UNIVERSITY LIBRARY SYSTEM, UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH OCTOBER – NOVEMBER 2011 FUTURE SEARCH ORIENTATION

FUTURE SEARCH CONFERENCE OBJECTIVES Highly interactive, collaborative approach Gather information from all in short period of time Identify strategic actions that, if taken, will make greatest positive difference Develop and reveal common ground and shared commitment

AGENDA FOR FUTURE SEARCH CONFERENCE Arrival Welcome and introduction (Karen) “Future Search” Interviews Individuals Identify Themes Break and Social Time Groups Analyze Data and Prepare Action Proposals Group Reporters Prepare to Report Out Reporters Present Themes and Action Proposals Discussion, Wrap Up, Pick Up a Box Lunch

FUTURE SEARCH Structured interviews Six questions One of the questions is assigned to you; you will interview 6 people on this question You need to take notes on the answers to your assigned question! You will be interviewed on all questions (including the one assigned to you)

STEP ONE: INTERVIEWING AND BEING INTERVIEWED ONE OF THE QUESTIONS IS ASSIGNED TO YOU; YOU WILL INTERVIEW 6 PEOPLE ON THIS QUESTION YOU NEED TO TAKE NOTES ON THE ANSWERS TO YOUR ASSIGNED QUESTION!

SIX INTERVIEW QUESTIONS 1.Looking three years into the future, what would you want our users to be saying about user services in the ULS? 2.What would you say are the major strengths of current ULS user services? What recent accomplishments or aspects of our user services are you most proud of? 3.What would you say are the major threats, limitations or internal barriers facing ULS user services? What aspects of ULS user services need to be improved? 4.What are some of the most important new opportunities for ULS user services over the next three years? 5.What strategies, objectives, projects, programs, or new initiatives related to user services should the ULS pursue over the next three years? 6. What are some of the skills and competencies related to evolving user services that ULS staff will need to develop further in the coming 2 or 3 years? Which of these skills and competencies will be most important to our continued success?

ROOM SET UP DIAGRAM: ASSUMING 36 PARTICIPANTS Q2 Q1 Q3 Q4 Q5 Q6 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q5 Q6 Q1 Q2 Q1 Q3 Q4 Q5 Q6 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q5 Q6 Q1 Q2 Q1 Q3 Q4 Q5 Q6 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q5 Q6 Q1 ROW 1ROW 2ROW 3

STEP TWO: SIT DOWN BY YOURSELF TO THINK

TAKE A BREAK!

STEP THREE: WORK IN GROUPS ONE OF THE QUESTIONS IS ASSIGNED TO YOU; YOUR GROUP = THE REST OF THE PEOPLE WHO “OWNED” THE SAME QUESTION

YOUR QUESTION / YOUR GROUP Q1Q2Q3Q4Q5Q6 Participant Participant Participant Participant Participant Participant

STEP FOUR: REPORTING OUT 1.YOUR ANALYSIS OF YOUR INTERVIEW DATA. 2.YOUR ACTION PROPOSALS. 3. PLEASE WRITE THEM LEGIBLY ON FLIP CHARTS!