Library Gateway: Project Design, Teams and Cycle Time

Abstract

Librarians at Cornell University Library (CUL) launched the first systemwide integrated gateway to networked resources, services, and library information in January 1998. The system was created and introduced in just 17 weeks. The Library Gateway was launched in response to a confusing CUL online presence; the library was spending half a million dollars a year on online resources and devoting a substantial amount of staff time to provide access to them, but systemwide efforts were only loosely coordinated. In this article, we examine the design and implementation process that helped the project succeed, rather than focusing on the technology or the vision behind the gateway. Examining the gateway project as a case study of new product development, we identify and discuss critical success factors, including: starting with a clearly defined concept, the importance of buy-in, simultaneous development of different portions of the project, employing cross-functional teams, and seeking continual feedback. Working together on a project of this complexity and on such a fast time line was an important organizational learning experience that moved CUL a step closer to mastering the process of innovation.