Post occupancy evaluation in an academic library
Using data to make the case for continuous improvement of facilities
Charles Forrest Director, Library Facilities
Emory University Atlanta, Georgia
Welcoming, flexible, & state-of-the-art
• Library users have choices They vote with their feet
• Inputs and outputs support outcomes Investment + activity = experience
• Once a generation capital investment? Responsive libraries require shorter cycle times
• Plan big, implement small Keep them coming with something new!
Continuous facilities improvement
• Measuring success The customer experience
• Five Phases The capital investment cycle
• The Emory experience Exit count, group study use, hours of operation
• Continuous facilities improvement Choices, investment, outcomes
Measuring Success
Inputs
Outputs
Outcomes
Budget, staff, volumes, subscriptions Circulation, questions answered, classes taught Student learning, faculty productivity, customer satisfaction
The Experience Economy
If you focus on the activities you execute, then you’re in the service business;
if you focus on the demonstrated outcome the customer achieves, then and only then are you in the transformation business.
B. Joseph Pine II, James H. Gilmore,
The Experience Economy: Work is Theatre & Every Business a Stage (Boston: Harvard Business School Press, 1999)
The Customer Experience
CUSTOMER LIBRARY
Measures
Mode Role Mode Role
Transaction Patron Control Gatekeeper Inputs
Service Customer Connect Assistant Outputs
Experience Guest Collaborate Partner Outcomes
Useful
Helpful
Memorable
Investments
Activities
What difference
did it make?
University outcome: Recruiting
Important facilities to see during my visit
1. Facilities in my major
2. Residence halls
3. Library
4. Classrooms
5. Technology facilities
Extremely or very important facilities in the selection decision
1. Facilities in my major
2. Library
3. Sophisticated technology
4. Classrooms
5. Residence halls
APPA Center for Facilities Research 2006
Continuous facilities improvement
• Measuring success The customer experience
• Five Phases The capital investment cycle
• The Emory experience Exit count, group study use, hours of operation
• Continuous facilities improvement Choices, investment, outcomes
Continuous facilities improvement
• Measuring success The customer experience
• Five Phases The capital investment cycle
• The Emory experience Exit count, group study use, hours of operation
• Continuous facilities improvement Choices, investment, outcomes
Five Phases
1. Vision Concept, idea, problem
2. Plan Assess needs, develop program, assess feasibility
3. Design Schematic, Development, Construction Documents
4. Implement Construct, renovate
5. Occupy Move in, celebrate, evaluate (Post Occupancy)
Post Occupancy Evaluation (POE)
Post Occupancy Evaluation (POE) involves systematic evaluation of opinion about buildings in use, from the perspective of the people who use them.
POE assesses how well buildings match users' needs, and identifies ways to improve building design, performance and fitness for purpose.
http://www.postoccupancyevaluation.com/default.shtml
Post Occupancy Evaluation (POE)
POE can be used for many purposes, including fine tuning new buildings, developing new facilities and managing 'problem' buildings. Organizations also find POE valuable when establishing maintenance, replacement, purchasing or supply policies; preparing for refurbishment; or selecting accommodation for purchase or rent.
http://www.postoccupancyevaluation.com/default.shtml
Post Occupancy Evaluation (POE)
POE differs significantly from conventional surveys and market research. POE uses the direct, unmediated experiences of building users as the basis for evaluating how a building works for its intended use.
http://www.postoccupancyevaluation.com/default.shtml
Post Occupancy Evaluation (POE)
'Building users' are all people with an interest in a building:
– Staff – Managers – Customers or clients – Visitors – Owners – Design and maintenance teams, – Particular interest groups such as the disabled
http://www.postoccupancyevaluation.com/default.shtml
Five Phases
1. Vision 2 – 3 years
2. Plan 2 – 3 years
3. Design 1 – 2 years
4. Implement 1 – 2 years
5. Occupy 1 year (warranty, budget close)
0 5 10
1. Vision
2. Plan
3. Design
4. Implement
Five phases can take ten years
5. Occupy
1. Vision
2. Plan
3. Design
4. Implement
Implement = 20% Occupy = 80%
5. Occupy 5. Occupy
0 5 10
Do something!
