Navigate Journey
Our Navigate Timeline
2016–2017
Adoption
Joined the campus student success platform and launched research appointment scheduling.
2018–2020
Integration
Standardized workflows for consultations, instruction tracking, attendance, and reporting.
2021–2023
Optimization
Expanded campaigns, staff documentation, workflow review, and proactive student outreach.
2024–2025
Evidence of Impact
Used Navigate data with campus partners to explore library engagement and student success outcomes.
Resources
These resources are organized to help other libraries understand the story, explore implementation, and consider assessment possibilities.
Implementation
—This guide is a general outline of some decisions, recommendations, and workflows that we as a public services
staff found useful. It is not comprehensive, and is not intended to replace more in depth Navigate help resources.
— “Campaigns” is the name of a specific tool within Navigate. This short document walks through some of the steps
and situations we found helpful in utilizing this tool. It is not comprehensive, and is not intended to replace more in
depth Navigate help resources.
Assessment
Polk Continues to Measure Its Impact (PDF)
—Assessment summary from the 2024–2025 Polk Library Annual Report, page 5.
Key Accomplishments
10 Lessons from 10 Years
- 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.
- 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?
- Documentation is infrastructure
If workflows are documented, clarity of understanding can be retained. Documentation has made training, updates, and periodic review possible and successful.
- 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.
- Partner with Institutional Research
We were able to make use of the individuals in the Office of Institutional Research. Utilizing Navigate makes this easier, as it is a known platform with which they have experience. There are also tools within Navigate that explore appointment effectiveness but which require additional permissions. OIR had the ability to assist. Once a partnership is established, future explorations are often easier and repeatable.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Assessment maturity is built over years, not months
What type of information is necessary to capture and what types of observations might be most useful to track for the library? This may be different depending on the size and type of library. Usage of Navigate and the accompanying data may complement or replace a library's use of other tools. Developing a mix of relevant tools, along with campus Navigate partners, takes time.
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
Contact Joe
