Data 101 Workshop
Transcript of Data 101 Workshop
Whyareyoudoingthisresearch?Whatisthedrivingneed?
Whatdoyoureallywanttoknow?HowcanIasktherightresearchquestion?
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WearegoingtobeworkingthroughsomeoftheWHY-WHAT-WHAT-&HOWsofanyresearchproject
Whatareoptionsforgettinginformation?Howreliableisreliableenough?
HowdoIinterpretwhatIhave?Whataresomepitfallsforunderstandingdata?
Whyareyoudoingthisresearch?Whatisthedrivingneed?
1Whydoyoune
edto
dothis?
DoyouREALLYneedmoreinforma8on? Don’tunderes8matecom
monsense
Thecuriouscaseof:“TheExpensiveBirthdayCard”
Whatdocurrentpatronsthinkaboutexis3ngspace?
Howhaveotherlibrariesrenovated
spaces?
Whatdoyoureallywanttoknow?HowcanIasktherightresearchquestion?
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TheNEEDshoulddriveaseriesofquestionsthatmay-ormaynot-requireadditionaldatacollection.
�
�
NEED
Mylibraryisthinkingaboutrenova8nga
space
�Whataretrendsinspaceredesign?
Whatdoyoureallywanttoknow?HowcanIasktherightresearchquestion?
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TheNEEDshoulddriveaseriesofquestionsthatmay-ormaynot-requireadditionaldatacollection.
Mylibraryisthinkingaboutrenova8nga
space
�Whatare
trendsinspaceredesign?
�Howhave
otherlibrariesrenovatedspaces?
�Whatdo
currentpatronsthinkaboutthe
space?
• Conferences
• Ar8cles
• WebSearch
• VendorPresenta8ons
• Callotherlibraries
• Tours
• Past/olderstudiesorfeedback
• Anewstudy
Whatdoyoureallywanttoknow?HowcanIasktherightresearchquestion?
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Assumingyouwanttodoanewstudy…Thereisadifferentsetofquestionstoconsider.
�Wh
atdocurren
tpatrons
thinkab
outthe
space?
• Whatdopatronsthinkabouttheexis8ngspace?
ATTITUDES
BEHAVIORS• Whatdopatronsusetheexis8ng
spacefor?
Whatareyou
preparedtoacton?
What
informa8onisholdingupyourdecision?
ASPIRATION• Whatwouldpatronsliketobe
abletodo?
• Arethereotherpeoplewhowouldusethespace?
Whatdoyoureallywanttoknow?HowcanIasktherightresearchquestion?
2
EXERCISETIME!
• Whatisyourneed?
• Doesthisreallyrequirenewresearch?
• Whatdoyouneedtoknowthatisholdingupadecision?
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BeforeWeDiveintoMethods…
Whatareoptionsforgettinginformation?Howreliableisreliableenough?
par·si·mo·ny /ˈpärsəˌmōnē/ Theideathatthesimplestexplana3onofaphenomenonisthebestoneMakingapointwithsimpleresearchcanbeinfinitelymorepowerfulthanthesameconclusionreachedthroughmorecomplicatedmeans.Noneedtocrackawalnutwithajackhammer!
Thereisnoperfectdataandnoerrorfreedatacollec1onprocess
Misc.BigDataInteractiveTechniques
MethodsSurveys
IF DONE WELL – Can provide a broad range of responses. Can be a good way to capture low motivation individuals in your population.
Good for tracking/ documenting of change
Really powerful when you have a comparison point for your data.
3Whatareoptionsforgettinginformation?Howreliableisreliableenough?
Misc.BigDataInteractiveTechniques
MethodsSurveys
3Whatareoptionsforgettinginformation?Howreliableisreliableenough?
43%
25%
19%
13%
VeryWell PreQyWell Nottoowell Notwellatall
Mylibraryservesmylearningandeduca3onalneeds…
Misc.BigDataInteractiveTechniques
MethodsSurveys
3Whatareoptionsforgettinginformation?Howreliableisreliableenough?
