Toa bettera understanda howa thea librarians,a goa abouta theira dailya livesa Ia woulda firsta likea toa
observea them.a Nota ina aa Nationala Geographic,a typea ofa way,a buta Ia woulda likea toa shadowa aa
librariana toa seea whata sectionsa shea usesa thea mosta anda howa easya ita isa fora hera toa finda exactlya
whata they’rea lookinga for.a Secondly,a I’da likea toa interviewa thea librariansa onea bya one,a becausea
eacha answera ina unique.a I’ma nota aa fana ofa groupa interviewsa becausea peoplea usuallya tenda toa geta
shya abouta whata theya finda difficult.a Lastly,a I’da likea toa senda questionnairesa toa thea librarians,a soa
thata theya coulda doa ita ina theira owna timea anda anonymously.a Havinga anonymousa answersa hasa
itsa perksa becausea peoplea usuallya tenda toa bea blunter.a I’da recorda thea librariansa answersa usinga
usera storiesa anda usea cases.a Whena usinga usera storiesa Ia woulda createa twoa worda documents.a
Onea documenta willa containa positivea storiesa anda thea othera woulda statea thea negativea stories.a
Thisa willa helpa definea whata needsa toa bea workeda ona first.a Whena usinga Usea cases,a Ia woulda
prefera toa doa thema ona ana excela sheet.a Ia woulda doa thea samea thinga fora excela sheetsa whena ita
comesa toa dividinga thema betweena negativea ora positive.a Thea onlya differencea woulda bea thata ina
thea extensionsa parta ofa thea usea case,a Ia woulda includea mya observationsa ofa howa Ia seea thea
librariana goinga abouta thata specifica topic.a Onea ona onea interviewsa witha eacha librariana woulda
bea aa gooda onea toa usea fora this.a Therea area probablya fewa librariansa ona staffa fora thisa sizea ofa aa
librarya anda gettinga witha eacha onea toa finda outa whata functionalitya thea programa woulda needa
anda whata typea ofa automationa woulda bea neededa sucha asa automaticallya trackinga thea persona
checkinga outa thea book,a howa longa theya havea hada it,a e-maila remindersa fora overduea booksa etc.a
Thisa informationa coulda alsoa bea obtaineda witha brainstorming,a ora aa focusa groupa compriseda ofa
thea librariansa toa discussa thea programsa neededa functions.a Duringa thea interviewa Ia woulda writea
usera storiesa layinga outa whata thea individuala persona woulda wanta froma thea systema beinga
developed.a Thisa woulda bea quicka notesa abouta whata functionsa theya area lookinga fora ina thea
systema anda whata theya woulda wanta toa seea thea systema doa fora them.a Thesea coulda bea useda
duringa testinga toa seea ifa thea functionalitya thea usera wantsa isa workinga asa theya outlined.a Anothera
waya toa recorda ita woulda bea asa aa usea case.a Explaininga howa theya woulda wanta thea systema toa nota
justa tracka whena thea booka wasa checkeda outa anda backa in,a buta bya who,a howa longa theya hada it,a
whena ita shoulda bea returned,a anda includinga ana e-maila notificationa systema toa notifya ifa thea
booksa area overduea anda whata chargesa area incurred.a Ita coulda alsoa havea detailsa explaininga whata
happensa toa thea booka whena ita isa returneda sucha asa informationa ona wherea ita goesa soa ita isa puta ina
thea correcta bina toa bea puta backa ona thea shelves,a ora toa contacta anothera persona ifa therea isa aa
waitinga lista fora thea book.a a Aa library'sa infrastructurea ofa programsa anda personnela isa itsa mosta
asset,a providinga thea foundationa fora everythinga ita doesa anda aspiresa toa do,a whicha isa whya
assessmenta isa soa vitallya important.a Librariansa usea aa varietya ofa researcha methodsa toa makea
decisionsa anda toa improvea performance.a Researcha cana bea broadlya defineda asa thea careful,a
systematic,a patienta studya anda investigationa ina somea fielda ofa knowledge,a undertakena toa
discovera ora establisha factsa ora principles.a Thea 3a methodsa thata Ia woulda usea whena ita comesa toa
