Samantha Truong | The HUB for Libraries

Context

Automation and technology is defining the future of work, there is no avoiding that. As an effect of this social change, job seekers are feeling pressured to learn new skills to keep up with competition and demand. Libraries have long been on technology’s edge in helping communities adjust to the changing world. In very early times, libraries provide people access to computers as they became essential to the modern world before all their patrons could afford them. Libraries have grown far beyond a place to rent out books.
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The Client
Public libraries in the United States of America. All library staff, supporting subject matter experts, patrons and community influencers are all stakeholders of this project.

Understanding the Problem Through Research

What the Experts Have To Say

My team and I interviewed three librarians at a public library in order to help frame the challenge and understand the users I am solving the problem for. When it comes to professional development resources, libraries have aisles and aisle of book-related topics, prep courses, as well as offer in-person workshops and events. The local library even has contracts with Linkedin Learning (Lynda), CourseEra, and Khan Academy--all accessible with a library card.

However, when it comes to how technology is impacting the library, our experts uncovered overlapping themes:

‍What does this mean?

In sum, libraries serve as a resource hub for everything. You can do so much with a library card. It is interesting to assume that libraries are at risk with the advancement of technology when instead, it has empowered libraries to transform their physical space and take advantage of in-person interactions in addition to moving everything online. Libraries are continuing to expand their offerings (digitally).

With these insights in mind, we have a clear footing on the questions we needed to ask real library users in survey questions or user interviews.

“Libraries are one of the last places you can go and you don’t have to justify being there. You don’t have to pay to be there, you don’t have to do anything, you don’t have to buy anything. It’s an inclusive space, and I wish people knew that they can do that”
- Daren, Librarian at Denver Public Library (Subject Matter Expert Interview)

What the Upskilling Professional Have to Say

To further narrow down our user base, I dispersed two surveys to library patrons to better understand their current behaviors, values, and perceptions of their local library. When we understand what patrons value and how they behave, we can design a product that aligns and caters to their needs and desires. Over the course of 2 days, we collected responses from 155 respondents. We also conducted user interviews with 10 upskiling professionals.

Respondents noted they wish for greater diversity and range in the library’s offerings that feel relevant to today’s world. These include not only more in-person workshops, classes, maker spaces but programs and opportunities to support their creative, personal, and professional pursuits. Here is a snapshot of the research we conducted:

‍What does this mean?

Most library users are not aware that such resources exist. Respondents also expressed how much they wished for greater diversity and range in the library’s offerings that feel relevant to today’s world. These include not only more in-person workshops and classes, but programs to support their creative, personal, and professional pursuits.

"Google's entire vision and mission is to make the world's information accessible with one click. Libraries are 'we're making whatever you could find accessible by driving over there, hopefully getting the right store hours, and getting a library card. Libraries should be something that Google can't provide. That is physical space."
- David, User Interview

What the Competitors Are Doing

Online learning has increased significantly due to the influence of the internet. I looked at direct competitors like Udemy, Linkedin Learning (Lynda), and Boopsies for Libraries to see what they are doing. I could also learn a thing or two by looking at indirect competitors like Boys and Girls Club, YouTube, and Khan Academy.

What I found is that people like the simplicity, financial attractiveness, and the fun and engaging way to “learn at your own pace” hinging on video as a learning medium rather than e-books. Online platforms are helpful in developing technical skills like coding, design, or engineering.

However, we noticed some limitations:

Little to no support for community, mentorship, teachers.

If there is a sense of belonging, the community is very niche.

Social and technical barrier to entry (such as paywall access to material, or not inclusive to diverse population who struggle to access or use a computer).

STEM-heavy focused

What does this mean?

This leaves me to wonder the impact and importance that teachers or coaches have on professional development. The product I design needs to be the most convenient and undoubtedly reliable and free to maintain the level of accessibility that the library provides. Opportunities for community building is something the library does really when they offer in-person programming or workshops.

