View
216
Download
1
Category
Tags:
Preview:
Citation preview
SLA PNW Regional Conference October 2006
D. L. Cohen Information Services www.dcoheninfo.com
Special Libraries AssociationNorthwest Regional ConferenceOctober 6-7, 2006
Donna L. Cohen, M.L.I.S., M.Ed.D. L. Cohen Information Services
Portland, Oregon
Before You Start – Conducting an Information Needs Assessment as a
Foundation for CM, Website, Intranet and Other High-Level Projects
SLA PNW Regional Conference October 2006
D. L. Cohen Information Services www.dcoheninfo.com
A “Needs Assessment” is a process for establishing needs, gaps and opportunities
before project planning and beyond.
“Let’s start at the very beginningA very good place to start…” [‘Do-Re-Mi’, from Sound of Music]
“A Rose by Any Other Word…”
Shakespeare
Whether we are aware of it or not,
we have all been doing this for eons.
SLA PNW Regional Conference October 2006
D. L. Cohen Information Services www.dcoheninfo.com
And beyond…
Initial Needs Assessment
Continue as is / Modify / Terminate Implement
Decide / Plan
Evaluate [Formative] / Assess
Establish need for a major service or product [or a
change in an existing service]
Establish components of the service
►Save time or money ►Eliminate redundancy ►Expand perspective or add dimension►Generate new ideas or insight ►Confirm details or facts ►Increase confidence in decision making►Obtain more budget dollars / funding
Conducting User Surveys: An Ongoing Information Imperative by George R. Plosker . Online Magazine, Sept/Oct 2002.
SLA PNW Regional Conference October 2006
D. L. Cohen Information Services www.dcoheninfo.com
OutputsTraditional – What we have done / services providedE.g. materials purchased, programs offered, website created, training sessions conductedOutcomesHow users have changed: knowledge, attitudes, behaviorE.g. # materials circulated, increased satisfaction with library, website is used, increased use of electronic databases, increased skill in finding information
Assessment and Planning
SLA PNW Regional Conference October 2006
D. L. Cohen Information Services www.dcoheninfo.com
Outcomes– Simple Logic Model
5 hours per week staff time allocation / Assistance from graphics and marketing departments
Send project leaders a two-page ROI doc monthly
Library Staff will be invited to attend project meetings
Within 6 months library staff will have attended 6 project meetings
Goal: Increase Library Staff Participation in Company Project
Workgroups
Resources / Inputs
Activities
Outcomes
Criteria
Goal: Increase Library Staff Participation in Company Project
Workgroups
Influencers
Politics
Culture
Size / Scale
Who will conduct the assessment?
Internal
Outsourced
SLA PNW Regional Conference October 2006
D. L. Cohen Information Services www.dcoheninfo.com
Assessment Tools / Methods
► Surveys► In-depth interviews► Focus groups► Brainstorming
sessions► Inventories
SLA PNW Regional Conference October 2006
D. L. Cohen Information Services www.dcoheninfo.com
Assessment Tools / Logistics
Every method has logistical issues of some type. E.g.:
► “Preparation” of participants► Invitations► Scheduling► Locations► Equipment► Food?
SLA PNW Regional Conference October 2006
D. L. Cohen Information Services www.dcoheninfo.com
The Needs Assessment
SLA PNW Regional Conference October 2006
D. L. Cohen Information Services www.dcoheninfo.com
Questions: Some ConsiderationsA Scratch on the Surface
► Directly relevant to the goals of the assessment
► Not be “leading”► Easy to understand► If necessary, ask personal
questions at the end
PRE-TEST!!
[Consider it usability testing.]
A GOOD QUESTION SET IS HARD TO CREATE.
SLA PNW Regional Conference October 2006
D. L. Cohen Information Services www.dcoheninfo.com
Questions: Some Considerations
► Force specific answers, e.g.: How many times in the past year have you used Factiva?
versus
In the past year I have used Factiva:0-4 times5-10 times11-25 timesmore than 25 times
[notice: exhaustive and mutually exclusive categories]
► Allow for “Not Applicable”, “Do Not Know” and “Other” choices, as appropriate
SLA PNW Regional Conference October 2006
D. L. Cohen Information Services www.dcoheninfo.com
Assessment Tool: Surveys PaperOnlineEmail
Difficult to probe, clarify, etc.Difficult to create a good question set
ConvenientUseful for quantitative data Allows many individuals to be
involved
Some pros and cons
SLA PNW Regional Conference October 2006
D. L. Cohen Information Services www.dcoheninfo.com
Assessment Tool: In-depth Interviews
Complex interviewer skillsTime-consumingScheduling can be difficultData analysis is more difficult
Probe for deep and complex dataPresent new ideas Build relationships
Some pros and cons
SLA PNW Regional Conference October 2006
D. L. Cohen Information Services www.dcoheninfo.com
Assessment Tool: Focus Groups
Complex facilitation skillsComments avoided because of social contextLogistics are more complicatedWill need to record or have assistant(s)
Probe for deep and complex dataSynergy encourages new ideasBuild relationships among participants
Some pros and cons
SLA PNW Regional Conference October 2006
D. L. Cohen Information Services www.dcoheninfo.com
Assessment Tool: Brainstorming
Must have folks who will speak upScheduling can be difficult
Facilitator skills less complex (although skills still needed)
Encourages new ideas
Some pros and cons
SLA PNW Regional Conference October 2006
D. L. Cohen Information Services www.dcoheninfo.com
Assessment Tool: Inventories
DocumentsProducts and ServicesTechnical capabilities
Time-consumingNeed cooperation from everyone
Straightforward Main skills are social and organizational
Some pros and cons
SLA PNW Regional Conference October 2006
D. L. Cohen Information Services www.dcoheninfo.com
Let’s Look at the Question and Data Analysis Handout
SLA PNW Regional Conference October 2006
D. L. Cohen Information Services www.dcoheninfo.com
Interview Data Analysis Example
SLA PNW Regional Conference October 2006
D. L. Cohen Information Services www.dcoheninfo.com
Presentation of Results
Is the medium the message?
SLA PNW Regional Conference October 2006
D. L. Cohen Information Services www.dcoheninfo.com
A successful Needs Assessment is one:
► Which has marketed the results before the fact!
► Upon which decisions are made!
► Whose recommendations are implemented!
► Which contributes to continued assessment and evaluation activities.
Perspectives on Outcomes Based Evaluation for Libraries and Museumshttp://www.imls.gov/pdf/pubobe.pdfIMLSLSTAW. K. Kellogg Foundation Evaluation Handbook-Search title phrase on Google. The URL is very long…..
Recommended