Keynote Speech – Andy Priestner

Employing UX research methods to design better library services

in Theme 4: Sustainable Services

Librarians are starting to recognise that the annual user survey is not fit-for-purpose and actually tells us very little about the real needs of our users. Quantitative data on footfall, loans and website hits are similarly limited on their own. In order to build a richer, more complete picture of our users’ preferences, routines and needs we need to embrace a wider set of research methods. Under the umbrella heading of UX (User eXperience), these methods, such as participant observation, cognitive mapping, and cultural probes, help us gather detailed behavioural and attitudinal data which can be used to design far more relevant and innovative library services for our users.

Andy Priestner

Director, Andy Priestner Training & Consulting

Andy is a freelance trainer and consultant specialising in user experience, social media, leadership, and teambuilding, working with libraries (academic and public), universities and the private sector in the UK and mainland Europe. His interest and expertise in user experience led to his creation of the international UX in Libraries conference and his management of Cambridge University Library’s Futurelib programme which employs ethnography and human-centred design to explore and deliver innovative new services and products such as the hugely successful Spacefinder project. His book User Experience in Libraries will be published in Spring 2016. Andy was President of the European Business Schools Librarians Group (2014-15) and Chair of the UK’s Business Librarians Association (2006-10). He blogs as ‘Constructivist’ and tweets as @andytraining.