This document discusses a design-thinking approach to improving library signage and user experience. It begins with an agenda that includes discussing the problem, literature review, process used, outcomes, and future directions. The literature review covers topics like touchpoints in libraries, signage as living documents, the librarian's role in connecting people to information, library anxiety, and usability of signage. The process involved empathy through observations, defining problems through audits, ideating with user feedback, prototyping, and testing. Different types of signage are identified. The outcomes included a new proposed category of "fun and delightful" signage. Thanks are given to collaborators and supporters of the project.

1. Signage by Design
-
A Design-Thinking Approach to
Library User Experience
@edwardluca

2. Agenda-
Problem
Literature Review
Process
Outcomes
Future Directions

7. But.

11. Literature Review
• Touchpoints are “any interaction the user has with library
service” (Hahn & Zitron, 2011, p. 28)
• Library signage as “living documents” (Polger & Stempler,
2014, p. 67)
• The role of the librarian is to connect people to
information – meaning that signage falls well within the
scope of library work

12. • Library Anxiety, a “fear of appearing ‘stupid’ and revealing
ignorance by asking questions (Coker, 1993, p. 27)
• All library communication should be usable, useful and
clear – avoid jargon, use personal and friendly language,
and reduce unnecessary language
• It’s something you’re probably doing already – “librarians
are in the business of graphic design, even if they have not
been formally trained in design” (Wakimoto, 2015, p. 172)

14. Empathy
Conduct observations,
library sweeps, shadow
users, talk to them,
interview them
(but please don’t do a survey)

15. Define
Signage audit:
name, type,
location, text,
usefulness,
update/remove,
branding

16. Ideate
Test ideas, and most importantly, gather
feedback from your users (not just staff)

17. Prototype
Begin with low-cost temporary signs,
experiment and gather feedback

18. Test
Conduct in parallel to
prototyping, make sure
it works before
creating a more
permanent version

19. Ta-da!

21. Types of Signage
• Directional/Wayfinding
• Identification
• Instructional
• Regulatory
• Instructional
• Informational
(Schmidt & Etches, 2014)

22. Directional

23. Identification

25. IdentificationRegulatory

26. Instructional

27. Informational

28. I want to propose a
new category:
fun & delightful

33. From this:

35. To this:

37. • I had the opportunity to collaborate with an LIS academic
at UTS, Bhuva Narayan, to turn this work into a journal
article, available at: weaveux.org
• Thank you to Thomas Fethers and Chris Gaul for their
original vision for the UTS Library brand
• And to Joanna Grygierczyk and Emily Gregory for building
on their work in fun and beautiful ways
• And to Mal Booth, our University Librarian, who has always
seen the importance of design in libraries

38. Thanks.@edwardluca