A public project tracker for user research at the Brooklyn Public Library
View the Project on GitHub theghostofmaya/BPL-user-experience
A public project tracker for user research at the Brooklyn Public Library. This website will let you follow along and view findings and recommendations from user research at BPL.
The Brooklyn Public Library will be moving all staff to a cloud email solution and needs to decide between Microsoft 365 and GSuite. From a usability perspective, which of these systems, including email and editing software including spreadsheets and word processing, will best serve people’s needs?
10/3/18: interviewed CPFM about their requirements
How can we reduce fines, increase returns, and increase fine repayment systemwide, in particular by kids and teens?
The Nudge project is a systemwide evaluation and redesign to increase returns and to hopefully eliminate the need for fines altogether.
9/19/2018: Conducted exploratory user research on application and shared with IT, Customer Experience, and Marketing
BPL launched a new website in 2017, and many library staff and patrons have struggled to adapt. What is and isn’t working, from a user’s perspective, and what could be updated or designed to better support both groups?
10/3/2018: Marketing requested UX help on My Account/My Profile, Booklists/Bookshelves, Learning Resources page, and Global Site Search Layout
In 2018, BPL launched a new mobile app, which includes features for patrons to check out books, to search the catalog, and to manage their account. What is working for users? How can the experience be made more simple and more delightful?
Mobile Serve is a program to use portable devices to help our staff become more mobile, to increase staff interaction with customers, and to enable the provision of library services outside of the branches on outreach visits. How can we ensure that these devices are usable enough to be effective?
10/4/18: in the process of setting up rapid user feedback session with staff
The Brooklyn Public Library received a grant in 2017 to purchase millions of dollars worth of equipment for the public to use, including 3D printers, laptops, and music production equipment. How do we make these technologies visible and accessible?
9/4/2018: Cheila provided MW with information on current hardware reservation process
BPL Staff use the B-Line for everything internal to BPL: clocking hours, accessing forms, contacting other people and departments, sharing files, and more. However, it is an older system and may not promote openness and collaboration. How can this be better?
9/2018: Survey sent out to all staff
BPL is currently piloting an automated way for patrons to check out laptops for temporary use in the branches. Is this system usable for the people who need it most? What policies and interface choices would make this system work best?
Selvon mentioned that it might need improved UX
Patrons can upload documents and schedule a print at the library from wherever they have access to the internet. Can this system be made more widely known and more usable?
Gary mentioned that it might need improved UX
Staff are not partaking in professional development as often as HR would like, and perhaps not even as often as they would like. Is Train Station, our current online training reservation system, serving people’s needs? What is needed to close the skills gap?
Waiting on LaChonne Walton, new head of HR, to give guidance
What is the user experience of the call center? How could it be improved?
10/4/18: MW conducted stakeholder interview with Tiffani
What is the user experience of the IT resolution portal? Could it be improved?
8/2018: Gary mentioned that this might be an area of improved UX