Framing the Challenge

The product or service we design needs to reframe the library’s offerings in a different way that complements existing resources and not overshadow or replace them. This will not only increase resource utilization and in-person attendance but transform the perception of the library into this flourishing place of growth and learning that buzzing with community activity.

Who did I meet?

I met Charlotte, a 29 year-old self-iterator. As a sum of the responses and insights I learned, I created Charlotte's persona as a way for me to empathize myself with the product or service I am designing for.

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Charlotte is an ambitious professional who needs to learn new skills because technology is rapidly changing her job description. However, she does not know what the library has to offer as a community hub.

What is Charlotte's experience like?

Charlotte is an ambitious professional who needs to learn new skills because technology is rapidly changing her job description. However, she does not know what the library has to offer as a community hub.

To really understand Charlotte's experience from start to finish, I wrote out some context scenarios and drafted task flows on where she can find and use the services the library provides.

‍Example of context scenario:
If Charlotte is an HR Coordinator, she probably needs to learn how to adopt new technology and tools to better train new hires. The current system of training where senior level executives need to take time out of their days to train new staff, is simply not working anymore. She is receiving pressure to plan new strategies. Charlotte will most likely be at home, late at night, researching on google for new methods for conflict management and building team morale. She probably consults forums where she can share her needs and get advice. (With a default that the Libraries did a good marketing, especially a good SEO, that will be our first step for solving our Problem before creating a good library App.) Charlotte’s city-library came up in her first 5 google search-results. Google highlights the library’s free access to online courses and business meet-ups. She goes onto to the library’s website and also downloaded the App onto her phone.

This is what we know right now:

Library's Goals

Deliver a prized experience and great service

Clean and intuitive interface to minimize customer service

Raise more money from investors

With a nice platform, be able to charge more $$

User's (Charlotte's) Goals

Deliver a prized experience and great service

Clean and intuitive interface to minimize customer service

Raise more money from investors

With a nice platform, be able to charge more $$

Getting the Ideas to Flow

Sketching 6-8 ideas within 5 minutes

When I'm stuck on an idea, I practice this design exercise to get the creative juices flowing.

From paper prototypes to high fidelity screens

By translating these concepts from sketches into high-fidelity mockups, it actualizes the ideas and make it easier to communicate functionality to stakeholders. By making it pretty doesn't mean it is functional. Designing in high-fidelity allows me to focus on making sure the process and the experience is right.

Iterate until it feels right.

In the beginning, my team and I were trying so hard to force fit different features in our app. Our team concluded this project with 4 rounds of iterations. I learned the importance of simplifying, simplifying, simplifying and refine.

We pivoted 2 days before delivery.

It was 3:00 AM in the morning, and I was working on iterating my section of screens before tomorrow's big presentation to my team mates and something struck me like lighting hitting the ground, illuminating the landscape brighter than I have ever seen before. We had been working on our 4th round of iterations after receiving so much feedback from our interviews and early paper prototype tests, however, the concept of our app did not sit right with me. I was stuck. We were going down the path of designing a "catalog" of library resources when our users told us a mobile app was not their top priorities. Why were we heading down that direction if this was the feedback we got?

These questions boggled my mind and the wayward direction of our concept left my group feeling tense and hostile the past couple of days. It felt like we lost the spark and passion of the project, and the information architecture felt weak and didn't make sense.

I started to rework the information architecture again and looked at new competitors for inspiration. If we are trying to solve the problem for our user (an ambitious working professional) who need to upskill in order to keep up with their industry but they don't know what the library has to offer as a community hub...how do we best meet them where they are at? I felt like we neglected our user persona we created. So I thought, how do people upskill anyways?

