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