Post on 05-Jan-2016
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School of Information, Fall 2007School of Information, Fall 2007University of TexasUniversity of Texas
A. Fleming SeayA. Fleming Seay
Information Architecture
Week 5
Agenda
Presentations
SILVAS, Metaphors in Web Design and Navigation
MASON, Taxonomies & Classification for Organizing Content
Project Plan Review
Lecture – Contextual design
Class Work: User Analysis
Thesauri, Vocabularies & Metadata
The Structure of Your Content (Part of the Plan)
Models the Information for the User (Content Modeling)
What do we mean by Metadata?
“…descriptive information about the context, quality and condition, or characteristics…”
What are some examples of metadata?
Tags are used to describedocumentspagesimagessoftwarevideo and audio filesother content objects
Why?
Improved navigation and retrieval
Controlled Vocabularies
Establish ConsistenciesFor the Content & DevelopersEducation for the user - shaping behavior
Just Synonyms?Lists of Equivalents (Index)Aliases (Authority File)
“Synonym Ring”Based on User’s UnderstandingImproved Upon by IAIterative Process to Discover Alternate Words & Concepts
Building Your “Authority File”
List of preferred terms or acceptable values p180
The Mission Statement for your ContentAcronyms, AbbreviationsMultiple terms (“term rotation”?)Cases (Upper, Lower and Mixed)Labels for Button & Graphics too
Use a Central File to Keep CurrentAuthority.txt
Keep updated throughout the project
Classification Schemes
A hierarchical arrangement of preferred terms
Taxonomies are both visible and invisible to the user
Front EndUsers (Personalized)Interface (Browse)
Back EndInformation ArchitectureContent ManagementSystem (Search)
ApproachesTop-Down & Bottom-UpContent & Task
Semantic Relationships
Equivalence
HierarchicalStrong (Inherited)
City - AustinInstance (Classes)
Texas - Austin
AssociativeBased on Understanding of Content & user
Thesaurus in Action
Preferred TermVariant Term (synonyms)Broader Term (preferred’s parent)Narrower Term (preferred’s child)Related (“see also”, synonyms)Use (rules for where and when)Scope (restricts meaning)
Faceted Classification
“How do I describe this?” -Ranganathan
Multiple Dimensions
Now More Applicable to Digital InformationPersonality, Matter, Energy, Space, TimeTopic, Product, Document Type, Audience, Geography, Price
Taxonomy of Decisions & Actions
Purpose of the Search
Method to Find Information
Content of the Information Being Searched
GVU Survey QuestionRecent instance of important information found
Taxonomic Analysis of Responses from Survey
Morrison et al 2001
Taxonomy of Decisions & Actions (cont’d)Purpose Method
Content
Morrison et al 2001Morrison et al 2001
Chapter 10 - Research
Some Context
Myths of Technology Design People can tell you exactly what they want. The use of technology requires a lot of training,
manuals, and support.
Facts of Technology Improving the user experience takes more than:
simply asking the userintrospection
What’s Happening Here?
What is the user doing?
What is the system doing?
A Mismatch in Models
The user’s mental or conceptual model of the task and how it is executed does not match the system’s implementation model
Implementationmodel
VersusVersusMentalmodel
User’s Model vs. Engineer’s Model
What user (thinks he/she) is doingvs.Actual Implementation
These issues are addressed by two types of design
User Centered Design Focus on the user’s conceptual model
Participatory DesignHuman-Centered Design
System Centered Design Code-level organization and functionality of the system
“software engineering”
VersusVersus
User Centered User Centered DesignDesign
System System Centered DesignCentered Design
Implementationmodel
Mentalmodel
Imagine….
You are on a seasoned design team
Several members with skill sets both unique and overlapping
You handle problems from all kinds of domains
Often you have little prior exposure to the design problem
Your team has an incredible track record
How are you able to consistently perform?
PROCESSPROCESS
Contextual Design
Starts with the recognition that any system embodies a way of working.
A system's function and structure forces particular strategies, language, and work flow on its users.
Successful systems offer a way of working that customers want to adopt.
