Learning Spaces Assessments

Assessment Toolkit

Roadmap

This section offers essential guidance on planning and implementing informal learning spaces, covering key project phases, stakeholder involvement, and effective communication strategies. It emphasizes the importance of mapping out the project's phases, involving the right people at the right time, and using clear communication to align your internal team and engage external audiences. With tips for setting goals, building partnerships, and managing deliverables, this toolkit helps ensure smooth project execution, even if adjustments are needed along the way.

Needs Assessment

The Needs Assessment section provides methodologies and tools to understand users' needs, motivations, and workflows, which are essential for designing effective learning spaces. By conducting user research, you can uncover gaps and make informed decisions that align with institutional goals and strategic priorities. The section highlights best practices for creating goals, gathering data, and assessing how well spaces support intended learning outcomes. It also emphasizes ongoing, iterative assessments after space renovarion or construction to ensure continued success. Resources and tools are available to assist in data collection and analysis throughout the process.

Space Types

A successful learning space integrates the right technology, service support, and a well-balanced design that meets user needs. This section provides guiding principles for planning learning spaces, methods to translate user needs into practical solutions, and a taxonomy to identify and address design gaps. It highlights the importance of studying model spaces holistically and tailoring solutions to specific contexts, considering purpose, sustainability, technology, and furnishings. Resources include templates for design criteria, a framework for describing space attributes, and a checklist of critical design issues to ensure a throughtful planning process.

Services

Services and spaces should be designed together, informed by user research, to enhance user effectiveness rather than just provide efficiency. This toolkit builds on the Needs Assessment section within learning spaces. Services may include tutorials, classes, technology support, and more, shaping user experiences as much as the physical environment. When done right, services can build skills, knowledge, and community, accomodating diverse learning styles. The section provides best practices, tools like personas, journey maps, and service blueprints, and guidance on staffing and optimizing service delivery.

Technology

The Technology section provides comprehensive guidance on planning, implementing, and supporting technologies in learning spaces. It covers a range of spaces, from study rooms to advanced visualization studios, offering strategic advice and practical tools. This section outlines the technology planning process, key roles for technologists, and when to engage technology partners. It also provides lifecycle strategies to balance costs and sustainability across your technology portfolio. Resources include expert studies on future learning technologies and a checklist to ensure technology choices align with project goals and future needs.

Integration

The Integration section of the Learning Space Toolkit helps you plan holistically by connecting space, technology, and services to meet identified needs. It focuses on four key connections: linking needs with solutions, aligning space design with furniture, technology, and services, connecting physical spaces, and involving key stakeholders. This section provides guiding principles and tools, such as an integrated budgeting tool and an integration blueprint, to align design criteria and ensure everything works together seamlessly. With these resources, you can check for alignment, identify gaps, and plan effective learning spaces.