Through a simple google search, I learned there is no right way to upskill. Some people need a guided approach like certification. Some people micro-learn in short bursts. Some people need peer support groups for accountability. The underlying similarity among these methods is to have a goal and a way to keep track of the goal. We took out social features like profile, learning plan, and groups in previous iterations because, as a group, we didn't understand how the pieces fit together with a library app. But it became so clear to me that they are crucial elements of our app and I believed we just needed to reframe what we were presenting. We lost that human connection and that competitive spark by oversimplifying our app.

I followed my intuition and mocked up new mid-fidelity version of screens, a new information architecture, and my argument for my case. I presented it to my group the next day. The conversation was difficult because there was hesitation and push back due of the tight deadline and the worry of feature creep. Ultimately, I got their buy-in because of one main point I made in my argument: we should entertain the idea and use further testing to validate or invalidate it. What do the users say? If it doesn't work, we can go back to our original plan but at least we tried. Over the next two days, my teammates and I have never worked so hard to deliver a product and concept that not only got praise from our mentor but amazing feedback from users who asked if this app was available to download.

The Final Product

We designed the product-service with professionals like Charlotte in mind. We knew we wanted to design a platform that is enriching and supportive with an abundance of updated resources uniquely tailored to the individual. The mobile app allow the User to access the library virtually with ease from anywhere.

Users tell us how they learn best.

After researching best practices for upskillers, we found there is no particular right and true method of doing so. Preferred learning styles vary from user to user and the best thing we can do is tailor our content to meet their needs. Auditory learner? Maybe you will receive audiobooks and podcasts as suggestions. Visual learner? Perhaps video and pre-recorded lessons. Kinesthetic learner? How about 1 on 1 mentorship in person.

Explore what the library has to offer.

Survey and usability test showed us that users find a high value in free resources and the "browsability" of an app. The Hub’s Explore page emphasizes popular and new resources to encourage unified browsing by having the user feel a part of what is new and popular.

Save to come right back.

Browsing through library shelves is a common pass-time. The "save" function is crucial to a library because it allows users to pursue their desired resource at their own pace.

Finding community on one's learning path.

We know the library is a unifying space among learners. Our feedback tells us that the collective working environment of the library is motivating. We dedicated a portion of The Hub app to peer groups, mentorship, and leadership opportunities not only as a supportive resource, but to find community with other like-minded learners.

Personalized Learning Journey

Having an accountability partner increases the chances of success of completing a goal by 95%. I understand how daunting self-teaching can be when you don't know where or how to start. The function of learning programs is to provide both pre-generated and user created compilations of resources to ease the user’s endeavor to upskill. At an affordable cost.

Testing with Actual Users

Overall the general concept was very well received. We tested the app on four metrics: aesthetic, layout, ease of use, and overall feeling. The quantitative data we've received (user scoring out of 10) ranked layout and ease of use the highest meaning each user flow works correctly and users were able to access important information in the right places at the right time. Users were enthusiastic curious, and engaged. The unsettling learning programs proved to be understood as a valuable function of the app. Users from our app even asked when the app was available to them!

"This app makes me feel motivated to reskill."
- User #3, User Testing

Next Steps

Conduct even more in depth research to understand the behavior, motivation and goals of our identified target audience (the professional with goals to upskill)
Conduct more usability test of our latest version of iteration

Further Recommendations

Formalize language throughout the app and simplify the homepage
Explore additional avenues with community and learning program
Build out Explore and Search sections to show more library resources and offerings

What I learned

Embracing uncertainty and pivoting when things are not working anymore (for the sake of the user).
As designers, we need to be bold and take risks. To follow the little inkling in our stomach when we know things are not working out. I learned the importance of going against the grain (reasonably) and to try something new. These unconventional ideas will stir up unexpected outcomes and can sometimes lead to the path to true innovation and growth.

Take concerning considerations into mind.
Although we are expanding on our ideas and sometimes as designers on a team, divided on our views and concerns, we must never forget to design with considerations of the concerns into the back of our mind. Sometimes we need to slow down in order to speed up. Designing with constraints is challenging yet really rewarding.

A Learning Companion for Upskilling Professionals

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