Transcript
Back in January of the year before last, we sent out a survey asking people what topics they’d like to see at the conference. Information architecture ranked #1, so no pressure. Information architecture may sound formal, but it’s basically about where to put things and what to name them. I suggest a five-step model that can be applied to various organizational tasks, whether it’s your garage or your website. To make this more accessible, I’ll use the garage as a metaphor because it’s something we can all relate to.My name is Gianna Pfister-LaPin, and I’ve been at Mayo for 15 years, organizing people’s websites for almost that long. I’ve noticed that many people have trouble organizing their own stuff. When it comes to their own things, people get hung up, and a lot of emotions come up. That’s a challenge we all have to work through.The first step in my model is to define what you want to do with the space, whether it’s your garage or your website. Are you trying to park your car, build furniture, store cleaning supplies, communicate with your audience, or present resources? Being clear about your goals is essential. Remember, you are not your own user. Management often has a different idea of how to use a website than the front staff. To align these perspectives, you can use surveys or focus groups.The next step is to assess the situation. What kind of mess are you dealing with? Professional organizers often take pictures of rooms to help people understand the magnitude of their clutter. For a website, you can’t take a picture, but you can do a content inventory. This is grueling and unsexy, but very important. A content inventory gives you a true picture of what you’re dealing with, including the types of content you have (PDFs, Word documents, HTML files) and any linked content. This inventory acts as a gap analysis and helps with scope, funding, and provides a baseline for comparison.For the content inventory, assign a unique ID to each piece of content. Use a simple spreadsheet starting with a web page and then cataloging each link as 1.1, 1.2, etc. Capture the page title, direct URL, and document type. The content inventory template I’ll make available on the website after the conference will include columns for ID, page name, URL, and page type. Owner and last updated fields will be filled in during the content audit, where you’ll document who owns the content and when it was last updated.The third step is to group the content into categories. This is where information architecture comes in. Use card sorting to understand how users think of your content. Keep it to about 100 topics unless testing nurses, who are exceptional at sorting. You can use online tools like Optimal Sort or conduct in-person card sorting sessions. In-person sessions allow participants to talk and achieve consensus. Capture the sorting with photos or apps like Mural, Miro, or Brill.Once you have your categories, you create a site map or architecture, similar to an org chart. This visual representation helps validate the structure with users. I prefer a hub-and-spoke model for its representation of global navigation clusters.Step 4 is to define task zones, an idea borrowed from Julie Morgenstern’s book “Organizing from the Inside Out.” A kindergarten room is a great model: everything needed for a specific activity is grouped together. Apply this to your website by grouping related tasks and resources together, making it easy for users to find what they need.For wireframes, keep it simple with lines and words. Avoid using colors or placeholders to prevent users from getting attached to specific designs. Use boxes for images, lines for text, and different colors for links. Think through interactive elements like tabs and ensure all states are diagrammed out.The final step is to plan for the future. What is your content strategy? Write down editorial guidelines and establish an oversight team. Keep content fresh by regularly reviewing and updating it. People are emotionally attached to their websites, so changes can be challenging.To recap, my five-step model is: define your goals, assess the situation, group content into categories, define task zones, and plan for the future. Now I can open it for questions.
Q&A
Q: How would I request your group’s help with a card sort?
A: Media Support Services offers intranet consultation and usability services. Submit a virtual ticket through the Media Support Services website, and if unsure, customer service can assist you.
Q: What is the best practice for the number of clicks on a web page?
A: The rule of no more than three clicks has been debunked. It’s about the user’s sense of progress toward their goal, not the number of clicks.
Q: Should content inventory include separate tabs when pages have multiple tabs?
A: Yes, document each tab’s content with unique IDs for clarity.
Q: What mock-up tool do you recommend instead of Word?
A: Paper and pencil, PowerPoint, or other simple tools. PowerPoint is convenient due to its screen aspect ratio.
Q: Thoughts on cleaning up content from a previous owner but still showing use?
A: Show the data supporting its continued use. Refer to usability studies or resources like Nielsen Norman Group.
Q: Is it better to define task zones prior to grouping into categories?
A: It depends, but always validate your approach based on user needs.
Q: Is it better to have large subject matter groups or break them into smaller groups?
A: Smaller, more homogeneous groups are generally better for focused tasks.
Q: Can I do my own card sort? How?
A: Yes, keep it simple with sticky notes or online tools. Group similar content and invite users to sort.