Contextual Design is a method which helps a cross-functional team come to agreement on what their customers need and how to design a system for them.
Contextual Design
Gather data from multiple users
Design depends on seeing the implications of the data
Design begins with a creative leap from customer data to implications for design and from implications to ideas for specific features
Abstract data into a common model
Steps in Contextual DesignSteps in Contextual Design
Contextual Inquiry
Work Modeling
Consolidation
User Environment Design
Interface Design and Prototyping
Visioning
The Process in Full
Contextual Inquiry – finding “the real experts”
Gather DataObservationInterviewParticipation“Shadowing”
Learn User’s Vocabulary
Gather Artifacts
Gain an understanding of the user
HEY LOOK AT ALL THE DATA WE HAVE!what are we gonna do with it?
Work Modeling
Organize the data
Create shared understanding and group memory
Working on the Wall
• Everyone participates
• Everyone contributes
• Build consensus
• Models/data always up
• Immersion in the data
Work Modeling – Types of Models
Flow ModelCommunication & Coordination
Sequence ModelDetailed work steps
Artifact ModelPhysical elements created to support work
Cultural ModelConstraints created by policy, culture, values
Physical ModelPhysical structure of work environment
Flow Model - Communication & Coordination
How people’s roles are defined and how they communicate/coordinate
Pattern of work - Relationships rather than sequence
ElementsIndividuals
•Person or group, annotated with the roles they play (interviewee is noted with a number & title)
•BubblesResponsibilities
•List of expectations•Placed in bubble
Flow•Communication•Arrows
Flow Model - Communication & Coordination
Elements (cont’d)Artifacts
•Items created to support the work•Boxes on flow
Communication topic•Details of flow•Listed on arrows
Places•Areas where work gets done. Shown only when it is central to the flow
•Large Box annotated with name and activityBreakdowns
•Problems on flow•Large Lightning Bolt
Example of a Flow Model
Sequence Model - Detailed work steps
Steps by which work is done, triggers that activate steps, and goals
•Pattern of work
Elements •Intent – Expectations of sequence•Trigger – What activates the sequence•Steps – Actions taken•Order – Arrows, loops, branches, connecting steps•Breakdowns – Problems in performing the steps
Artifact Model - Physical elements supporting work
Artifacts are items used to support the work. They have structure, content, usage, and intent
•An artifact model is a drawing, photocopy, or actual artifact annotated with details
Elements •Information – Content•Parts – Which are distinct in their usage•Structure – of parts, explicit and implicit•Annotations – of informal usage•Presentation – form of content when it is integral to function•Usage – when is it created, how it is used, how people move through its parts
•Breakdowns – Problems in using the artifact
Example of Artifact Model
Cultural model - Constraints of policy, culture, values
“Cultural context is the mindset that people operate within and that plays a part in everything they do” p.108
•Defines expectations, desires, and values•Written and unwritten policies
Elements •Influences
affect and constrain work (Bubbles)•Extent
the effect on the work (Bubble overlap)•Influence
direction of influence (Arrows)
Example of Cultural Model
Physical Model - Physical structure of work environment
Elements • Places where work is done• Structures that define spaces• Usage and movement within the space• Communication lines• Layout of artifacts/tools
ConsolidationConsolidation
Look across multiple users•Common practices•Divergent practices
Going from a few to a large population
Inductive Process
Whole UserPopulation
Individuals
The Consolidation Process
For each model (flow, sequence, artifact, physical, & cultural):
•Review model•Ask what is important about this model?•What current manual roles, tasks, steps, communication flows might better be automated?
•What successful manual approaches can be used as a metaphor for design? (e.g., paper memory aids)
•What breakdowns might be remedied?
