2. Overview User Behavior and Needs Unified Discovery: Primo @ Notre Dame
Why Focus Groups?
Process and Results
Lessons Learned
Summary & Questions

3. How Users Search User Behavior Norms
Most people make typos at least some of the time
Most searches are 2, 3, 4 words with no Boolean operators
Most searches use keyword
Search is hesitant, iterative, often random process of discovery
Most people start elsewhere
Few read help screens
Few use advanced search – this is true even in Google

4. Meet the User in Their Space
Few users start at the Library
Extend your data to where they are
Extend your services to where they are
Facebook?
InsideND: University portal
Browser integration/widgets/toolbars

5. Multiplicity of Systems & Interfaces
Content Silos
Science -Direct
Web of Science
JSTOR
ETDs
EEBO
Catalog
ILL
Website
Meta- search
eReserve
System Silos

6. Connecting Users with Content
2008
Unified
Resource
Discovery
2001
Citation
Linking
2003
Federated
Search
1998
Catalog

7. Phased Plan Primo Content Phased Rollout Deep Search Adapter MALC LAW
Phase I
Phase II
Phase III
Latino
Studies
A&I
Others
CRL
MALC
Archives
Fulltext
MBooks
IUSB
LAW
WorldCat
Deep
Search
Adapter
Primo

8. Characteristics of Next Generation Search
Enhanced Search Functionality
Faceted browse
Relevance ranking
Did you mean / Spell Checking auto-correction, resubmit search
De-silo-ization
Integrating search for books, articles, etc.
Single, Simple Search Box
FRBR – functional requirements for bibliographic records, grouping editions

9. Characteristics of Next Generation Search
Enhanced Experience
Sometimes fun and engaging
Interactive/Collaborative
User centered design
Enhanced Services
Find it / Get it for me
Book Covers / Synopsis
Full text
Availability on same page as results

10. Characteristics of Next Generation Search
Enhanced Content
Article Searching
Commercial Data
Merging Special Collections
Harvesting Online Collections
Grey Literature
Free Content
Enhanced Access
Syndication - Getting into users tools
Course Management Systems
Browser and Desktop Tool Bars
Portals

11. Primo Project Goal To identify users’ preferences: Contents Features
Services

12. What is a Focus Group?
A “carefully planned discussion designed to obtain perceptions in a defined area of interest in a permissive, non- threatening environment.”
Krueger, R. (1988). Focus Groups: A Practical Guide for Applied Research. Newbury Park, Calif.: Sage Publications.

13. Strength of Focus Groups
It can be used at any point in a research project to:
Obtain general background info
Generate impressions
Generate research hypothesis
Diagnose the potential for problems

14. Focus Groups vs. Surveys
Qualitative Data
Quantitative Data
User-Focused
Researcher-Focused

15. How we did it Developed a standardized script
Identified essential elements of conducting focus groups
Conducted a trial run with library students as participants

16. Who were involved?
A committee involving members of different departments:
Library Systems
Digital Access & Information Architecture
Electronic Resources & Serials Access
Law Library Technical Staff
St. Mary, Holy Cross & Bethel Librarians

17. 12 Focus Groups Colleges Undergrads Grads Faculty UND 2 3* SMC 1 n/a2*
HCC 1* BC
Law
* Includes one Library Faculty and Staff Training Session each

18. Essential Elements of F.G.
A homogeneous group of participants
5 to 10 participants in a group
A non-threatening environment for open & honest discussions
Open-ended questions
Neutral feedback
A Moderator, a Recorder & a Flipchart

19. Components of our Script
KEY
Questions
WARM UP
Questions
WRAP UP
Questions

21. Challenging & time-consuming
Lessons Learned
Challenging & time-consuming
Crafting standardized Script involved research (how best to conduct focus group studies)
Soliciting volunteers for the one hour discussion
Guiding participants’ discussions
Ensuring accuracy in data gathering
Analyzing the data, opinions & suggestions

22. The Payoffs: We were able to identify:
What kinds of contents users expect to find
Which features they prefer in a library finding tool
Where users’ want access to this enhanced finding tool (Facebook..??)
What users find confusing or unsatisfactory about their library experience (a bonus)

23. A Pleasant Surprise Warm-Up & Wrap-Up questions
were indispensible. They:
Set the stage for open & honest discussions
Gave us an opportunity to find out what users like & dislike about our current offerings
Gave users an opportunity to offer us their opinions & suggestions

24. Some unexpected comments
Need more scanners
Cloudiness – how to best use library website
Need to digitize older engineering print journals
Make Inter-Library Loan faster

26. Thank You – Any Questions?