Lightning Talk
Lightning Talk:
Shhh…or not? Co-designing quiet in a noisy library
Presenter:
Megan Wong
Date:
Wednesday 13 May 2026 | 2:00pm – 2:30pm
Presentation Description:
Do you have a noise problem in your library? So does UTS Library. For over a year, noise has been our number one source of user complaints—escalating from quiet grumbles to public Reddit threads (yes, multiple). These complaints reflect growing dissatisfaction with an expectation of a core library service: our spaces. And when our spaces stop feeling safe and welcoming, our reputation suffers.
Initial responses followed the usual playbook: more signage, more shushing, more QR code surveys. But these efforts fell flat. Signage was ignored, surveys went untouched, and the complaints kept coming. It became clear that our definition of ‘quiet’ didn’t necessarily match our students’—and that our feedback methods weren’t meeting them where they were.
Enter ‘Define Your Quiet’: a playful, participatory polling activation designed to engage with students in a casual way. The installation was tactile, low-stakes, and visually engaging. It sparked curiosity, conversation, and a sense of shared ownership. Students could see how their peers voted, reflect on their own behaviours, and feel heard—without judgment or authority.
The result? A 4000% increase in engagement compared to previous surveys, overwhelmingly positive feedback from students passing by the installation, and a visible shift in how students perceived the Library’s responsiveness. The installation allowed staff to better understand the diversity of noise preferences and tailor communications accordingly.
This presentation will walk delegates through the design thinking behind the activation—from the DIY stickers to the intentional use of funky fonts and wrinkled paper. It will explore how co-design can be used not just to solve problems, but to better define them—before jumping to ineffective solutions. And it will offer practical, low-barrier ideas for engaging users in ways that are fun, inclusive, and genuinely useful.
If you’ve ever struggled to get meaningful feedback from your community—or wondered how to make your library feel more human—this session is for you.
Megan Wong
Specialist, Identity and Design, UTS Library
Presenter Bio
Megan Wong is a design specialist with over six years’ experience at UTS Library, where she leads participatory design and user research initiatives that centre student voices in service and space design. Her work focuses on creating inclusive, human-centred experiences through playful, research-informed engagement strategies.
Megan holds a Master of Design (Research) from UTS, where her thesis explored how participatory storytelling can be used by designers to drive social ecological change. She brings a strong academic foundation to her practice, complemented by a deep understanding of co-design methodologies and their application in complex, real-world environments.
She has facilitated participatory design workshops at Melbourne Design Week (2022) and was a panellist at the ‘Visualising the Invisible: Image Makers in Climate Communication conference’ (2022), where she spoke on the role of visual storytelling in shaping public discourse. Megan is also a regular guest lecturer at the UTS School of Design, teaching Research through Design practices, and has previously worked as a casual academic in visual culture.
Megan’s work bridges the gap between research and practice, and she is passionate about creating engaging, student-led experiences that challenge traditional models of feedback and institutional communication. Her presentations are grounded in real-world impact, offering practical insights into how libraries and universities can meaningfully connect with their communities through design.