Consolidation – The Affinity Diagram
Organizes individual notes into a hierarchy of common issues
How-To•In a group session each member has their field notes and a pad of post-its
•One note is put-up and others look for similar notes that seem to go with it
•Interview notes are placed together if they have an “affinity” – similar issues, intent, problems
•Notes are given a group name that states the issue which binds them together
SPONSORED BY 3M Corporation
Example of An Affinity Diagram
Trip Totem Project
Consolidation – The Affinity Diagram
Creating the Vision
“Grounded Brainstorming”Brainstorming because ideas are not evaluated & should flow freely
“Grounded” because ideas are driven by the data on customers’ work practices
Draw ideas on flip chart as team throws them out
Use ideas from “starting points”
Incorporate each idea into a coherent story for a redesigned work process
Create in the form of diagram, much like the flow model, but revised with new artifacts, communication processes, strategies
Create an explicit representation of the system work model
An Abstract "floor plan" of the new systemShows each part of the system – • "rooms" that offer certain functionality • how each supports the user’s work• links between the rooms describing their relationships
NOT tied to any particular user interface• supports roll out sequential rollout of features• supports development across multiple implementation
teams
Easily translated into a blueprint or site plan, developed into a prototype and tested
User Environment Design
Example of a UED
An alternative technique - Personas
A user archetype used to guide decisions about product features
By designing for the archetype—whose goals and behavior patterns are well understood—you can satisfy the broader group of people represented by that archetype.
In most cases, personas are synthesized from a series of ethnographic interviews with real people, then captured in 1-2 page descriptions that include behavior patterns, goals, skills, attitudes, and environment, with a few fictional personal details to bring the persona to life.
For each product, or sometimes for each set of tools within a product, there is a small set of personas, one of whom is the primary focus for the design.
Rapid Ethnography
Person-centered field work done in natural settingsholistic, observing the complete contextperspective of the consumer
Like Rapid Prototyping, Usability Inspection & Discount Usability
EthnographyPeople (Practice)Environments (Native)Activities (Context)
Cultural Observation and Analysis
Elicit User RequirementsMillen 2000
Rapid Ethnography pt. 2
Narrow FocusShort StudiesComparisons to Other StudiesZoom in On Key ActivitiesMultiple Datasets (Critical Incidents)ObservationsRecordingActivity WalkthroughsInterviews (Structured)
Selection of Instances that Yield IncidentsKey TimesKey Users
Rapid Ethnography pt. 3
Automated Data AnalysisTeam Data AnalysisScenario Analysis (storyboards)Pictorial Storytelling (metaphors)Lightweight DeliverablesDrawings (Sketches)Notes (not Reports)IncompletePrototypes
Cognitive Mapping (assumptive)
Substitute for Full or Complete Studies
Class Work: Who Will Use the Site?
Who are your target users?What do you want users to get from your site?Is the site a Searching site?A Browsing and Learning site?
Home Work: User Analysis
Rapid Ethnography – go find some of those usersWhat do your users have in common?What are their differences?What design decisions need to be specifically
planned for as essential for your users?What will the information on your site be used for?
For Next Week
PresentationsTSE, User IA – blogs, RSS and WIKIs FOGLE, IA & Web Advertising WHITWORTH, Navigation & menus MCDAVID, Search Pages and Results
Rosenfeld, Information Architecture: Chapters 7 & 8
Choo, C. W., Detlor, B., & Turnbull, D. (2000). Information Seeking on the Web: An Integrated Model of Browsing and Searching. First Monday, 5(2).
Tauscher, L. M., & Greenberg, S. (1997). Revisitation patterns in World Wide Web navigation. Paper presented at the ACM SIGCHI '97, Atlanta, GA.
Site Concept Deliverable
Site Concept Deliverable For Next Week
Sitemap diagram of your proposed projectOne page, printed
User Research DocumentOne page, printed What did you do? Who did you find?
What did you learn?
User model (scenario starter) One page, printed
What the site is aboutIn two sentences (at most)
Briefly describe Who will use the siteWhy?When?
Backup
Human Information Behavior
Information Behavior – The totality of our interaction with information
Information Seeking – Purposive and as a consequence of need
Information Searching – Thought and action surrounding the interaction with info systems
Information Use - Physical Actions – highlighting, bookmarkingMental Actions – consideration of conflicting information
Wilson 2001
New Models of Info Behavior – Global Model