1. Charting Your Course Eric Stroshane NDSL Spring Workshop April 11, 2016 estroshane@nd.govestroshane@nd.gov @ericstroshane

2. Acknowledgements This presentation is adapted from several different sessions presented at the 2015 Research Institute for Public Libraries (RIPL) conference in Colorado Springs. It is particularly indebted to: “Creating A Data Roadmap,” prepared and presented by Nicolle Steffen, Keith Curry Lance, Rochelle Logan, and Zeth Lietzau and to Linda Hofschire’s presentation “Data Visualization for the Rest of Us: A Beginner’s Guide.”

3. Welcome… …to ninety (90!) breathtaking minutes listening to a nincompoop blather about statistics. Know in your heart of hearts that it is not too late to run away.

4. http://www.pewinternet.org/2015/09/15/libraries-at-the-crossroads/

5. Data-Driven Decision Making What is it? – Making operational determinations based on reasonable interpretations of usage, trends, and ROI Why should we bother? – To ensure what you do is an appropriate use of resources – To communicate decisions in a defensible, comprehensible, and repeatable manner How do we go about it? – Baking assessment into operations – Reviewing and assembling pertinent data

6. Defining Our Metrics Input – Costs, material, time, labor, space, marketing, etc. Inputs also include grant money, donations, and volunteer work

7. Defining Our Metrics Output – Immediately measurable quantitative data Program registration/attendance, circulation, database usage What we talk about when we talk about statistics

8. Defining Our Metrics Outcome – Qualitative or quantitative measures of a service’s true impact Generally not immediately available Often has an anecdotal component

9. The Arrow of Assessment 9 InputsActivityOutputsOutcomes

10. Telling the Whole Story Why are each of these data elements important? How do they relate? What comes to light when you consider them together?

11. Library ALibrary CLibrary B

12. Library A 100% of participating children increased or maintained reading skills 85% of participating children increased or maintained reading skills Library CLibrary B

13. 100% of participating children increased or maintained reading skills 85% of participating children increased or maintained reading skills 25 children participated 100 children participated 50 children participated Library ALibrary CLibrary B

14. 100% of participating children increased or maintained reading skills 85% of participating children increased or maintained reading skills 25 children participated 100 children participated 50 children participated $5,000 $10,000 $2,500 Library ALibrary CLibrary B

15. 100% of participating children increased or maintained reading skills 85% of participating children increased or maintained reading skills 25 children participated 100 children participated 50 children participated $5,000 $10,000 $2,500 $200/child $100/child $50/child Library ALibrary CLibrary B

16. A Fresh Look at Old Stats Circulation Circulation per item Return on investment (material cost x circs) Turnaround time/checkout percentage

17. Example: NDSL Kit Circulation

18. Assessment Milestone 1: Define Success Measures Inputs: Outputs: Outcomes:

19. Assessment Milestone 2: Identify Data Needs Planning Managing Reporting Communicating

20. Assessment Milestone 3: Data Crosswalk Inventory existing data Identify overlaps & gaps Identify new data needed Assess needs vs. wants

21. 3.5 Existing Data Your Public Library Annual Report (if a P.L.) Your Automation System (if automated) Census Demographics and the Census Business Builder: Small Business Edition: https://cbb.census.gov/sbe/ https://cbb.census.gov/sbe/ Expanding Minds and Opportunities: http://www.expandinglearning.org/expanding minds/ http://www.expandinglearning.org/expanding minds/ Others?

22. 3.5 Data Needs Needed data… …and how to acquire it

23. Assessment Milestone 4: Talk About Data Stakeholders Share external requirements Listen to needs & concerns

24. Handling Data in Excel/Google Sheets Data is great! But numbers often need some TLC 2 + 2 =LOVE

25. Practicing the Mathemagical Arts A Brief Demonstration of the Most Useful Things I’ve Learned About Spreadsheets Over the Years (and those I’m most often asked how to do)

26. Numbers Are Not Enough We can no longer rely on outputs alone Find the story you need to tell – Qualitative outcome assessment – Data synthesis Support your story with data, but don’t bog it down Now tell it! We’re librarians—we get stories!

27. Stories are how numbers talk to people. -Thomas Davenport Numbers have an important story to tell. They rely on you to give them a clear and convincing voice. ―Stephen Few

28. Data Visualization Why even bother?

29. By visualizing information, we turn it into a landscape that you can explore with your eyes, a sort of information map. And when you’re lost in information, an information map is kind of useful. ―David McCandless

30. From @factbot1,April 9, 2016, 4:03 p.m.: https://twitter.com/factbot1/status/718937291750842368

31. Reasons to Visualize When done well, visualizations make data more… – Digestible – Memorable – Convincing

32. But It Can Go Pants Up However, it is possible to visually arrange data such that it is… – Incomprehensible – Confusing – Offensively hideous

33. Rule 1: Avoid Silly Charts

34. Rule 2: Choose Charts that Suit Your Story

35. Rule 3: Put Numbers in Context

36. Rule 4: Establish a Focal Point From the great Junk Charts, http://junkcharts.typepad.com/http://junkcharts.typepad.com/

37. Rule 5: Don’t Make People Work Too Hard To Find Information

38. Rule 6: Tell Me Something I Don’t Know From @ChappellTracker: https://twitter.com/ChappellTracker/status/719314783858765824https://twitter.com/ChappellTracker/status/719314783858765824

39. Data Visualization Continuum Excel Charts in Reports Everything in Between Infographics with a Panoply of Visual Elements

40. To Recap Assess everything you do Get the data you need Tell your story well Use pretty pictures

41. Any Questions?