gatheringa informationa froma aa librarya area observations,a interview,a anda existinga recorda
reviews.a Whena observinga aa library,a Ia woulda watcha howa thea librariansa worka ina theira day-to-
daya activity.a Watchinga howa othersa worka getsa youa aa bettera understandinga ofa howa librariansa
worka anda howa theya usea thea system.a Next,a Ia woulda interviewa onea ofa thea librariansa likea howa
theya area ablea keepa tracka ofa booksa usinga thea system?a Ora howa doa youa knowa whena someonea isa
borrowinga booksa anda whena it’sa supposeda toa bea returned?a I’ma surea thesea area thea thingsa thata
isa ana importanta parta ofa beinga aa librarian.a Lastly,a Ia woulda investigatea recorda reviews.a Recordsa
thata area revieweda ina researcha maya bea eithera publica ora private.a Ana examplea woulda bea
researchinga anda collectinga informationa abouta aa diseasea froma patienta medicala records.a
Researchinga anda collectinga informationa baseda ona recordsa isa anothera waya ofa understandinga
howa systemsa work.a Youa coulda eithera aska someonea abouta ita ora looka througha records.a Thesea
area waysa thata cana helpa youa gathera informationa ona whata youa needa toa knowa anda do.a Toa recorda
thea collecteda information,a Ia woulda usea mya phonea toa recorda thea interviewa questionsa Ia asked,a
soa thata Ia cana listena toa ita anda understanda howa systema works.a Anothera methoda Ia woulda usea isa
bya havinga writtena notesa thata youa havea jotteda downa ina youra notebook.a Thata waya ifa there’sa
somethinga youa don’ta understanda youa coulda alwaysa researcha onlinea toa geta aa bettera
understandinga ona whata youa don’ta get.a
Methodsa toa gathera informationa froma thea university'sa librarians.
Listena toa Customersa (anda Users)
Peoplea developa skillsa ina whata thea appa does,a itsa workingsa ofa it,a anda itsa design.a Problemsa toa
bea solveda quicklya area oftena anda aa nota clearlya defineda explanationa thata aa computera willa solvea
thea issue.a Listeninga toa thea peoplea asa mucha asa Ia cana ona whata isa beinga saida anda ideasa thata cana
bea implemented.a Focusa isa keya toa solvinga thea problema insteada ofa thea solutionsa froma thea
people'sa perspectivea soa thata thea necessitiesa area flexible.
Usea thea Fivea Wsa (anda Onea H)
Peoplea havea troublea describinga whata needsa toa bea done.a Helpa thema bya askinga thea fivea Wsa
anda ana Ha (who,a what,a when,a where,a anda why)a anda onea Ha (how).
Studya Users
Interviewsa area fantastica toa geta informationa buta sometimesa it'sa nota thea besta becausea
sometimesa peoplea willa nota givea outa thea informationa thata isa beinga asked.a Questionsa cana bea
harda toa answera thata thea deva teama willa finda importanta toa them.
Copya Existinga Systems
Replacinga systemsa witha aa newa onea bya usinga replacinga existinga onesa cana bea ofa usea fora thea
requirements.a Thisa approacha isa linear.
Clairvoyance
Peoplea willa looka ata thea goals,a seea ita through,a anda starta increasinga thea requireda parts.
Brainstorm
Usinga thea copya anda clairvoyancea approacha isa greata buta itsa downfalla isa nota likelya toa havea
innovativea solutions.a Beinga creativea isa revolutionary!
Methodsa toa recorda thea informationa thata isa beinga gathered.
UML
Usera Stories
Usinga storiesa toa explaina whata thea systema isa doinga witha thea user.
Usea Cases
Interactivitya betweena actorsa eithera froma usersa ora differenta partsa ofa thea application.
Prototypes
Aa mockupa thata allowsa usersa toa seea whata itsa designa feelsa likea anda itsa behaviora froma thea
descriptionsa froma storiesa anda cases.
Requirementsa Specification
Writinga aa simplea anda easy-to-learna specificationa fora thea softwarea toa filla outa forms.
