Information Architecture

Erika Lewis, James Wetherill, Paul Coyle, Vivien Lau

IDIA 630.085 Information Architecture

Dr. Nancy Kaplan

University of Baltimore, Spring 2009

Agenda

1. Overview

2. Business Goals

3. Current HPPBU Website

4. Strategy

i. Content Inventory

ii. Description

iii. Concept Model

iv. Mental Model

5. User Personas

6. New Design: Sitemap

7. Wireframes

8. Page Flow Comparison

9. Recommendations

10.Questions and Answers

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1. Overview

• SAIC’s product is information:

employee development is critical.

need identified during bi-annual internal poll

• SAIC’s intranet contains development resources

these are scattered and not well-organized

time constraints on their use

• Objective – identify resources, and place them in context

encourage employee development

Build community

increase employee retention.

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2. Business Goals

Challenge – create an information architecture that will:

Increase the capabilities of the HPPBU employee development website

Allow employees to maximize their use of the resources

Reflects SAIC’s commitment to employee development

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3. Current HPPBU Home Page

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4. Strategy - Content Inventory

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4. Strategy Continued

The main features of the proposed information architecture:

• Reorganization of important links

Information within the business units area available for

customization

Focusing the users attention on the 4 main areas most

utilized on the SAIC site

• Consistency of terminology, design and navigation with

Quicklinks visible within a single page fold

• Collapsible menus have been used

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4. Strategy – Concept Model

4. Strategy – Mental Model

Authors Selects

Sends

Collaborates

Learns About

Selects

Communicates

SocialNetworking

Recommends for

Rates for

9

10

AgeBetween 22 - 30

OccupationJunior Software Engineer

Education4-yr College

Computing and Web ExperienceExpert

Interest/ ActivitiesDaily Blog, Twitter, iPhone, Training Programs, Corporate Intranet

5. User Personas I

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AgeBetween 50 - 65

OccupationSenior Project Manager

EducationMaster Degree

Computing and Web ExperienceBeginner/ Intermediate

Interest/ ActivitiesPhone, for “getting things done” that do not require a computer.; a strong interest in adoption of any tool which can make her business unit more productive

5. User Personas II

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AgeBetween 30 - 45

OccupationBusiness Unit Manager

EducationMaster Degree

Computing and Web ExperienceIntermediate/ Expert

Interest/ ActivitiesOffice Events, Documents that are relevant to the current project.

5. User Personas III

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6. New Design - Sitemap

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7. Wireframes

User wants…

• an integrated, consistent interface

• view the summary of regularly performed tasks

• monitor information related to the job

• a hub to access various organization related

resources/data

• to personalize content

Sources: Human Factors Internal – The Science and Art of Effective Web and Application Design Class Material

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7. Wireframes Continued

Structure and Navigation:

• Show the logical default state of the application

• Have primary tasks that are prominent

• Support frequency of use

• Be efficient. Support doing the task quickly or accurately

• Match the user’s metal model

• It behaves as the user expects

Sources: Human Factors Internal – The Science and Art of Effective Web and Application Design Class Material

7. Wireframes - High Level Concept

1

2

5

3

4

6

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1 Branding/ Message

2 HPPBU’s Global

Navigation

3 Landing Page

Content

4 Quick Links

5 HPPBU Sub

Navigation

6 Feedback

7. Wireframes – HPPBU Home Page

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1 Enable Access to the

Homepage1

2 Create Positive 1st

Impression

1. Tag line 2. Banner

3 Present All Major

Options on the

Homepage

2

2

4 Moderate White

Space

5 List of Contents

5

4

Sources: Bailey, R.W. 2000, from http://www.webusability.com; Chaparro B. S. 2009. from http://psychology.wichita.edu/surl/usabilitynews/111/eyetracking.asp; Nielsen, J. 2001, from http://www.useit.com/alertbox; Human Factors International Class Material

3

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7. Wireframes – HPPBU Home Page – Mouse Over Quick Links

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7. Wireframes – 2nd Level Page

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7. Wireframes – 3rd Level Page

1 Breadcrumb

Navigation1

Sources: Bailey, B. (2003). from http://www.webusability.com/article_website_breadcrumbs_8_2003.htm

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7. HPPBU Wireframes – Navigation

1 Global/ Primary

Navigation Menus in the

Left Panel

1

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7. HPPBU Wireframes – Page Fold

Keep All

Important

Information

Above the

Page Fold

Sources: Human Factors Internal – The Science and Art of Effective Web and Application Design class material

8. Page Flow Comparison – Download Medical Claims Form

Current Page Flow New Design

1. Start: HPPBU Homepage 1. Start: HPPBU Homepage

2. Select Department 2. Select Human Resources (Under Forms/ Documents)

3. Select Human Resources 3. Select Medical Claims Form

4. Select Forms 4. Finish: Select PDF to download

5. Select SAIC Forms Library

6. Browse Options: A to Z, Topic, or Department

7. Select a Letter

8. Select Medical Claims Form

9. Finish: Select PDF to download

Total: 9 Steps Total: 4 Steps

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8. Page Flow Comparison – Download SAIC University Course Catalog

Current Page Flow New Design

1. Start: HPPBU Homepage 1. Start: HPPBU Homepage

2. Select Employee Department 2. Select SAIC University (Forms/ Documents)

3. Select Training and Education 3. Select Course Catalog

4. Select SAIC University 4. Select Download Course Catalog

5. Select Course Catalog 5. Finish: Select PDF to download

6. Select Downloadable Course Catalog

7. Finish: Select PDF to download

Total: 7 Steps Total: 5 Steps

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9. Recommendations

Training and Feedback:

• The need for an employee development web site was

identified through a bi-annual survey. Smaller scale interim

surveys of the user population should be conducted to

evaluate the acceptance of the employee development web

site, identifying opportunities for improvement.

• Establish a systematic program of site traffic analysis to

track how users are navigating through the site and identify

the resources that are most heavily used.

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9. Recommendations Continued

Community Building

• Branding and Value of business unit

• Feedback

• Social Networking Applications

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9. Recommendations Continued

User Centered Design

• Keep the global navigation menus in the left panel

• Enable access to the homepage

• Creative positive 1st impression

• Present all major options on the homepage

• User “Icons” to help user scan quickly, short phrases, and

sentences, & small readable paragraphs.

• Moderate white space

• List of Contents

• Use breadcrumb navigation on the third level page.

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9. Recommendations Continued

• Users can only rate or tag specific pages within the

intranet.

• Make the employee profile interactive.

• Provide incentives such gifts or other bonuses to utilize

the site during and after work time.

Questions?