Adjusting the Spiel and the Patter: Assessing Technology Needs to Improve Patron Experience

Adjusting the Spiel and the Patter: Assessing Technology Needs to Improve Patron Experience

Is there a better way to approach patrons with technology issues? How can we change our patter to more effectively communicate with people with varying levels of experience and comfort with technology? These questions spurred us to look at how digital divide issues such as education, race, income level, etc. can predict levels of need, and how these variables can influence the perception of user interfaces and hardware. Our research eventually led to the creation of a technology need interview conducted on a diverse group of library users. The results of the interview informed the creation of user personas to guide help desk interactions, interface, and infrastructure recommendations. Join us for a lively presentation where we will demonstrate and discuss some of the basic perceptual differences affecting user experience. Discover how to conduct an assessment of your library patrons to devise user personas for technology help and encourage evidence-based decision-making in your library.