43%
25%19%
13%
49%
39%
6% 4%
VeryWell PreQyWell Nottoowell Notwellatall
Mylibraryservesmylearningandeduca3onalneeds…
PEW
Misc.BigDataInteractiveTechniques
MethodsSurveys
3Whatareoptionsforgettinginformation?Howreliableisreliableenough?
GoodSurveyQues3ons….
Should be things individuals can reliably answer. (“Please rate how efficiently the staff at your library are managed.” = BAD)
Can be 4, 5, 6 or 7 point scales. (Think about when you want to force a choice / what a mid-response means)
Are sensitive to people who are taking the survey (Empathy will get you better/ more reliable information)
Misc.BigDataInteractiveTechniques
MethodsSurveys
3Whatareoptionsforgettinginformation?Howreliableisreliableenough?
ResearchLength/Investmentforpar3cipants
ReliabilityofData
Short/Low
Long
High
Misc.BigDataInteractiveTechniques
MethodsSurveys
3Whatareoptionsforgettinginformation?Howreliableisreliableenough?
BadQues8on
Thelengthof8meIspentintheEmergencyroomwas…- Excellent- Good- Fair-Poor
Be]erQues8onThelengthof8meIspentwai8ngintheEmergencyroombeforeseeingaphysicianwas…- LongerthanIexpected- AboutwhatIexpected- FasterthanIexpected
Thelibraryhourswereeasytofindonthesite.- StronglyAgree- Agree-Indifferent-Disagree
Howeasywerethelibraryhourstofindonthesite.- Veryeasytofind- Somewhateasytofind- Somewhatdifficulttofind-Verydifficulttofind-IdidnotnoHceifthehourswereeasyordifficulttofind
Misc.BigDataInteractiveTechniques
MethodsSurveys
3Whatareoptionsforgettinginformation?Howreliableisreliableenough?
Interac8veTechniques(Interviews,FocusGroups,etc.)
As a rule of thumb - Keep things to 1 hour or less
Can get interesting information if you have participants “create” something. (IL Building Project )
Think about WHO you want to talk to and why.
Generates a LOT of information that can take time to get in a useable form.
Misc.BigDataInteractiveTechniques
MethodsSurveys
3Whatareoptionsforgettinginformation?Howreliableisreliableenough?
IllinoisCommonsBuildingProjectHadstudentsdrawtheirideallibrarystudyspace….
Books
BooksBooks
Misc.BigDataInteractiveTechniques
MethodsSurveys
3Whatareoptionsforgettinginformation?Howreliableisreliableenough?
“BigData”(datafromdatabasesothersta1s1cs)
Buzzword now – but “Big Data ≠ Error Free”
With Big data, motivations are rarely collected. Still useful, but very little “WHY” answers in big data.
Big Data requires a greater vigilance to understand limitations of the data (i.e., rural areas), and make judgments on applicability and utility.
Misc.BigDataInteractiveTechniques
MethodsSurveys
3Whatareoptionsforgettinginformation?Howreliableisreliableenough?
MISC-SEGMENTATION
A way to understand subgroups in your data
Varies in sophistication but helps fight monolithic perceptions
Can be useful, but can also leave people feeling overwhelmed
Does the segmentation pass the “smell test” for you?
Misc.BigDataInteractiveTechniques
MethodsSurveys
3Whatareoptionsforgettinginformation?Howreliableisreliableenough?
WPLCUser/Non-UserStudy(2012)
Misc.BigDataInteractiveTechniques
MethodsSurveys
3Whatareoptionsforgettinginformation?Howreliableisreliableenough?
Ambivalent+Learners+
48%$of$Sample$This segment addresses learning problems using a plan (at least they believe that they have a plan). But, mostly, they do not feel strongly about their learning. They are confident in their ability to find information, but do not enjoy studying nor do they have a need to learn. This is the largest learner segment from the sample.
Adap1ve+Learners+
26%$of$Sample$This segment exhibits a lot of characteristics of “ideal” learners (They solve problems with a plan, they are systematic, they set goals, they ask for help if they experience a problem, they enjoy studying and have a need to learn). A differentiator in this group is that there is more variance around setting specific times to study. For example, this could be a learner who studies in a hallway whenever they had some free time.
