for
evaluation efforts that are taken seriously by those in your library, school, or organization.
Time Space Goal-setting

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Culture of Assessment (Engagement)
Measure what matters to you and your institution and build in time, tools, and methods for
evaluation efforts that are taken seriously by those in your library, school, or organization.
Accountability and
feedback
Systems-approach Meaningful

68. thanks!....questions?