Major capital investment once every thirty years
Satisfactory Unsatisfactory
0 10 30
5. Occupy
20
1. Vision
2. Plan
3. Design
4. Implement
Satisfactory Unsatisfactory
5. Occupy 5. Occupy
0 10 30 20
Major capital investment once every thirty years
1. Vision
2. Plan
3. Design
4. Implement
Implement = 7% Occupy = 93%
Satisfactory Unsatisfactory
5. Occupy
0 10 30 20
5. Occupy
Implement Vision
Plan Design
Occupy
Evaluate
Measure
Learn
Occupancy is evaluation
Continuous facilities improvement
• Measuring success The customer experience
• Five Phases The capital investment cycle
• The Emory experience Exit count, group study use, hours of operation
• Continuous facilities improvement Choices, investment, outcomes
Continuous facilities improvement
• Measuring success The customer experience
• Five Phases The capital investment cycle
• The Emory experience Exit count, group study use, hours of operation
• Continuous facilities improvement Choices, investment, outcomes
• Established 1836 • Private university • Enrollment 14,000
– 7,500 Undergraduate – 6,500 Graduate and Professional
• Business, Law, Medicine, Nursing, Public Health, Theology • Emory Healthcare Hospital and Clinic • Staff 23,000
– 12,000 University faculty and staff – 11,000 Emory Healthcare
Emory University
• 3.7M volumes – Business – Chemistry – Health and Life Sciences – Law – Math and Science – Music and Media – Theology
• Main Library – 1926 Candler Library – 1955 Candler renovated – 1969 Woodruff Library – 1998 Woodruff renovated
1915 Emory University
chartered in Atlanta
1926 Asa G. Candler Library first main library open
1955 Asa G. Candler Library
renovated
2003 Asa G. Candler Library
renovated
1997 Robert W. Woodruff Library
addition and renovation
Emory Main Library in the 20th century
1900 1950 2000
1969 Robert W. Woodruff Library
new main Library open
1915 Emory University
chartered in Atlanta
1926 Asa G. Candler Library first main library open
1955 Asa G. Candler Library
renovated
2003 Asa G. Candler Library
renovated
1997 Robert W. Woodruff Library
addition and renovation
Emory Main Library in the 20th century
1900 1950 2000
1969 Robert W. Woodruff Library
new main Library open
Facility use: What does the data tell us?
• Facilities improvements – Exit count – Group study use
• Facilities operations – Library schedule
Exit Count Woodruff Library
0
100,000
200,000
300,000
400,000
500,000
600,000
700,000
800,000
900,000
1,000,000
89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11
Woodruff Library exit count has increased in response to facilities improvements over the last 20+ years
0
100,000
200,000
300,000
400,000
500,000
600,000
700,000
800,000
900,000
1,000,000
89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11
Woodruff Library 1969 opened
0
100,000
200,000
300,000
400,000
500,000
600,000
700,000
800,000
900,000
1,000,000
89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11
1926 1955
1969
Center for Library and Information Resources 1997 opened (80% increase)
0
100,000
200,000
300,000
400,000
500,000
600,000
700,000
800,000
900,000
1,000,000
89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11
1926 1955
1969 1997
Candler Library renovation Renovated 2003 (exit count began to decline)
0
100,000
200,000
300,000
400,000
500,000
600,000
700,000
800,000
900,000
1,000,000
89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11
1926 1955 2003
1969 1997 2001
Jazzman’s on Level 1 2005 opened (exit count increased)
0
100,000
200,000
300,000
400,000
500,000
600,000
700,000
800,000
900,000
1,000,000
89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11
Beginning of Stack Tower floor-by-floor renovation Level 4 (2004), Level 5 (2007)
0
100,000
200,000
300,000
400,000
500,000
600,000
700,000
800,000
900,000
1,000,000
89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11
Beginning of Stack Tower floor-by-floor renovation Level 4 (2004), Level 5 (2007)
0
100,000
200,000
300,000
400,000
500,000
600,000
700,000
800,000
900,000
1,000,000
89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11
Group studies added to Stack Tower renovation Level 6 (2008)
0
100,000
200,000
300,000
400,000
500,000
600,000
700,000
800,000
900,000
1,000,000
89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11
Group studies added to Stack Tower renovation Level 7 (2009)
0
100,000
200,000
300,000
400,000
500,000
600,000
700,000
800,000
900,000
1,000,000
89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11
Library Service Desk on Level 2 Opens 2010
0
100,000
200,000
300,000
400,000
500,000
600,000
700,000
800,000
900,000
1,000,000
89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11
Business Library renovation, Research Commons opens 2011
0
100,000
200,000
300,000
400,000
500,000
600,000
700,000
800,000
900,000
1,000,000
89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11
Business Library renovation, Research Commons opens 2011
0
100,000
200,000
300,000
400,000
500,000
600,000
700,000
800,000
900,000
1,000,000
89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11
Exit Count Woodruff Library
0
100,000
200,000
300,000
400,000
500,000
600,000
700,000
800,000
900,000
1,000,000
89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11
Facility use: What does the data tell us?
• Facilities improvements – Exit count – Group study use
• Facilities operations – Library schedule
Facility use: What does the data tell us?
