How can we apply an assessment lens to our own assessment practices? To answer this question, we follow a mixed-methods approach by applying the assessment ecosystem design described in the recent ARL Assessment Program Visioning Task Force Recommendations (December 17, 2017). Our research synthesizes the evidence and insights gathered through three methods: a case study analysis, a comparative analysis, and a gap analysis. First, we examined a case study of a UX and Assessment (UX&A) program recently developed at Montana State University (MSU). The vision of the UX&A program at MSU is to build and sustain a library that is useful, usable, and desirable for our diverse community of users. UX&A personnel work collaboratively with other library departments to continually measure, assess, and improve users' experience of library services and instruction, both physical and online. This new UX&A program was developed in tandem with a new library strategic plan, which is based on the Balanced Scorecard framework. With the new assessment program and strategic plan in place, we conducted a second phase of research: a comparative analysis of the MSU UX&A program vis-à-vis the assessment landscape described in the ARL recommendations. In this analysis, we highlight which ecosystem elements are currently in place, which elements are in development, and which still need to be developed at MSU. Next, we conducted a gap analysis comparing the ARL recommendations with established and emerging user experience and assessment programs in place at other research libraries to determine if there are additional elements outside of these recommendations that may be useful for describing, assessing, and improving a library's assessment framework. Finally, we synthesized the insights gathered from our meta-assessment to create an enhanced version of the ARL ecosystem as applied to the MSU library. In terms of practical impact, this enhanced meta-assessment ecosystem can be applied to comprehensively evaluate and improve a library's user experience and assessment program. Our research ultimately demonstrates and models an approach for meta-assessment that can help inform the development of more effective and sustainable library UX and assessment programs for the ultimate benefit of our users. Project Context and Background Library assessment has increased in prevalence and scope over time. 2 As assessment in libraries continues to develop, the practice has taken on a stronger intention around user-centeredness. 3 Consequently, library organizational structures have begun to reconfigure in order to amplify and integrate user experience design, user-centered design, service design, and other newer approaches that complement traditional assessment practices. Notable examples include

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Objective: The objective of this article is to illustrate the application of service blueprinting-a design tool that comes from the service design tradition-for assessing and improving library technology services. Setting:A mid-sized library at a public university in the western United States.Methods: A service blueprint was co-created by library and IT staff in a design workshop in order to map the operational flow of a data visualization display wall. Results:Guided by the service blueprint, the project team identified points of improvement for the service of the data visualization display wall, and developed recommendations to aid further applications of service blueprinting.Conclusions: Ultimately, service blueprinting was found to be a useful tool that can be applied to assess and improve library technology services.

How can we apply an assessment lens to our own assessment practices? To answer this question, we follow a mixed-methods approach by applying the assessment ecosystem design described in the recent ARL Assessment Program Visioning Task Force Recommendations (December 17, 2017). Our research synthesizes the evidence and insights gathered through three methods: a case study analysis, a comparative analysis, and a gap analysis.First, we examine a case study of a UX and Assessment (UX&A) program recently developed at Montana State University (MSU). The vision of the UX&A program at MSU is to build and sustain a library that is useful, usable, and desirable for our diverse community of users. UX&A personnel work collaboratively with other Library departments to continually measure, assess, and improve users' experience of Library services and instruction, both physical and online. This new UX&A program was developed in tandem with a new library strategic plan, which is based on the Balanced Scorecard framework.With the new assessment program and strategic plan in place, we conducted a second phase of research: a comparative analysis of the MSU UX&A program vis-à-vis the assessment landscape described in the ARL Recommendations. In this analysis, we highlight which ecosystem elements are currently in place, which elements are in development, and which still need to be developed at MSU.Next, we conducted a gap analysis comparing the ARL recommendations with established and emerging user experience and assessment programs in place at other research libraries to determine if there are additional elements outside of these recommendations that may be useful for describing, assessing, and improving a library’s assessment framework.Finally, we synthesized the insights gathered from our meta-assessment to create an enhanced version of the ARL ecosystem as applied to the MSU library. In terms of practical impact, this enhanced meta-assessment ecosystem can be applied to comprehensively evaluate and improve a library’s user experience and assessment program. Our research ultimately demonstrates and models an approach for meta-assessment that can help inform the development of more effective and sustainable library UX and assessment programs, for the ultimate benefit of our users.