Supposea Ia wasa toa helpa aa librarya toa automatea thea 1,000a booksa thata theya havea thata covera 5a
subjects,a Ia can'ta imaginea whata thosea subjectsa woulda be.a Ina thata case,a Ia firsta wanta toa interviewa
witha focusa groupsa ofa thosea ofa differenta rolesa toa determinea whata typea ofa automationa theya area
lookinga fora anda howa ora whoa willa bea thea authora anda customera ofa thea systema itself.a Froma
therea Ia woulda probablya wanta toa starta brainstorminga anda thinkinga ofa waysa toa geta aa basica
prototypea outa toa seea whata thea consciousa ofa thea concepta is.a Ia woulda probablya givea aa surveya toa
seea whata everyone’sa thoughtsa isa anda ifa it'sa lookinga gooda thena Ia maya goa toa completea thea finala
product.a
Thea besta waya Ia cana foreseea takinga downa thea informationa isa toa keepa mya stakeholdersa
informeda anda showa howa Ia ama progressinga ina finishinga thisa project.a Ia coulda alsoa makea surea
thata ifa theya thinka somethinga isa morea importanta thana whata othersa area callinga for,a thena Ia cana
createa aa lista thata showsa prioritizea requirements.a
Ina ordera toa efficientlya collecta anda recorda informationa ina aa researcha projecta whicha woulda
automatea thea university'sa librarya ita isa importanta toa firsta identifya thea specifica requirements.a Ia
woulda gathera requirementsa bya meansa ofa interviews,a usera observations,a anda usea cases.a Thisa
informationa isa thena useda toa createa requirementsa anda specificationa documentsa fora thea project.a
First,a Ia woulda interviewa stakeholdersa ina thea projecta toa geta theira feedbacka abouta thea projecta
anda finda outa whata theira specifica requirementsa woulda be.a Thesea coulda includea whata theya wanta
thea newa systema toa doa anda howa theya wanta toa usea it.a Ia woulda alsoa interviewa enda usersa ofa thea
systema toa finda outa abouta thea featuresa theya thinka thea systema shoulda havea anda howa theya woulda
prefera toa usea thea system.a Ifa appropriate,a Ia woulda alsoa interviewa peoplea whoa havea experiencea
usinga thea systema currentlya toa geta feedbacka ona anya problemsa theya havea encountereda anda howa
thea systema coulda bea improved.a Thisa woulda ensurea thata thea newa systema meetsa thea
requirementsa ofa thea usersa whoa willa bea usinga it.a Ita coulda alsoa bea useda toa makea
recommendationsa ona anya newa featuresa ora functionalitiesa thata woulda bea usefula toa add.
Ia woulda observea thea currenta usea ofa thea systema anda carrya outa detaileda usera testsa ona aa samplea
ofa usersa toa finda outa thea specifica featuresa anda functionsa thata theya woulda likea toa seea ina thea
system.a 2a methodsa toa documenta requirementsa includesa Prioritizinga Requirementsa anda Talka
toa thea Righta Stakeholdersa anda Users.a Ia woulda usea thea 3a methodsa ofa 1)a usera observation,a 2)a
usera surveysa ina aa workshop,a anda 3)a brainstorminga ina aa workshop.a Ia havea somea experiencea
witha thesea anda hada success.a Thea usera observationa woulda looka likea ita sounds,a visuallya
observinga thea librariansa ata thea fronta deska duringa aa worka shift,a notinga howa theya area doinga
theira work.a Thea usera surveysa ina aa workshopa woulda bea writtena questionsa fora thema toa answera
abouta howa theya woulda likea thea automationa toa work.a Lastlya thea brainstorminga ina aa workshopa
woulda bea gatheringa anya anda alla ideasa ona aa largea formata likea aa whitea board.Mya twoa methodsa
ofa recordinga thea informationa woulda bea thea writtena papersa froma thea surveysa anda digitallya
capturinga (pictures)a ofa thea braina storminga activities.a Ia believea botha ofa thesea woulda falla undera
thea Designa Toolsa method.a Thea follow-upa toa confirma whata Ia captureda vs.a whata thea librariansa
wanteda ora needsa expresseda willa bea aa criticala step.a Duringa thea requirementa gatheringa processa
Ia woulda usea aa fewa differenta methodsa toa gathera informationa anda recorda thata informationa ina aa
waya thea makesa requirementsa cleara anda coversa everythinga thata thea clientsa need.a
Onea methoda Ia woulda usea isa Documenta Analysis.a Thisa methoda isa useda fora examininga thea
existinga systema beinga useda withina thea librarya anda takinga aa looka ata thea requirementsa fora thata
systema toa determinea whata thisa systema wasa createda for.
