LIGHTWEIGHT TAXONOMY APPROACHES FOR DIGITAL PRACTITIONERS

Jessica DuVerneay & Naomi Oorbeck

Taxonomy Bootcamp

November 2, 2015

I’m Naomi!I’m

Jessie!

@jduverneay @naomid

@undrstndng

• Why taxonomy improves digital projects

• When to use a lightweight approach

• Planning & scoping lightweight taxonomy work

• Quick approaches for maximum impact

WE WILL COVER

1. TAXONOMY IS FOR EVERYONE

YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE A TAXONOMIST TO USE TAXONOMY

TAXONOMY DOES NOT BELONG TO LIBRARIANS OR TAXONOMISTSUX people are thinking of themselves as taxonomists

http://life.smartlogic.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/ORT_note-fields.jpg

choreography

ontology

taxonomyarrangement of the parts

particular meaning

rules for interaction among the parts

PLACES MADE OF INFORMATION HAVE A TAXONOMIC BACKBONE

words are the essential building

blocks of places made of

information

TAXONOMY TOUCHES EVERYTHINGAND HOLDS IT ALL TOGETHER

Sitemap

Navigation

Content Management

Wireframes

Node Tagging & Metadata

Content Categories

Search Filters

Search Results

URL Structures

Glossary

Content Creation

Roadmap

2. A LITTLE GOES A LONG WAY

Sometimes, taxonomy is not spelled out as part of your project…

Other times, teams believe all we need is taxonomy to solve all our problems…

TAXONOMY CAN BE A HARD SELL

It’s important to sell (and explain the value of) taxonomy to your team, your clients, right up front.

We’re going to help you understand how to approach taxonomy in well-scoped projects.

SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO GO GORILLA GUERRILLA

http://assets.worldwildlife.org/photos/1030/images/story_full_width/western-lowland-gorilla-circle-HI_105193.jpg?1345535931

WHEN LEAN TAXONOMY MAKES SENSE

:)Do it!

Negotiate, Advocate

Proceed cautiously

Proceed cautiously

Large / complex info

Small / Simple Info

Whole Site

Targeted Section

3. LIFECYCLE

WHO

Strategic Alignment Tools

Competitive Analysis

The Understanding Group - 2015

RESEARCH

Audit Internal Taxonomies

Stakeholder & SME Interviews

PROGRAMMINGWE UNDERSTAND YOUR ORGANIZATION

Search Log & Analytics Analysis

TAXONOMY DEVELOPMENT

Final Taxonomy

Governance Plan

SYNTHESISWE CREATE YOUR TAXONOMY

SPECIFICATIONWE SUPPORT YOUR DEPLOYMENT

PLANNING & SUPPORT

Population of Taxonomy Tool

Implementation Support

USER RESEARCH

ANALYSISWE UNDERSTAND YOUR USERS

Open Card Sort

Closed Card Sort

Reverse Card Sort

4. BUILD YOUR TAXONOMY TOOLKIT

• Strategic Alignment Tools

• Content Inventory

• Search Log Analysis & Analytics

• SME & SEO Conversation

• Competitive Analysis

• Card Sorting - Open & Closed

• Reverse Card Sorting / Tree Testing

LIGHTWEIGHT TAXONOMY

METHODS

WHAT: Understand organization’s needs and goals WHY: Helps team create a strategically aligned

taxonomy, clears up misalignment in stakeholdersWHEN: Programming phase

TIME: 1-2 weeksWHO: Key Stakeholders, SMEs

HOW: Common tools used include intention modeling and strategic worksheets

GET THAT SKILL: TUG has blog posts on intention models (Dan Klyn) and purpose-driven taxonomies

(Jessie DuVerneay)

STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT TOOLS

WHAT: Create an inventory of all the content and terms on a website.WHY: To understand existing content a classification scheme will have to accommodate, nomenclature being used, and content gaps.WHEN: Analysis phaseTIME: 1 dayWHO: SME on the teamHOW: Small sites are easily tracked in spreadsheets. Tools such as PowerMapper can help with larger sites.

GET THAT SKILL: Just do it. Also see: “The Accidental Taxonomist” by Heather Hedden

CONTENT & TERMS INVENTORY

WHAT: Gather user generated terms through public

and on-site searchWHY: Generative research that shows terms naturally

used by target user groupsWHEN: Programming & Analysis Phase

TIME: 10-20 HoursWHO: Analysts, Web Manager

HOW: Request and review site search logs and keywords in analytics tools

GET THAT SKILL: Book: “Search Analytics for Your Site” by Lou Rosenfeld

SEARCH LOG ANALYSIS & ANALYTICS

WHAT: Review as-is & proposed taxonomy with SME’s

WHY: Leverages domain specific knowledge; helps refine preferred terms and arrangements; builds

relationship with teamWHEN: Analysis Phase

TIME: 1-10 hours, depending on how many SME / SEO experts are available

WHO: SME’s, SEO experts on the teamHOW: informal calls or back and forth emails

GET THAT SKILL: Just do it

SME & SEO CONVERSATIONOPTIONS:

•Rhinoplasty, Nose Job, Nose Surgery, Nasal Enhancement

•Chin Lift, Neck Lift, Jowl Lift, Saggy Neck Surgery

•Phalloplasty, Penile Implant, Penis Enlargement, Penile Surgery

WINNERS:

•Rhinoplasty

•Neck Lift

•Penis Enlargement

WHAT: A comparison of best-in-class websites

related to yours to identify patterns.

WHY: Identify informal standards you can leverage

for your taxonomy.

WHEN: Analysis phase

TIME: 1 day

WHO: SME on the team, Existing Licensed

Taxonomies, Librarians

HOW: Annotate screenshots in a slide deckGET THAT SKILL: Just do it

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS

CARD SORTING

WHAT: Quickly organize a large amount of content and

identify user-friendly labels.

WHY: To improve the organization and labeling of information

WHEN: Analysis phase

TIME: 1-2 days

WHO: Target users OR Yourself OR Both

HOW: Index cards and markers. Place each concept on a

card. Have users organize cards into logical groups. Ask users

to label each group. Or use online tools such as google docs.

GET THAT SKILL: “Card Sorting”, Donna Spencer and

“Information Architecture: For the Web and Beyond”,

Rosenfeld, Morville, Arango

OPEN CARD SORT

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term

termterm

term

term

term

term

term

category

termterm

term

term

termterm

WHAT: Test the grouping and labels from your analysis of the open card sort. WHY: Validate and fine tune your taxonomy.WHEN: Analysis phaseTIME: 1-2 daysWHO: Target usersHOW: Place each concept on a card. Provide cards with category labels. Have users place concepts into the categories.

GET THAT SKILL: “Card Sorting”, Donna Spencer and “Information Architecture: For the Web and Beyond”, Rosenfeld, Morville, Arango

CLOSED CARD SORT

category category

category category category

termtermtermtermtermtermtermterm

termtermtermtermtermtermterm

WHAT: Test a proposed taxonomy with users

WHY: Points out errors in preferred terms or arrangement of terms from user’s perspective

WHEN: Synthesis phaseTIME: 1-2 weeks

WHO: Target users - 6-10 neededHOW: Common tool is Optimal Workshop’s

TreejackGET THAT SKILL: Alberta Soranzo & Dave

Cooksey’s IAS15 Talk Podcast, Treejack Blog

REVERSE CARD SORTING / TREE TESTING

THANK YOU

Let’s talk!

1. Please find us here for questions and conversation

2. Submit your questions to the AMA event happening on Tuesday

3. understandinggroup.com @undrstndng