Information Architecture Strategy Recommendation Highlights Presented by Cord Woodruff, Ph.D. September 5, 2001

2 Our Approach

3 Project Overview Methodology (9 Weeks) Opinion Leader Interviews User Research Content, Classification & Search Log Analysis Deliverables User & Opinion Leader Reports Final Recommendations Report Final Presentations (9/4, 9/5, 9/6)

4 Presentation Outline Research Results & Analysis Major Portal Problems Beyond the Portal Recommendation Highlights Portal Strategy Information Architecture Design Next Steps Immediate Long-Term Critical

5 Research Results & Analysis Major Portal Problems Extremely difficult to find things via the portal No idea what category to select in taxonomy Misleading labels (e.g., “HP Policies”) Search is important for users but works poorly Employees use “wrong” keywords Employees feel guilty using alternative navigation tools (e.g., Backroads) 19 of 44 user testing sessions (43%) expired unsuccessfully at 3 minutes

6 Research Results & Analysis Beyond the Portal Employees have diverse information Search Log Data (1 week) 33,000 queries (27,000 or 81% unique)

7 Portal Strategy Recommendations 1.Define Portal Scope position portal as a portal (focus on finding) embrace full intranet 2.Balance Top-Down & Bottom-Up IA Approaches distributed content/metadata management reward good content, services, navigation tools 3.Recognize IA as Infrastructure Manage transitions (start broad / share vision)

8 Portal Strategy Recommendations Recognize IA as Infrastructure

9 IA Design Recommendations 1.Provide Multiple Finding Tools classification schemes (taxonomies) search site index 2.Leverage CMS distributed responsibility (metadata) incentives to authors/owners 3.Improve Search integrate with browsing filtering, zones, synonym management

10 IA Design Recommendations Classification Schemes Classification Schemes Sample Terms TopicsEnterprise-wide subject hierarchy. OrganizationsBusinesses, functions, departments (authors/owners). Countries & LocationsGeographic indicator of intended audience. Products & ServicesComplete range of HP products and services. FormatsContent/object types that are meaningful to employees. RolesMajor employee roles (e.g., managers, admins). LanguagesLanguage of documents.

11 IA Design Recommendations Authority Control Enterprise Certified Metadata supplied and/or approved Hand-crafted access via browsable indexes. Included in Suggested Links (controlled vocabulary). Organization Certified Content and metadata approved by departmental manager. Author Certified Content and metadata provided by HP employee. Uncertified Content provided by HP employee. No metadata provided.

12 home

13 formats level 1

14 formats level 2

15 search

16 site index

17 Benefits 1.Employees Find What They Need fewer clicks, less time less dead-ends, more success 2.Flexible, Scalable Portal Framework support content growth / dynamism support evolving employee needs

18 Next Steps Improvements to Implement Immediately Refine and adopt classification schemes Integrate navigation elements Expand search effort (“suggested links”) Build a site index Articulate a vision and roadmap

19 Next Steps Critical Components for Long-Term Content and metadata system Classification schemes and thesauri Facet navigation model

20 Appendix. Background Slides

21 topics

22 organizations

23 countries & locations

24 products & services

25 formats

26 formats level 2

27 organizations level 2

28 search

29 search – synonym management

30 site index