Getting Better All the Time: Improving Communication

1
Getting Better All the Time Improving
Communication Accuracy in Virtual Reference 
Reference Renaissance Current and Future Trends
Denver, CO August 4-5, 2008
Marie L. Radford, Ph.D. Associate Professor,
Rutgers, The State University of New
Jersey Lynn Silipigni Connaway, Ph.D. Senior
Research Scientist, OCLC
2
Improving Communication Boosting AccuracyWhat
Do Chat Transcripts Reveal?

• 850 transcripts analyzed
• Random sample
• 561,910 sessions QuestionPoint, OCLC
• 25-50 transcripts/month
• Seeking Synchronicity Evaluating Virtual
  Reference Services from User, Non-User, and
  Librarian Perspectives, IMLS Grant

3
Getting Comfortable

• Dealing with 2 types of time pressure worries
• How long do VRS users wait to be helped?
• Do I have to hurry?
• How much time is usually spent searching?
• How long is the average session?

4
How Long do VRS Users Wait?

• Mean 1.87 Minutes
• Median 1 Minute
• Minimum 1 Second
• Maximum 67 Minutes

5
Another View of Wait Time for VRS Users
6
How Long is the Average Session?

• VRS Session time
• Mean 12.42 Minutes
• Median 12 Minutes
• Minimum - 12 Seconds
• Maximum 71 Minutes
• FtF Session time
• Median 12-13 Minutes

7
What Type of Questions are Asked?
Percent of Occurrence
n915
8
4 Simple Ways to Boost Accuracy

• 1 Tip For ready reference queries, answer
  specific question asked!
• Before you push a general info. page
• Make sure it has exact answer to users question

9
Why was President John McKinley assassinated in
1901?
10
John McKinley Biography
John McKinley was born in Culpepper
County, Virginia in 1780. At an early age, his
father died and his family moved to Kentucky. In
1800, McKinley began the practice of law in
Louisville Kentucky. In 1838, while resident of
Florence, John McKinley was Appointed the 23rd
Associate Justice of the United States Supreme
Court by President Martin Van Buren.
http//www2.una.edu/library/ McKinley/bio.html
11
sorry i meant william
12
(No Transcript)
13
Upon closer look

• His second term, which had begun auspiciously,
  came to a tragic end in September 1901. He was
  standing in a receiving line at the Buffalo
  Pan-American Exposition when a deranged anarchist
  shot him twice. He died eight days later.
• BUT THE Users QUESTION REMAINS
• WHY???

14
This site answers why, but was never sent
15
2 Tip - Boosting Accuracy

• Clarify the question!
• For all types of queries
• Use a follow-up question

16
3 Tip - Boosting Accuracy

• Check web links pushed!
• Make sure youre not sending broken links!

17
4 (Last) Tip - Boosting Accuracy

• Multiple Questions?
• Check Was each every quesstion answered?
• End with, Did this completely answer your
  question(s)?

18
Getting Comfortable in Chat

• What can we do to make chat better?
• Relational Facilitators
• Aspects with positive impact on interaction that
  enhance communication.

19
Avoiding Discomfort in Chat

• What should we avoid?
• Relational Barriers
• Aspects with negative impact on interaction that
  impede communication.

20
Recommendations

• Use basic interpersonal skills
• Greetings Closings
• Beware robotic scripts negative closure
• Take cue from user mirror relational strategies
• Dont B afraid 2 use informal language, abbrev.
  emoticons as appropriate )

21
Most Importantly

• Be yourself show your smile )
• TY!!!
• HAG Day!!

22
In Conclusion

• Research results are from the project Seeking
  Synchronicity Evaluating Virtual Reference
  Services from User, Non-User, Librarian
  Perspectives, M. L. Radford L. S. Connaway,
  Co-Principal Investigators.
• Funded by IMLS, Rutgers University OCLC, Inc.
• Special thanks J. DeAngelis Williams, P. Confer,
  D.M. Dragos, M. A. Reilly, J. Strange, S.
  Sabolcsi-Boros, T. J. Dickey.