Know thy users: User research techniques to build empathy and improve decision-making

Abstract

At the 2012 Computers in Libraries conference I was fortunate to attend a presentation by Amanda Etches where she outlined, in concise but comprehensive form, many methods of user research. The presentation struck me as something every librarian, no matter what department they work in, should be aware of. Sure, we've heard of usability testing, we've conducted a few surveys, but what do we really know of numerous methodologies for collecting data directly from the people who matter most? I hope that this column will enlighten readers as it surveys the field and offers specific examples of how libraries benefit from user research. © 2013 American Library Association.