IS428 AY2019-20T2 Assign DANIEL SOH WEI TONG
Contents
Problem and Motivation
Every two years, SMU Libraries conducts a comprehensive survey in which faculty, students and staff have the opportunity to rate various aspects of their services. The survey provides SMU Libraries with input to help enhance existing services and to anticipate emerging needs of SMU faculty, students and staff.
The reports are conducted by external vendors and presented in a written document accompanied by charts. With the large amount of data presented it is hard for the management to efficiently identify gaps within segment of their users and anticipate the emerging needs of SMU Libraries.
The interactive visualisation would be targetted at the following groups of users:
- SMU Management: To understand service gaps within SMU libraries and plan appropriate policies so that resources could be allocated efficiently.
- Library technology and Innovation Department: To derive insights from the data so that new policies or initiatives could be implement to improve the service of the libraries.
- Library Analytics department: To prepare the necessary reports and insights requested by internal or external sources.
Data Cleaning and Transformation
Data Cleaning 1. Survey data provided were cleaned - null cells were replaced with 0 using excel "Find and Replace" function.
2. Metadata for all questions were created in a separate sheet in excel. One such example is the position metadata.
Data Tranformation
1. Data from the excel was imported into Tableau and inner join was used on all tables key.
2. Pivot function within Tableau was used to transform all survey questions from a "Wide" table to a "Long" table as per a database format. Each row in the database would represent a question.
Interactive Visualisation
Dashboard
Key Demographics
Interactive Dashboard
https://public.tableau.com/profile/daniel.soh3200#!/vizhome/as2_15842920017840/Gaps2?publish=yes
Dashboard allowing users to explore different segments of survey respondents.
The graph represents the gaps in importance vs performance which is gap in value where the library can improve
Insights
To improve the library services, we look at four key segment of users and determine what are the causes behind the gaps in library services.
Segments
| Segment | Segment of Users | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Users who frequent the campus on a daily and weekly basis but only visited the library on a monthly or none basis | It would be useful to know why this segment of users who visit the campus often but choose not to visit the library. There could be value gaps that could be easily improved as they are often at campus. |
| 2 | Users who visits the library on a daily basis | It would be efficient way to boost user satisfaction on this core group of users that uses the library often. |
| 3 | Promoters (NPS) | It would provide deeper insights on which services within the library served the Promoters well. This factors could be used to reinforce and justify budget/resource allocation. (eg. Promotors indicated that laptop facilities (extra powerpoints) exceeded their expectation. This would serve as data to justify the spending) |
| 4 | Detractors (NPS) | It would provide deeper insights on factors that could be addressed to increase user satisfaction. |
Undergraduate Students
Segment 1: Frequent campus often but not the library
Frequent the campus on a daily and weekly basis but only visited the library on a monthly or none basis
Insights: The top three gaps that this segment of users face:
- Lack of workshops to help with learning and research needs.
- Lack of computers when they need one
- Lack face to face enquiry services
Top three factors that exceeded their expectations:
- Can find a quiet space to study when i need to
- Can find a place in the library for group work
- Easy to use mobile devices to access online resources.
Key Insight: This group of users hardly use the library facilities despite being in campus daily. They are able to find a spot in the library given their once per month visit to the library. This does not indicate a capacity issue for this group of users. There could be a lack of purpose to visit the library (for example they prefer to study outside/at home). The management could plan for more workshops, classes and tutorials to engage with this group of users and draw them to the library.
Upon segmenting by Study Area, we notice that there are two groups of underserved users.
1) Law students who require terminals. Although sample size is small (2), it could indicate potential problems with resource allocation for law student computers. The library could look into increasing the availability of computers to attract this group of users.
2) SIS students who require materials. The library might not have sufficient materials to attract this group of users. As frameworks progress rapidly, their might not be sufficient up to date materials available at the library. The library could consider increasing their sourcing rate for information system related books and materials to attract this group of users.
Segment 2: Frequent library on a daily basis
Insights: The top three gaps that this segment of users face:
- Lack of computers when they need one
- Lack of workshops to help with learning and research needs.
- Lack face to face enquiry services
Top three factors that exceeded their expectations:
- Can find a quiet space to study when i need to
- Can find a place in the library for group work
- Printing facilities met their needs
Key Insight: This group of users use the library facilities daily. They form the core group of foot traffic to the library and are likely to be optioned the library service levels. Any changes with the library policies are likely to affect this group of users. The library has done well to allocate sufficient quiet space and group meeting areas for this core group of users. This group of users indicated that they lack computers when they needed one. The management has to investigate deeper into the type of computers required as most university students would have their personal laptop to work with. The computers indicated could be special use terminals (eg bloomberg terminals) that are only available in limited numbers.
Segment 3: Promoters (NPS)
Insights: The top three gaps that this segment of users face:
- Lack of computers when they need one
- Lack of workshops to help with learning and research needs.
- Lack face to face enquiry services
Top three factors that exceeded their expectations:
- Can find a quiet space to study when i need to
- Can find a place in the library for group work
- Easy to use mobile devices to access online resources.
Key Insight: This group of users are Promoters and are likely to recommend a friend to join them at the library. Addressing the the key gaps in their expectations (Library workshops and available computers) would be likely to boost their ratings and maintain them as Promoters
Segment 4: Detractors (NPS)
Insights: The gap that this segment of users face:
- Lack of workshops to help with learning and research needs.