Free+Form+Learners++
13%$of$Sample$This group is not systematic in their learning, and do not solve problems with plans. But they are willing to change what they do when presented with new information (may speak to an experiential type of learner). This group also feels like they have a need to learn, but are among the least likely to set aside specific time to study.
Time+Sensi1ve+Learners+
11%$of$Sample$This segment is similar to the adaptive learners in many ways (use a plan, are systematic, etc), but they are just not quite as strong in these skills. Directionally they are identical to adaptive learners. The other key difference is that this group is the most likely to set specific times to study, and least likely to ask for assistance with a problem. This is also the smallest learner segment.
NSFDigitalResourceUserSegmentaHon(2014)
3Whatareoptionsforgettinginformation?Howreliableisreliableenough?
NSFDigitalResourceUserSegmentaHon(2014)
EXERCISETIME!
• Whattypesofdatamightansweryourques8on?
• Whatdoyouneedtogetthisinforma8on---andensurethereliabilityofwhatyouget?
4HowdoIinterpretwhatIhave?Whataresomepitfallsforunderstandingdata?
Small samples, Biased samples, and
unrepresentative samples.
BadSample!
Spurious associations & phantom causations…
sometimes wishful thinking.
NoVariance Overreach
AFewCommonPerilsandPitfallsofResearch
Can be a symptom of bad samples, bad
questions, or something else. Be skeptical of uniform sameness.
HowdoIinterpretwhatIhave?Whataresomepitfallsforunderstandingdata?
Small samples, Biased samples, and
unrepresentative samples.
BadSample!
“Weaskedpeoplewhocameintothelibraryanden3cedthemwithdoughnuts.”
Dependingonwhatdecisionyouaremaking…isthiswhoyouwanttoprivilegehearingfrom?Doughnut-eaters?
“Wetalkedtothreepeopletosolicitdifferentcommunityperspec3vesaboutthelibrary.”
Isthispublicrela8ons…orresearch?Canthesepeopleaccuratelyrepresentyour“community”?
“Wesentthesurveytoseveralemaillistsandpostedonfacebooktogetoursample.”
Again,thismightbeOK,butwhoareyouprivileging/whoareyoumissing?Whatarethelimitsofyourgeneralizability?
HowdoIinterpretwhatIhave?Whataresomepitfallsforunderstandingdata?
“100%ofcommunitymembersweaskedsupportedthelibrary!”
Thissopatentlydoesnotpassthe“smelltest”thatitsuggestsaflawedques8on,sampleorsimplepropaganda.
“Anaverageforpar3cipantsyieldedameanscoreof3.2ona5-pointscale.”
MeanswithoutStandardDevia8onsareMEANINGLESS.
NoVarianceCan be a symptom of
bad samples, bad questions, or something
else. Be skeptical of uniform sameness.
HowdoIinterpretwhatIhave?Whataresomepitfallsforunderstandingdata?
“Studentsbehaviorsindicatedaposi3veopinionofthenewtechnology”
Whatifpeoplearebeingpolite?Ifyouwanttoknowanopinion—ask.Donotassume.
“A$1investmentinthelibraryreturns$14backtothecommunity.”
Theseareslipperyclaims...“Sowhynotputthewholebudgetinthelibrary?A14xreturnisbeZerthangold!”
NoVarianceCan be a symptom of
bad samples, bad questions, or something
else. Be skeptical of uniform sameness.
Spurious associations & phantom causations…
sometimes wishful thinking.
Overreach
“Ourlibraryprogramsreducedunemploymentinthecommunityby12%”
Helping___numberofpeoplelookforajob–yes!ButthereareaTONoffactorsthatinfluenceunemployment..
HowdoIinterpretwhatIhave?Whataresomepitfallsforunderstandingdata?
NoVariance
Whatcanyoudo?
Cul1vateyou
rinn
ersk
ep1c
Thecuriouscaseof:“Bigdata/Li]lee-Text,&TheTime-on-Taskgang”
They don’t take things at face value.