Jisc Change Agents' Network Conference 2024

Library services staff have noticed that there has been a noticeable change in the patterns of information-seeking behaviour amongst students, for example, with more focus on new sources of information, such as TikTok and YouTube. In order to implement new library services and teaching, it was felt that a greater understanding of how students seek and use information for their studies was needed. At the University of South Wales (USW), it was decided to undertake a user experience project to engage with students and find out more about how students search for information.

In order to involve students in the development of new services and products, we sought to capture their views via UX (User Experience) methods, an ethnographic approach which aims to capture how users experience a product or service from a holistic point of view, which includes contextual information even if not directly related to the service or product.

There are several methods available within UX. At the USW, a small group of postgraduate students were recruited and asked to fill in diaries describing their searching experiences. Diary Studies were chosen within the UX family as an optimal way of ensuring that participants were free to share their thoughts without intervention from researchers. In light of this study, the library devised a plan of action to implement information literacy placing a significant emphasis on students' contributions and addressing their specific needs.

The aim of this workshop is to encourage delegates to consider UX as a potential avenue for pedagogical research and the basis for collaboration with students.

The proposed activities are:

• A discussion about how UX can help delegates with their co-creation and pedagogical research activity.

• An opportunity for delegates to design their own diaries to capture student’s view on an area of their interest