Top three factors that exceeded their expectations:
- Can find a quiet space to study when i need to
- Can find a place in the library for group work
- Printing and scanning facilities available
Key Insight: This group of users are Detractors and are unlikely to recommend a friend to join them at the library. Given their expectations were generally exceeded on almost all factors (less library workshops), the management have to look into external factors that would cause a user to fall into the category of a Detractor.
Upon further analysis, within the detractors, the largest gap was with law students who indicated that they lack workshops to help with their learning and research. Although the segment is small (17 users), this is the segment with largest expectation gap. The management could conduct more courses for this group of people to improve their NPS score.
Summary
The number of Promoters far exceed the number of Detractors for the undergraduate segment, indicating generally positive feedback. Across the segments, undergraduates mentioned that they would require more workshops. The library management could start looking at Law related workshops and cover the gaps in expectations.
Postgraduate Students
Segment 1: Frequent campus often but not the library
Frequent the campus on a daily and weekly basis but only visited the library on a monthly or none basis
The top three gaps that this segment of users face:
- Lack of computers when they need one
- Lack of workshops to help with learning and research needs.
- Lack face to face enquiry services
Top three factors that exceeded their expectations:
- Can find a quiet space to study when i need to
- Can find a place in the library for group work
- Easy to use mobile devices to access online resources.
Key Insight: This group of users hardly use the library facilities despite being in campus daily.
The largest underserved users are Economics graduate students, where they lack workshops to help with their materials.
Segment 2: Frequent library on a daily basis
Problem: The top three issues that this segment of users face The top three gaps that this segment of users face:
- Lack of computers when they need one
- Lack of workshops to help with learning and research needs.
- Lack face to face enquiry services
Top three factors that exceeded their expectations:
- Can find a quiet space to study when i need to
- Can find a place in the library for group work
- Easy to use mobile devices to access online resources.
Key Insight: This group of users use the library facilities daily. They form the core group of foot traffic to the library and are likely to be optioned the library service levels. Any changes with the library policies are likely to affect this group of users.
The largest gap were 17 users who are IS graduate students indicated that the resources available at the library were below their expectations. The library could look into procuring more materials for IS graduate students
Segment 3: Promoters (NPS)
Key Insight: Within the promoters a large group of economics (13) and Information Systems (31) postgraduates indicated that the materials within the library were below their expectations.
Segment 4: Detractors (NPS)
Key Insight: Within the detractors 3 accountancy postgraduates indicated that availability of computers at the library were below their expectation.
Summary
Across the four segments of postgraduate students, we notice that Information Systems and Economics postgrad students lack materials and computers from the library. Although the segment of users are significantly smaller than undergraduate students, the library could focus on these two key areas to significantly improve the level of services for the smaller group of postgraduate students.
Faculty
Segment 1: Frequent campus often but not the library
Frequent the campus on a daily and weekly basis but only visited the library on a monthly or none basis
Problem: The top three issues that this segment of users face
The top three gaps that this segment of users face:
- Opening hours
- Library workshops
- Library services
Top three factors that exceeded their expectations:
- Library search engine is effective
- Books on library shelves are usually there
- Online resources are useful
Key Insight: A large segment of users indicated that the opening hours were below expectation
Segment 2: Frequent library on a daily basis
Key Insight: Similarly a large segment of users indicated that the opening hours were below expectation
Segment 3: Promoters (NPS)
Key Insight: Similarly a large segment of users indicated that the opening hours were below expectation
Segment 4: Detractors (NPS)
Key Insight: Not much data available compared to Promoters. Management can consider reaching out to the Detractors to find out in greater detail what were the factors affecting their library usage.
Summary
As Opening hours is the key factor that is below expectations across all four segments. We took a deeper look at the segments:
With further segmenting and grouping, we realised that the key group were Assistant Professors who's expectation of opening hours were below expectation. The library in question would be the Li Ka Shing Library. A check on the opening hours indicates that the library is open M-F 8am to 12am during term and 8-6pm during vacation period. On Saturdays and Sundays during term period they are open 10am to 9pm. The assistant professors schedule might require library resources during vacation period or specific resources within the library that are time sensitive. This is certainly an anomaly given the long opening hours yet it does not meet the faculty expectations. Management should take a deeper look into the requirements needed by the faculty.
Staff
Segment 1: Frequent campus often but not the library
Frequent the campus on a daily and weekly basis but only visited the library on a monthly or none basis
Problem: The top three issues that this segment of users face The top three gaps that this segment of users face:
- Books and articles not being delivered promptly
- Opening hours does not meet user's needs
- Laptop facilities
Top three factors that exceeded their expectations:
- Library items are usually on book shelf
- Website is useful
- Able to find quiet place for study work
Key Insight: A segment of users indicated that books and articles requested delivered (timeline) were below expectations.
Segment 2: Frequent library on a daily basis
Problem: The top three issues that this segment of users face The top three gaps that this segment of users face:
- Can't find place ini library for a group
- Can't find a place to study
- Library workshop and classes
Top three factors that exceeded their expectations:
- Self service request meets their needs
- Signage is clear
- Laptop facilities meets their needs
Key Insight: A segment of users they can't find places to work in a group.
Segment 3: Promoters (NPS)
Key Insight: All promoters indicate that library opening hours are below expectations
Segment 4: Detractors (NPS)
Key Insight: Using further segmentation, we are unable to find any significant pattern. This is likely due to the small sample size and large number of options.
Summary
As faculty is the smallest group, further segmenting results in too small a number to make an informed insight.
References
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORyAZTmQ4nk
- https://www.datarevelations.com/resources/rethinkingdivergent/e