Methoda twoa woulda bea interviewinga thea librariansa toa determinea whata theira goalsa anda
expectationsa area fora thea system.Methoda threea woulda bea Observation.a Ia woulda usea thisa
methoda toa observea thea currenta systema beinga useda toa geta aa bettera understandinga ofa thea systema
anda itsa stepsa whilea alsoa lookinga fora potentiala pointsa toa improve.a Asa fara asa thea recordinga
methodsa goa therea area two,a Ia woulda usea ina thisa case.a Thea firsta onea woulda bea thea UMLa
(Unifieda Modela Language)a becausea ita willa allowa mea toa recorda thea informationa ina aa waya thata
willa showa howa certaina partsa ofa thea systema shoulda work.a Ita worksa bya creatinga diagramsa ofa
twoa categoriesa anda thena breakinga thema downa intoa specifica typesa witha aa seta ofa rules.a Thea
processa isn'ta perfecta buta doesa aa gooda joba ofa showinga howa thea systema shoulda worka baseda ona
thea requirements.a Next,a Ia woulda usea usera storiesa toa recorda thea information.a Thisa waya Ia cana
recorda thea informationa froma thea librariansa ina aa waya thata showsa howa theya woulda wanta toa doa
somethinga witha thea system.a Ina ordera toa properlya createa ana applicationa fora automationa
purposesa fora thea universitya librarya somea ofa thea topa methodsa ina whicha toa gathera informationa
froma thea librariansa area thea following.
1.a Interviewing.a Interviewinga thea librariansa givea youa thea opportunitya toa finda outa whata theya
havea ina placea nowa system-wisea anda alsoa whata theya personallya wanta toa havea improved.a Bya
doinga eithera groupa interviewsa ora individuala ora both,a youa area ablea toa knowa first-handa whata
thingsa worka asa theya shoulda anda whata doesn'ta worka anda whata waysa thea newa applicationa cana
approvea thea librarian'sa efficiencya makinga theira joba easier.a
2.a Usera observation.a Bya settinga side-by-sidea observation,a youa cana seea firsthanda thea currenta
applicationa anda functionalitya ofa thea systema theya havea ina place.a Thisa allowsa youa toa knowa
whata stepsa thea librariansa makea anda whata possiblea shortcutsa ora shortera processesa coulda allowa
thema toa automatea theira currenta process.a Alsoa allowsa youa toa seea ifa theya area usinga ana oldera
legacya systema ora coulda possiblya updatea toa morea currenta meansa ofa storagea likea AWSa ora
Microsofta Azurea fora clouda storagea fora maintenancea anda updates.a
3.a Documenta analysis.a Documenta analysisa allowsa youa toa seea howa thea librariansa currentlya
documenta theira worka anda thea booksa anda ifa therea area discrepanciesa witha howa theya area
currentlya doinga theira documentation.a Thisa allowsa fora youra applicationa whena createda toa takea
intoa considerationa thea documentationa portiona anda allowa fora improvementa ona waysa toa keepa
tracka ofa thea booksa anda what'sa oweda etc.a
Twoa waysa thata Ia woulda recorda thea informationa woulda bea witha aa Microsofta worda documenta
anda ana excela spreadsheet.a Thea worda documenta woulda allowa fora notesa toa bea entereda anda
prioritizeda baseda ona categories.a Thea excela spreadsheeta willa allowa fora thea numbera ofa booksa
thea librarya holds,a categories,a anda graphsa ona usagea alonga witha latea turn-ins,a etc.a
