Streamline e-information service for virtual users: A quality function deployment (QFD) approach

Migration from the traditional to web-based library paradigm is usually accompanied by remodelling of many library core activities particularly those associated with user-centred services. In this capacity of the web-based service paradigm, many academic libraries have established networked environments within which many virtual-user communities are forming and growing. Understanding the virtual user's needs in these communities has become the first priority of networked libraries for designing, running and managing effective virtual reference services to meet the increasing expectations of the invisible users. To achieve this, the networked libraries strive to improve their quality of service by applying a wide range of such quality management approaches as quality function deployment (QFD) and LIBQUAL (TM). QFD initially stresses on driving continuous improvement of the user-oriented services towards end-user satisfaction. The paper attempts to incorporate the QFD to be integrated strategically in designing and managing e-information provision within networked library service environment. The UAE University Library is used as a case study, where the evidence-based librarianship (EBL) approach has been employed in three studies to identify user needs and acceptance of e-services. Based on these studies, the paper presents a model aimed at streamlining e-services for virtual users in ICT-rich learning environments.