Formalizing your Curiosity Wisconsin Public Library Consor2um (WPLC) Workshop 1 of 4 Joshua H. Morrill, PhD Morrill Solu2ons Research
Joshua H. Morrill, PhD Morrill Solu2ons Research Josh has been providing research and evalua2on consul2ng with corporate, non-profit, and academic groups for the last 13 years. He worked as an emerging trends analyst for Gartner where he helped uncover some early usage of cell phones for game play. As a consultant, Josh has worked extensively with the Na2onal Science Founda2on in the assessment of various STEM (Science Technology Engineering & Math) technology ini2a2ves. He has worked with Na2onal Science Digital Library project to assess the effec2veness of this ini2a2ve for faculty and librarians across the na2on. And, more recently, Josh has worked with NSF and partners at the University of Illinois and University of Central Florida to conduct joshua@morrillsolu2ons.com a large na2onal study to develop a learner segmenta2on based on what people want out of learning technologies. 608-772-0924 Josh has also partnered extensively with libraries. In par2cular, Josh has partnered with the Wisconsin Public Library Consor2um (WPLC) in the development and implementa2on of a longitudinal study of Wisconsin public library users (and non-users) in 2003, 2007 and 2012. Josh also partnered with the University of Wisconsin and University of Illinois systems to assess student use and reac2ons to eTextbooks. In addi2on to research, Joshua has also conducted several strategic planning and future- visioning workshops for corporate, library, educa2on and non-profit groups that use scenario- based planning to help these organiza2ons plan around future uncertain2es. Joshua is a frequent speaker na2onally. Josh holds a Ph.D. in communica2on science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a concentra2on in small group decision-making and quan2ta2ve research design and analysis
How Did We Get Here? www.wplc.info/reports/user-non-user-surveys 2003 2007 2012 2017 1 st WPLC user 2 nd WPLC user 3 rd WPLC user Now!!! and non-user and non-user and non-user Decentralized data collection ---that survey Proof of survey Love from survey Extensive (hopefully) results in concept. Can we do this? users and non-users pro=iling & segmentation greater data utility. alike Mixed method / Good info.
Research is formalized curiosity. It is poking and prying with purpose -Zora Neale Hurston
Ac2on Research • Focus research around a problem that is “holding up” a decision. • Research does not have to be perfect – just enough to advance the decision. • Research is itera2ve • Collabora2on and communi2es of prac2ce can share data, techniques and exper2se.
A Few Pragma2c Research Maxims • Your problem is not as unique as you think • You have more data than you think • You need less data than you think • An adequate amount of new data is more accessible than you think • Time spent scoping and planning will pay dividends later.
The Making of A Research Project Think about the Think about what Think about the scope and scale of data you need to research ques2on the research answer your ques2on research ques2on Think about what Design your Choose a method data you have / are research protocols or methods able to collect Analyze and report Gather data Fame and fortune! the data
We are going to be working through some of the WHY- WHAT - WHAT - & HOWs of any research project 1 2 3 4 Why are you What do you What are options How do I doing this really want to for getting interpret what I research? know? information? have? What is the driving How can I ask the right How reliable is reliable What are some pitfalls need? research question? enough? for understanding data?
Do you REALLY need more informa?on? Don’t underes?mate common sense Why do you need to do this? 1 Why are you doing this research? What is the driving need ? The curious case of: “The Expensive Birthday Card”
The NEED should drive a series of questions that may - or may not - require additional data collection. NEED � What are trends in My library is space redesign? thinking about renova?ng a 2 space � What do current patrons think about What do you exis2ng space? really want to know? How have other � libraries renovated How can I ask the right spaces? research question?
The NEED should drive a series of questions that may - or may not - require additional data collection. � � � What does the What are How have My library is community trends in space other libraries think about the redesign? renovated thinking about space? spaces? renova?ng a 2 space Call other Past / older • • Conferences • libraries studies or feedback Ar?cles • What do you Tours • really want to A new Web Search • • study know? Vendor • How can I ask the right Presenta?ons research question?
Assuming you want to do a new study…There is a different set of questions to consider. ATTITUDES What are � What do current patrons think about the space? What do patrons think about • you the exis?ng space? prepared to 2 act on? BEHAVIORS What do patrons use the exis?ng • space for? What What do you informa?on really want to ASPIRATION is holding know? What would patrons like to be • up your able to do? How can I ask the right decision? research question? • Are there other people who would use the space?
All of this boils down to two areas to consider. Who do we want What do we informa?on from? want to know? YOUR STUDY 2 ADDRESSES A NEED -Patrons? -Percep2ons? -Community? -Behaviors? What do you -Other Libraries? really want to -Future Intent? know? How can I ask the right research question?
1 What is your need? What do you need to know? • Why are you doing this Does this really require new research? • research? What is the driving What decision can you make once you have this • need? informaGon? 2 …Next mee?ng have a “1-min need” What do you statement ready to share. really want to know? How can I ask the right research question?
Questions? Thank You Joshua H. Morrill, PhD joshua@morrillsolutions.com 608-588-2874
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