The CVAD student printing lab and its ever changing printing policy
evoke both confusion and frustration for lab patrons and students.
The printing policies change almost every semester and are poorly
communicated to students.
1. How effective at communicating pertinent and needed information about computer lab policies and printing policies to lab patrons are the current methods of providing and dispersing that information?
2. Where do the current information dispersal methods fail? At what points in the "computer lab experience" is the failure happening?
3. What information dispersal methods are MOST effective to the MAJORITY of the computer lab users? Who are the majority users of the CVAD computer lab? 4. How do regular changes in policy affect the level of user frustration in the computer labs and how does that affect the number of users (i.e. do people avoid using the computer labs to avoid the perceived frustration)?
5. How can General Computing policies be effectively combined with specific printing needs of CVAD students (re: the specialty printing policies of the CVAD computer lab) and combined in a way that is broad enough to remain static for an extended period of time while allowing for small changes required by new specialty equipment?
6. Do effective solutions to information dispersal issues translate into policies feasible and likely for approval by the General Computing Offices, the CVAD IT offices, and the CVAD main office and within the budget allotted for the CVAD computer lab?
The CVAD student printing lab way-finding and explanatory signage is ineffective at communicating to students. When they are experiencing difficulties or problems in the lab they immediately ask for help from the lab patrons instead of trying to solve the problem on their own. Brochures and signage that explain the step-by-step processes and policy changes decorate the room but are either not seen or purposely not followed. 1. What are the most effective ways to communicate printing lab policies and other important information to students?
2. Which delivery systems would be most effective for the students of the millennial generation?
3. The millennial generation thrives on a sense of personal accomplishment, so how do we design signage to support that?
4. How should we communicate problem-solving processes through signage to a generation whom regards “instant” change as not fast enough?
5. How does the millennial generation perceive printed signage vs. online signage?
6. How does the millennial generation problem-solve when no one is around to help them?
7. Would UNT students prefer to get updates/changes, step-by-step processes, and help from their mobile devices as opposed to receiving that information through printed signage?
8. How does the millennial generation perceive things that are “free”?
COMPUTER LAB SIGNAGE
The CVAD student printing lab and its ever changing printing policy evoke both confusion and frustration for lab patrons and students. The printing policies change almost every semester and are poorly communicated to students.
1. How much personal space (measured in feet) is deemed acceptable/ comfortable be an individual sitting at a computer?
2. Which desk configurations allow for the most comfortable amount of personal space?
3. In a computer lab do desk configurations that allow for more personal space positively affect productivity?
4. Can computer lab desk configurations produce stress for people using the lab?
5. Is computer-user productivity affected when users are facing each other as opposed to all facing the same direction?
6. Is printer accessibility facilitated more with clusters of desks or rows of desks? 7. Should the printers be dispersed throughout the room or designated to the same area? Which configuration would be most effective?
At which points during the CVAD computer lab experience is the most critical failure to communicate the information needed for users to complete their tasks?
Before we can begin to answer these questions we must put aside our
assumptions and investigate exactly which information in the CVAD computer lab is failing to communicate to UNT students. Our research agenda consists of two phases—data collection, and analysis and interpretation. We propose employing microethnographic research methods to explore this research problem in
conjunction with the creation of persona-based and scenario-based modeling.
RESEARCH PROPOSAL
We propose employing microethnographic research methods to explore this research problem. The term ethnography has come to be equated with virtually any qualitative research project where the intent is to provide a detailed, in-depth description of everyday life and practice. Ethnography may be defined as both a qualitative research process or method (one conducts an ethnography) and product (the outcome of this process is an ethnography) whose aim is cultural interpretation. Ethnographers generate understandings of culture through representation of what we call emic and etic perspectives. The neologisms “emic” and “etic,” which were derived from an analogy with the terms “phonemic” and “phonetic,” were coined by the linguistic anthropologist Kenneth Pike (1954).
EMIC
The emic (inside) perspective focuses on the intrinsic cultural distinctions that are meaningful to the members of a given society; understanding a culture and world as they do. The goal is to penetrate as deeply as possible into the culture and gain the greatest insight. Emic knowledge may be obtained through the interaction with subjects.
ETIC
The etic (outside) perspective relies upon the extrinsic concepts and categories that have meaning for observers. The observers are the sole judges of the validity of an etic account. Etic knowledge may be obtained through observation.
1. Ask the lab attendants to count the number of times people ask for help and delineate what types of help (i.e. help finding their computer, logging in, general print issues, help with a program).
2. Conduct observation in the lab. Observing instances of confusion and wandering, returning to the desk for help, inability to log into the computer, etc. Observing simple human behaviors of confusion and frustration to determine where those emotions happen and associate them with problems in wayfinding, policies, and computer operation including printing. Collecting data through descriptive field notes and daily video recording.
3. Experience the environment/process as an insider (student), participate in the process ourselves
—check into the lab —find the computer —work on a project
—use each of the printers
1. Recored face-to-face interviews with computer lab users and lab assistants
2. Written questionnaires passed out to computer lab users 3. Online survey posted to UNT website
4. Shadow and observe a computer lab user during his/her experience and ask questions about their actions, thoughts and feelings throughout the process
5. Shadow and observe a computer lab assistant during his/her work experience and ask questions about their actions, thoughts and feelings throughout the process
USERS/PATRONS
College student – approximately 19-24 years of age, Caucasian, high school graduate/educated, middle class, owns a computer and/or a smartphone, raised in a household with a computer and internet access, student of the College of Visual Arts and Design.
Lab Assistants - college student, approximately 21-28 years of age, Caucasian, high school graduate/educated, middle class, greater financial independence and responsibility, owns a computer and a smartphone, raised in a household with a computer and internet access, experience with and trained in computer and peripheral hardware, software, and networks, student of UNT but not particularly CVAD.
