LAT Report on Jill-Hurst-Wahl's Failing to Innovate: Not an Option
Computers in Libraries 2006
Jill Hurst-Wahl of Hurst Associates spoke at the first session on the first morning of the conference, which set the tone for me for the next three days. This was a call to action. Below I have incorporated contents from her PowerPoint along with my interpretation of what she said. Her original PowerPoint in its entirety is linked at the bottom of this page. Please note that Becky Steffen, a 7th grader from Brockport's Oliver Middle School, created the computer graphic used to create the cartoon for this wiki page.
Ms. Hurst-Wahl began her presentation talking about innovation and how it can be used to help during times of change. She said today’s libraries need to be innovative because although they were (and still are) places of information abundance, “the place libraries hold today is no longer as distinct as it once was.” Libraries need to use innovation to bring customers back into libraries.
She then described the generations served by today’s libraries focusing on the Millennial generation, or those born after 1982. Even though everyone thinks their generation will survive and their technology will survive, it won’t. The Millennials will outlive us and they expect us to adapt to them not vice versa. Here is how she describes the Millennials:
__Generation M for Media__
Electronic / digital / interactive
Always connected / hyper-connected
Multitasking / continuous partial attention
Multi-functioning devices
Information abundance
Media creators / innovators (without regard to copyright)
Internet as supplement to "everything"
Want it NOW. . .on their own schedules
They have more information than they know how to deal with. We can help them to organize that information and teach them about copyright in a way that they will listen without realizing they are learning. If you don't offer them something that has value to them now, you're going to be irrelevant to them for the rest of their lives. It's not a risk we can afford to take. We need to keep them connected to us.
She then described 5 types of innovation:
(1) __Product / service __- Creating websites geared for specific users; listen to books on ipod; storytime on podcast; "user" site.
(2) __Process/delivery method __- Virtual reference; iPod; chat with IM.
(3) __Marketing / promotion __– The 4 keys are product, packaging, promotion, and price. Think satellite libraries and My Space. Satellite libraries in shopping malls; storefront that people can visit--every mall has empty space, so ask your mall if you can use it temporarily while it is not being used. My Space has bad reputation because Millennials put out too much information. What if libraries become part of My Space so Millennials can connect to them.
(4) __Organization / social __- Innovating with our users. Pull your users in and ask them "what do you want to do?" It might be something totally different than what you would think.
(5) __Business model __- Being everywhere: where users live, work, and play. Online and in the library so they can connect to us everywhere that they want to be.
How do we innovate? Usually we follow a haphazard approach:
- Follow the leader
- Trial and error
- "Seek" inspiration
- Act on wild ideas
- Do the unexpected
- Mimic Generation M
While it may work, we can and should be following a model—a process with gates to move through:
- Idea generation – “Ideaization” session where you generate ideas. Usually held somewhere where you can feel creative (toys on table?).
- Concept feasibility - After idea generation, step back and figure out what is feasible.
- Capability development - Maybe fifty ideas feasible, but can only move forward with a few.
- Ramp up - Maybe one idea.
- Launch.
- Start all over again - INNOVATION HAS TO BE CONTINUOUS. . .
- NEED to test throughout. Go to user base and check at each stage, not just bizarre idea that only you like.
- Remember, innovation take time.
She suggests that to be innovative we should look to the future and our roots:
- To be driven by community needs
- A place to be creative
- Tools to help people be productive. Give them a creative space with all the content and all the tools. Allow them to create multimedia presentations, blogs, etc.
- Respond to & use disruptive technologies (move toward the bleeding edge)
- A crossroads / town square (online?)
- An interactive place (always connected)
- Virtual and brick
After the Millennials?
“If we can't innovate in order to be relevant for Millennials, we won't have to worry about the generation that comes after them.”
POWERPOINT PRESENTATION
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
If you would like to read blog postings about this presentation:
http://hurstassociates.blogspot.com/2006/03/cil2006-failing-to-innovate-not-option.html
http://blogdriverswaltz.com/?p=728
http://jenica26.squarespace.com/mermaid/2006/3/22/innovation.html
http://blogs.talis.com/panlibus/archives/2006/03/cil2006_failing.html
Karen Mitchell and Jane Reeves
Monroe 2-Orleans BOCES Library Automation Team (LAT) Members
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