1. DIY Usability & User Experience:
Is Your Library People Focused?
Metropolitan New York Library Council (METRO)
April 26, 2012
Lisa Chow | Sandra Sajonas
People Interact

2. PRESENTERS
Lisa Chow
Lisa is an information professional who has used people-centered design methods to
develop and manage multiple projects, including BPL ThinkTank staff unconference,
Book a Librarian reference service, and HealthCampNYC regional health
unconference. She also served as project manager for a hospital health sciences library
user study. Lisa is half of People Interact, a consultancy that empowers libraries and
other organizations to be people-centered. Lisa has a few "library ribbons" including SLA
Rising Star, LJ Mover & Shaker, ALA Emerging Leader and ARL Diversity Scholar. She is
currently working as Web Analyst in the IT Department at Brooklyn Public Library.
Sandra Sajonas
Sandra is a senior librarian at the Business & Career Library in the Brooklyn Public
Library (BPL) system. During her time at BPL, she has used people-centered usability
ideas and methods to evaluate library service, make recommendations for improvement
and launch new initiatives. Some results of this include BPL ThinkTank - the first library
staff unconference and Book A Librarian - a service allowing patrons to schedule an
appointment with a research librarian. She is currently working with
the newly formed Business & Career Library in developing a strategic plan.

3. OBJECTIVES
• Share the experience of usability
• Attain a basic understanding of people-centered design, usability
and user experience principles
• Outline the importance and role of usability in the library
• Create and implement a mini usability study for service
design/redesign
• Leave with tools and resources to conduct your own people-
centered usability study

4. DEFINING USABILITY
5 Principles
Applied to:
– user-centered
• product design
– co-creative
• graphic design
– sequencing
• interaction design
– evidencing
• service design
– holistic
• social design
• strategic management
Related Terms
• operation management
• design ethnography
• People-Centered Design
• Usability
• User Experience
• Design Thinking

5. USABILITY PROCESS
A nonlinear, flexible, iterative process
EXPLORE
CREATE
REFLECT
IMPLEMENT

6. People-Centered Methods Course, Spring 2008

8. Hospital Health Sciences Library User Study, 2009
• 3-month study
• Evaluated the library’s
current space, usage, and
interactions
• Plans were underway to
move the library to a new
space

9. "Disconnected Youth" Program
2008-2010
• Develop a library literacy program for
16-24 year olds, not working and not
in school that offers wrap around
services
Business & Career Library
2011-2012
• Develop a strategic plan for the
newly merged Business Library
and Education and Job Information
Center

10. Case Studies

11. PLAN OF ATTACK
AREA OF INQUIRY
RESEARCH METHODS - choose from list
1.
2.
DATA COLLECTION - graphic organizers, tools, etc.
1.
2.
DATA CRUNCHING - find patterns, trends and oddballs (what’s not like the others)
1.
2.
3.
RECOMMENDATIONS

12. Graphic Organizers - Visualizing Your Data

13. Graphic Organizers - Visualizing Your Data

14. Questions?
http://peopleinteract.wordpress.com
People Interact
~ It's about people.