UNT EMPLOYEE/CVAD IT DEPARTMENT
CVAD Administration – approximately 35-60 years old, Caucasian, post-graduate degree, middle to upper class, owns computers and a smartphone, has internet access at home and work, responsible for budgetary concerns and general administration of CVAD
IT Professional employee – approximately 35-50 years old, Caucasian, college graduate, middle class, financially independent, owns at least one computer and a smartphone, has internet access at home and work, specialty training in computers (PC and MAC), responsible for ALL computers and computer systems in CVAD including computer lab, instructor computers, classroom computers as well as budgetary concerns and university relations/policy issues.
Instructors (professors, adjuncts, TAs, TFs, etc.) – approximately 30-65 years old, Caucasian, post-graduate degree, middle class, owns a computer and a smart phone, has internet access at home and work, no specialty training in computers or computer systems, concerned with class information dissemination and student performance.
PERSONA-BASED MODELING
SCENARIO-BASED MODELING
These deceptively simple tasks bring up all three possible issues we have determined are the biggest stumbling blocks for CVAD Computer Lab users in ways that the data will be manageable yet meaningful— wayfinding, signage (instructional and wayfinding), login Issues, and printing. We put together a sample task oriented exercise to exhibit how we might use secenario-based modeling to help inform this research project.
SAMPLE HANDOUT
The CVAD Computer Lab is on the 2nd floor of the Art Building, across
from the elevators. Don’t forget to bring your Student ID! We would like you to do the following please:
Using a computer station in the CVAD Computer Lab: From the MAC operating system
1. Print a color document (anything in color and double sided)
2. Print a black and white document (single sided) 3. Check your email
While doing EACH these three tasks, please write down at the bottom of this page any problems/issues you may have had and describe what you could not do easily or had to ask for help from a lab assistant.
KNOWLEDGE REQUIRED
TYPES OF KNOWLEDGE PROFESSIONAL/EXPERT KNOWLEDGE - Domains of thought that individuals use to
categorize/interpret computer lab experiences - Effects of language on cognition
- Relationships between machines and people - Assembly arrangements that promote efficiency
- Human judgment, decision making and learning
- How printed electronic media communicate with people
- Interior space configurations that promote effi- ciency
- Understand all the working parts (sub systems) that allow the computer lab to function
Cognitive Anthropologists and Linguistic Anthropologists
Engineering Psychologists
Cognitive/Perceptual Psychologists
Communication Designer and Visual Anthro- pologists
Architects and Interior Designers
SAMPLE SURVEY QUESTIONS
Each of these questions assume that the subject is a student of UNT and has used the CVAD Computer Lab on the 2nd floor of the Art
Building. All answers are anonymous.
On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being most true, 10 being least true and 5 being neutral, please rate the following based on your personal experience:
1. It is easy to navigate the CVAD Computer Lab. 2. The computer stations are well mapped out.
3. It is easy to use the computer in the operating system needed for my tasks.
4. The system used to print is well explained.
5. The software provided is adequate for my assignments.
6. I understand how to use the software needed for my assignments. 7. The peripheral equipment (scanners, large format printers) are easy to use.
8. The lab attendants are helpful when a problem arises.
9. I prefer to use the CVAD computer lab to other computer labs on campus.
A literature review was conducted to understand how others have approached this subject; we divided or narrowed our search into three categories, each in relation to computer labs.
1. Lab layout
2. Wayfinding and instructional signage 3. Policy communication
Please refer to written document, thank you.
LITERATURE REVIEW
COMPUTER LAB ELEMENTS - 38 computers
- 7 computers with scanners
- 5 computers with large format printers - 2 large format HP printers
- 2 large format Epson printers - 1 extra-large Epson printer - 5 standard printers
- 52 chairs
- 50 desks/tables - Sign in station
PLACEMENT + CONFIGURATION
- Standard printers (BW1, 2, + 3, and Color 1 + 2) CANNOT move - Large format printers CAN move
- All computer stations CAN move
PRELIMINARY RESULTS
TYPES OF QUESTIONS DATE 12/2/11
General
Print, large station Print, large format Station locations Powering on Program Help 12/3/11 12/4/11 12/5/11 12/6/11 12/7/11 12/8/11 12/9/11 12/10/11 2 5 4 4 2 2 1 3 2 2 6 5 4 3 3 5 6 8 5 12 2 1 1 2 1 2 3 5 3 2 4 4 2
We asked lab assistants to keep a tally of how many times students asked for help, and what exactly they were asking for help with.
RESEARCH TIMELINE
DATE DESCRIPTION
Etic observations of issues that persisted through out the semester: - Simple enumeration of issues
- Survey re: student semester experience - Open ended
- Identify issues that were MOST frustrating for students Report initial results to IT
Get approval for further in-house etic research Video record first two weeks of class
Finalize scenarios for guided observation study Continue simple enumeration of issues
- *Determine if a new problem has arisen Analyze video
Begin scenario led observations (2weeks) Finalize questions for descriptive survey Continue simple enumeration of issues - *Determine if a new problem has arisen Analyze scenario led observation data Finalize descriptive Survey Monkey survey
Get approval for use of CVAD student and CVAD user email list Continue simple enumeration of issues
- *Determine if a new problem has arisen
Distribute and analyze Descriptive Survey data Begin total data analysis for any correlation Begin Final Report
Continue simple enumeration of issues Continue data analysis and report Continue simple enumeration of issues Submit report for editing and proofing Continue simple enumeration of issues Submit tentative report to IT
Implement any changes determined necessary and approved by IT Feedback Survey December January February March April May June July August