• Facilities improvements – Exit count – Group study use
• Facilities operations – Library schedule
Group studies
0 100 200 300 400
215
656
756
765
664
764
665
213
Room 656 offered a low-height table with cushions Inspired by the University’s Cox Hall Computing Center
0 100 200 300 400
215
656
756
765
664
764
665
213
The unconventional furnishings were replaced with a standard table and chairs
0 100 200 300 400
215
656
756
765
664
764
665
213
Use of the rooms increased from spring 2011 to fall 2011
(100)
(80)
(60)
(40)
(20)
0
20
40
60
80
656 756 664 215 773 874 665 765 764 213
But there was a surprising decrease in 764 and especially 213
0 100 200 300 400
215
656
756
765
664
764
665
213
Remember that 213 was the most heavily used room; 764 was tied for second place
0 100 200 300 400
215
656
756
765
664
764
665
213
Use shifted away from these rooms Why?
0 100 200 300 400
215
656
756
765
664
764
665
213
Installed new technology, table and chairs in 213
0 100 200 300 400
215
656
756
765
664
764
665
213
Installed tables and chairs in 764
Group study 656
Group study 756
Group study 764
Facility use: What does the data tell us?
• Facilities improvements – Exit count – Group study use
• Facilities operations – Library schedule
Facility use: What does the data tell us?
• Facilities improvements – Exit count – Group study use
• Facilities operations – Library schedule
Library schedule
Student Government Association and College Council
• Spring 2011: Please extend hours of operation • SGA/CC: “Emory is the only top twenty library in
the country that doesn’t offer twenty-four hour access seven days a week.”
• Emory Library: “Demand has never justified extending the library’s hours of operation.”
0.0 24.0 48.0 72.0 96.0 120.0 144.0 168.0
MIT
Yale
Princeton
Northwestern
U Notre Dame
Duke
EMORY
Cornell
Harvard
Rice
Vanderbilt
U of Chicago
U of Penn
Columbia
Cal Tech
Stanford
Dartmouth
Johns Hopkins
Wash U St Louis
Brown
Only one third of the top twenty US academic libraries offer 24 X 7 service somewhere in their library system
Student Government Association and College Council
• Spring 2011: Please extend hours of operation • SGA/CC: “Emory is the only top twenty library in
the country that doesn’t offer twenty-four hour access seven days a week.”
• Emory Library: “Demand has never justified extending the library’s hours of operation.”
Head count is steady until midnight then falls off by 02:00 am
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00 0:00 1:00 2:00 3:00 4:00 5:00 6:00 7:00
Head
cou
nt
1-Apr-11
2-Apr-11
8-Apr-11
9-Apr-11
15-Apr-11
16-Apr-11
22-Apr-11
23-Apr-11
29-Apr-11
30-Apr-11
Midnight
02:00 am
20:00 pm
0.0 24.0 48.0 72.0 96.0 120.0 144.0 168.0
MIT
Yale
Princeton
Northwestern
U Notre Dame
Duke
EMORY
Cornell
Harvard
Rice
Vanderbilt
U of Chicago
U of Penn
Columbia
Cal Tech
Stanford
Dartmouth
Johns Hopkins
Wash U St Louis
Brown
Library agreed to change Friday and Saturday closing time from 20:00 hours (8:00pm) to midnight
By adding 8 additional hours per week Emory moved up higher in the second tier
0.0 24.0 48.0 72.0 96.0 120.0 144.0 168.0
MIT
Yale
Princeton
Northwestern
U Notre Dame
Duke
Cornell
Harvard
Rice
Vanderbilt
EMORY
U of Chicago
U of Penn
Columbia
Cal Tech
Stanford
Dartmouth
Johns Hopkins
Wash U St Louis
Brown
Student Government Association and College Council
• Spring 2011: Please extend hours of operation • SGA/CC: “Emory is the only top twenty library in
the country that doesn’t offer twenty-four hour access seven days a week.”
• Emory Library: “Demand has never justified extending the library’s hours of operation.”
• Test all assumptions—especially your own!
Continuous facilities improvement
• Measuring success The customer experience
• Five Phases The capital investment cycle
• The Emory experience Exit count, group study use, hours of operation
• Continuous facilities improvement Choices, investment, outcomes
Continuous facilities improvement
• Measuring success The customer experience
• Five Phases The capital investment cycle
• The Emory experience Exit count, group study use, hours of operation
• Continuous facilities improvement Choices, investment, outcomes
Welcoming, flexible, state-of-the-art
• Library users have choices They vote with their feet
• Inputs and outputs support outcomes Investment + activity = experience
• Once a generation capital investment? Responsive libraries require shorter cycle times
• Plan big, implement small Keep them coming with something new!
Post occupancy evaluation in an academic library
Using data to make the case for continuous improvement of facilities
Charles Forrest Director, Library Facilities
Emory University Atlanta, Georgia
Post occupancy evaluation in an academic library
Using data to make the case for continuous improvement of facilities
Charles Forrest Director, Library Facilities
Emory University Atlanta, Georgia