Mobile Matters

2010 LACASIST Spring WorkshopMay 21, 2010

Claremont Colleges

Creating Amazing User Experiences

Grace Lau

• Information Architect with Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Online, 3 years

• UCLA, MLIS 2007• Online 24/7

John Khuu

• Information Architect also with Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Online, 2 yearso Also Website Content

Manager with the Civil Rights Project at UCLA

• UCLA, MLIS 2008• Offline between: 2-8am

Goals

• Build a shared understanding and vocabulary about mobile computing

• Leave the room knowing mobile trends and best practices

• Understand mobile users and user needs

We've come a long way...

Photo credit: turkeychick (Flickr)

Why Mobile?

How do you use mobile?

• Time-sensitive• Location-awarenes• Reminders• Information consumption / entertainment• Information sharing • Socializing

What do you mobilize?

• Think about your services and products

• Focus on your users and the user needs

• Don't mobilize everything

Know your users

Mobile Sites vs. Mobile Apps

Some fundamental differences:• Simple Web browser (single platform) vs. Device-

centric (multiple platforms)

• Capabilities of application (task): Serving information vs. manipulating information

• Other differences: Costs, setup and deployment time, support required

Benchmarking

Standard Mobile Library Features Set

• Address & phone numbers• Library hours• Library floor plans

• Catalog search• Ask a Librarian• ILS integration• Reading lists

• Calendar / Events• Blogs, Twitter, Facebook• Additional information

UCSF Library Mobile

http://m.ucsf.edu/library/

UPenn Library Mobile

http://www.library.upenn.edu/m/

NCSU Libraries Mobile

Mobile app: http://www.hcplonline.info/hcplmobile/

Harford County PL Mobile Site & App

Mobile site: http://m.hcplonline.info

ShelfLister - Mobile App

iPhone app Android app

Mobile Best Practices

Brand Experience

Brand Experience

Prominent Search Field

Prominent Search Field

Detail Layout

Detail Layout

Catalog Search

Catalog Search

Catalog Search

Let's Get to Work

Pragmatic Personas

User Stories

Stories are a:

• User’s need• Product description• Planning item• Token for a conversation• Mechanism for deferring

conversation

Mobility isn't isolation. It doesn't take a user away from the library. 

As an omnipresent space, mobile can empower patrons to find what matters most wherever they are.

Next Steps

• User research• Establish metrics for success• Design / wireframe / discuss• Build prototype• Usability testing

Questions?

Grace [email protected] (24/7)

John [email protected] (only between 8-2am, please) 

Resources

Listings of Mobile Library Sites:• http://sites.google.com/site/amillerpresentations/mobile-trends-and-social-r

eference/mobile-websites• http://www.libsuccess.org/index.php?title=M-Libraries

Phone SimulatorsiPhone: http://www.testiphone.comBlackberry: http://na.blackberry.com/eng/developers/resources/simulators.jsp

Mobile Web Development:http://www.relegant.com/mobile-web/

Agile Product Design:http://www.agileproductdesign.com/

Further Readings

Mobile Libraries

Mobile Technologies, Mobile Users: Implications for Academic Libraries (from ARL):http://www.arl.org/bm~doc/arl-br-261-mobile.pdf

Musings about librarianship - Survey of mobile-friendly library sites: http://musingsaboutlibrarianship.blogspot.com/2010/04/comparison-of-40-mobile-library-sites.html

NCSU Libraries - articles and presentations: http://www.lib.ncsu.edu/dli/projects/librariesmobile

Simmons College Library - articles and presentations:http://web.simmons.edu/~fox/pda/

State of the Internet 2009: Pew Internet Project Findings and Implications for Libraries:http://www.pewinternet.org/Presentations/2009/36--State-of-the-Internet-2009--Pew-Internet-Project-Findings-and-Implications-for-Libraries.aspx