Team Charter

Objective

To improve the experience of discovery and delivery for users across the UC Libraries through iterative research and development.

Charge

From Shared governance structure, charges and work practices

The Discovery Operations Subteam will seek a coordinated, systemwide approach to systemwide discovery, as appropriate and in alignment with the SILS principles. The subteam will maintain and refine the configuration of the SILS Primo VE services and applicable shared policies and best practices. The subteam will strive to ensure a coordinated and shared discovery experience for all UC patron end users. Areas of responsibility include:

• Harmonization and the implementation of consistent configuration across campus instances related to search, navigation, terminology, and user interface design elements as appropriate systemwide.

• User-centered design, prioritizing the needs of patron end users and making design decisions based upon user needs and the context of their use.

• Usability, accessibility, assessment and the evaluation of the discovery system using established tools and methods.

• Collaboration with the Fulfillment & Intercampus Resource Sharing Operations Subteam to ensure decisions optimize systemwide resource sharing functions.

Method

The Discovery Operations Subteam Areas of Responsibility and the expertise of the team’s membership can be divided into two main fields: User research and design (UX) and Configuration. The set of people in the UC Libraries best suited to make decisions about configuration only partially overlaps with the set of people best suited to perform user research and interface design.

To adequately meet the charge, DISC will create the UX Subgroup: an expertise subgroup charged with UX improvements to UC Library Search. This group, which will include relevant DISC members, will take on the task of conducting user research and producing design solutions that will improve the usability and accessibility of UC Library Search.

Be default, this will essentially create a “Configuration Subgroup” with relevant DISC members that will address configuration, harmonization, and collaboration efforts in Alma and Primo.

Steering Committee

Discovery has a steering committee that consists of the chair, vice-chair, and an at large discovery member. The steering committee helps to prioritize agenda items, provide constructive feedback on how the meetings are run, and provide additional support and perspective as needed. The steering committee is not a voting body. Decisions outside of meeting organization must be brought to the full SILS Discovery group. Time commitment is approximately less than an additional hour a month. The Steering Committee meets every other week, usually for less than 30 minutes. At the beginning of the year the steering committee members will determine the best recurring schedule.

Roles

Notetaker

We will not have a dedicated notetaker. Chair is primarily responsible for taking notes but contribution and clarifications from the rest of the team are welcome.

Chair

The Chair creates and distribute the agenda, tracks action items, and assists in planning the team's work and fulfilling the charge. In addition, the chair attends the All-Chairs meetings, leads the steering committee,, and coordinates with other SILS groups and CDL as needed. Time commitment is approximately six additional hours a month.

Vice Chair

The Vice Chair stand-in for their team’s chair, in their absence, including sometimes attending other SILS group meetings such as All-Chairs; partner with the chair on planning the team’s work and fulfilling the charge, and participates in the steering committee. Toward the end of each year, Discovery members will be given an opportunity to self-nominate to become vice-chair the next year. If multiple people are interested, the Discovery members will vote to decide the new vice chair. No voting is needed if there is only one candidate.The vice chair automatically becomes chair the next year. Time commitment is approximately two additional hours a month.

At Large Steering Committee Member

The At Large Steering Committee Member participates in the steering committee and provides additional support and perspective as needed. Toward the end of each year, after the vice chair has been selected, Discovery members will be given an opportunity to self-nominate to become an at large steering committee member the next year. If multiple people are interested, the Discovery members will vote to decide the steering committee member. No voting is needed if there is only one candidate. Time commitment is approximately less than an additional hour a month.

What are our expectations for working together?

• Fist of Five for decision-making as needed. Otherwise “thumbs up” temperature check.

  • If an issue can’t be resolved or conflict arises, we would seek guidance from the Leadership Group.

  • If an item of discussion becomes something that would best be handled by another SubTeam, we should delegate. Let’s not get caught in the details if it should be handed to a SubTeam. Operations Team as taking a strategic approach: what do we want to achieve, costs/benefits, then delegate the details of “how” to a SubTeam.

• If multiple people are talking, use Zoom hand-raise to take turns.

• 10 second rule before ending a topic of discussion.  If no comments, we move on to vote or next topic.

• Give as much time as possible for pre-digestion of prereads / checking in locally.

• What happens if someone can’t attend a meeting? As an “assigning body” of peers, if things are sent out ahead of time a member can submit thoughts ahead of time. Otherwise the show goes on, in a spirit of trust.

• Feel comfortable saying “I don’t know” and asking for more information either here, or locally. Consultation with local campus teams should be an integral part of the decision-making process.

• What are our expectations for private discussion / private communication on Slack, meeting notes, etc. ?

• “How will we resolve disagreements?”

  • If disagreements only involve Institutional Zone settings, campuses are free to choose the option that makes the most sense for their needs.

  • If there is disagreement over Network Zone settings that apply to all Institutional Zones, we will attempt to find user driven data that can be used to support a Decision page. Possible sources of user data:

    • Alma Analytics

    • 3rd party analytics

    • User Testing

• Similarly, for any topic we tackle, ask: “Is this something that needs to be harmonized? Is this a local use-case?”

  • When available, user data takes precedence.

  • If the testing results are all over the place, this might indicate it’s a local decision. However, a change or configuration that affects the Network Zone requires harmonization and a Decision Page.