Cambridge. University Library, service design
We partnered with Cambridge University Libraries to reimagine their service ecosystem, connecting digital services, physical spaces, and institutional processes into a cohesive experience across all 108 libraries.
The project began with in-depth user research, including diary studies, semi-structured interviews, participatory shadowing, and contextual interviews with students and academics.
My role
Service design and creative leadership, architecture. Delivered in collaboration with Paul Jervis Heath and Chloe Heath.
Connecting 108 Libraries at Cambridge University
The University asked to redesign their services for the 108 libraries located around Cambridge. The task seemed challenging enough, especially because the libraries had different user types, functions and locations. We started with in field research, where Modern Human interviewed students and academics to understand how they used the libraries and their services. Diary studies, walk in interviews and in dept interviews were set up to discover more about 162 students. Participatory shadowing, Human Centred Design Process and contextual interviews were used to research more about academics and their needs.
The main finding of the research led to understand that researchers, academics and students felt a strong lack of integration between the physical and digital services, which led to confused and fragmented experiences.
Together with the University of Cambridge, we started to outline the future of the Library services with a focus on integration between physical and digital services, with the objective to source the infinite resources that the libraries have, and to foster the lively Cambridge scholarly community.
Service structure
Study Magnet, crowdsourced reading lists
Found, University Library search
Outcome
We created a north-star vision for an integrated library experience, which included the 108 libraries.
Co - designing the strategy with the University’s staff created a positive dialogue, which allowed to move to the development phase of the project.
Our work laid the foundation for the FutureLib initiative, to better support the Cambridge scholarly community.