James Andrews Knowledge and Information Manager
Stroke Association
November 2013
User engagement: walking the tightrope
Setting the scene
Project vision
Core deliverables
User engagement
Product development
Active use
The balancing act…
Organisational priorities
Local priorities
Reporting
Mobility
Process improvement
Cost
Collaboration
Legal
Principles for successful user engagement
Relationships and trust
Stakeholder mapping
• Stakeholder map
• Power/influence matrix
Requirement gathering
• Interviews: info used/generated? Processes? Legal compliance? Current issues? What works? What doesn’t?
• Analysis of existing structures and processes
Prototype
• Map findings against core deliverables
• Translate requirements into practical design
Revisit, revise, finalise
• Sense-check design with key stakeholders
• Tweak as appropriate
Content migration
• Stakeholders identify current working documentation
• Content migrated to new system
User training
• Face to face training; Online via WebEx; Quick cards
Go live
• Stakeholders start working in new system; old system made read only
• Project team and local advocates support users during initial adoption
Introduce the project and ask the right questions
Introduce core aims of the project
Content and process questions
Legal and security questions
What works well and what doesn’t?
Frustrations and issues with current ways of working?
Beware the “IT Project” fallacy
IT Project
One size DOESN’T fit all
• Wide variety of requirements from different teams
• Variations within departments
• Regional variations
• Differing team and individual preferences
Flexible, negotiable boundaries within agreed project goals
Local needs
Space to use available tools to solve problems
Project boundaries: broad enough
User engagement: who should do it?
Library and information professionals
Inquisitive
People skills
Tech savvy
Reference interview
In conclusion
• Balance between organisational and group/individual needs…
• … essential to ensure user adoption and embed change
• Strong relationships are vital
• Ask the right questions… [What’s in it for me?!]
• Beware the “IT project” fallacy
• One size doesn’t fit all
• Flexible boundaries = better solutions
• LIS professionals have ideal skills for user engagement
Questions