Our Navigate Timeline

10 Lessons from 10 Years

1. Workflow design matters as much as software implementation

Navigate is a great tool, but being able to use it to track and record various library interactions requires workflows to be efficient and consistent. A workflow that is cumbersome and not uniformly understood and determined by staff will not provide much benefit.

2. Standardize data definitions early

Being able to look back in time and compare data is a great thing. Although, that is only possible if definitions are clear and consistent. One example could be the definition of "instruction." As a group we needed to clarify what this meant and didn't mean when it came to Navigate. Did instruction sessions include all classroom visits or only certain types? And how were we going to differentiate those types?

3. Documentation is infrastructure

If workflows are documented, clarity of understanding can be retained. Documentation has made training, updates, and periodic review possible and successful.

4. Build strong relationships with Navigate administrators

Navigate implementation over the last 10 years has gone through a number of twists and turns. There were platform name changes, new features introduced, and the occasional technological hiccup that needed to be addressed. For Navigate to remain useful to the library, these changes required strong relationships with Navigate administrators.

5. Build partnerships with Institutional Research and student success leaders

The Office of Institutional Research brought expertise, data access, and a campus-wide perspective that strengthened our assessment efforts. As relationships developed, opportunities for collaboration became easier to identify and sustain.

6. Address privacy and FERPA questions early

What type of information will be recorded in Navigate as it relates to instruction or research assistance? How should the student be informed and given the option of opting out if appropriate? Discussing questions such as these as a group can help add clarity to approach and workflows.

7. Campaigns shift the library from reactive to proactive support

Navigate campaigns allow librarians to identify potential high-need support times and schedule research appointment invitations accordingly. Students have reported eyeing a fast-approaching due date only to receive a timely invitation for research assistance. This feature removes another barrier to student assistance.

8. Gather staff feedback during active semesters

Technological and workflow glitches will surface. It's important to gather problems as they occur during peak use times so as not to forget or fail to correct.

9. Organizational structure affects student experience

How the platform is employed and managed by a given university can greatly affect the student experience. How are decisions related to the use of Navigate by care units and professors managed? Is there a uniformity of use and clear expectations across units? For example, updated calendar availabilities in Navigate provided by one care unit may prevent a student from mistakenly scheduling an appointment with another care unit.

10. Align assessment with institutional priorities

Assessment has greater impact when it aligns with institutional priorities. Rather than measuring library activity alone, we connected library evidence to student success questions that mattered across campus. As a result, our findings became relevant to broader institutional retention conversations.

Looking Ahead

As UW–Oshkosh Libraries continues to support student learning, research, and success, Navigate remains part of a broader effort to connect library services with institutional priorities, responsible data use, outreach, assessment, and evidence-informed decision making.

Connect

Interested in discussing library use of Navigate as it relates to assessment, outreach campaigns, or student success partnerships?

Joe Pirillo
Information Literacy and Online Learning Librarian
UW–Oshkosh Libraries