Tears, Tantrums and Triumphs OZIA 2009

Ladan Wise

Meghan Hayes

An IA & UX

CASE STUDY

& TRIUMPHSTEARS

TANTRUMS

OZ-IA

2 October 2009

Ladan Wise

Meghan Hayes

An IA & UX

CASE STUDY

Setting the Scene…

ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT Public housing Aged care Disability services Health Hospitals Mental health Child protection and wellbeing Adoption Youth justice Licensing of chemicals Managing of funded agencies that provide services Cemetery and crematoria regulation…

WHY DHS NEEDED THIS PROJECT

Organisation-based IA

Between 40 and 240 internet sites

Over 35 intranet sites

No consistency across sites - 7 different web teams

Inconsistent compliance with standards

Limited use of good practice in terms of IA: • eg. Left nav on one site had: "useful links" and then "really useful

links"• Left nav spawns new sites (but not consistently) • Overloaded quicklinks replacement for proper navigation

Scene 1: In the Beginning

INITIAL REVIEW (2005)

Deloitte strategic review

Findings: Websites inconsistent and based on internal organisational

structures Not capitalising on the web as a service delivery tool

Recommendations: Move all content into a single CMS Consolidate many sites into a smaller set of thematic/user centred

sites (and a single intranet) Formation of the central strategic web team

Bumpy road No user consultation Limited business consultation

(web managers only) 3 options, no recommendation Final position was “without

user validation there is no recommended option”

Things up in the air Internal dissatisfaction Web managers put forward

own alternative recommendations

Started to go around in circles

Oh no! What are we going

to do, Brad?

Apologies to Roy Lichtenstein

FIRST IA PROJECT (2006)

• Need strong support from the top; someone to have final say - avoid a stalemate

• Need end user consultation

• Need strategic business consultation

• Consultants worked independently

• DHS may have jumped the gun (governance not set up yet)


Brad, where did we

go wrong?

LESSONS

DID YOU TELL SOMEONE SOMETHING THEY SHOULD KNOW?

Scene 2:There’s a New Sheriff in Town

GOVERNANCE PUT IN PLACE

• Things in limbo until Web Director appointed

• Web director - single role with overall responsibility for the web

• Central web team (strategy) put together (reporting to Web Director)

• Web Management Advisory Group consisting of representatives from each division in an advisory role

• Federated model of governance with other web teams across the department

NEW START

Scene now set for another attempt at the project

Stamford consultants embedded with DHS central web team

Different to first attempt when the consultants worked somewhat autonomously

Side-by-side mentoring would assist long-term success

IA PROJECT – AGAIN

Began in March 2008

Objectives:• Deliver cost effective online delivery • Follow best practice in Information Architecture • Devise a maintenance strategy• Redesign both internet and intranet

Broader 'no wrong door' policy at DHS

THE TEAM

Manager, Web Domain Group Ladan Wise, Project Manager (and internal IA) Suze Ingram and Lisa McArley, initially Meghan Hayes and Taryn D'Souza for stages 2

onwards Matthew Daniel and Michael Fradd (internal

support and IA) Support from other WDG members

PROS OF EMBEDDING EXPERTS

We’re one big happy family!

Organisation:• Mentor for internal team• Easy access to consultant• Consultant gets to know

organisation quickly

Consultant:• Better understanding of

organisation’s climate• Build relationships with team • No lost time on simple questions • Easier access to departmental

system Apologies to Roy Lichtenstein

CONS OF EMBEDDING EXPERTS Oh Brad! I

wish you could help with my affinity

diagram!

Organisation:• Stakeholders may not see

consultants as separate from internal team

• Hard to keep consultant "neutral"

Consultant:• Limited access to other consultants

(sanity checks) & knowledge sharing with peers; isolated

• Drawn into internal "situations"• Slower pace: as a consultant, ready

to go on day 1 but had to slow down, be more sensitive to the environment


TRICKY PROJECT AHEAD• Tried once before• Organisational climate; big shift

for DHS• Adjusting to new governance• Lots of content: 100,000+

content items for internet & 30,000+ for intranet

• Frequent consultation with MANY stakeholders essential to keeping everyone happy and project moving

• A lot of risk mitigation work• An evidence based organisation

- not enough to be an expert

This is all too

much to take!


Scene 3:A cunning plan…

START MAKING PLANS

How would we tackle this behemoth? Let’s talk the same language Couldn’t talk to the business…yet Decided on a 5 stage process The project included intranet and internet but Will mainly cover internet today (but lessons

apply to both in most cases)

DHS Internet Information Architecture Strategy Approach

IA Maintenance Strategy

Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3 Stage 4

Interaction & Visual Designs and Style Guide

Domain FamiliarisationBusiness Stakeholder ResearchUnderstanding the business needs and goals for the DHS web presence.User ResearchUnderstanding the DHS users’ informational needs and goals.Analysis of Research FindingsAnalysis, synthesis and summary of all findings from business stakeholder and users research.DHS Website ArchitectureWorking out how many DHS websites there will be and what they will be called.

• Consultation and Analysis Findings Report

• Interactive Tools Requirements (Internet) Report

• Best Practice Analysis Report

Information Architecture (IA) Designing IAs for each of the DHS websites. This includes the following activities:

• Card sorting activities with users

• Draft Information Architecture

• Review of information architecture

• CMS information architecture

• Documentation of IA evolution and rationale

• Final Information Architecture Report

Interaction DesignDesigning key interaction and wireframe screens for each of the DHS websites. This includes the following key activities:

• Collaborative design sessions

• User testing sessions• Iterative design

processes

IA Maintenance StrategyDeveloping an ongoing strategy to ensure IA is maintained appropriately. Style Guide DevelopmentDeveloping guidelines, specifications, design rationale and style guide for the DHS web presence.

• IA Maintenance Strategy• Style Guide

• Wireframes• Visual Design mock-ups

Implementation

Stage 5

TBC

• TBC

Visual DesignCreating visual designs for each of the DHS websites.

Consultation& Analysis

Information ArchitectureDesign

DHS Intranet & Workspace PortalInformation Architecture Strategy Approach

Produced by DHS and Stamford Interactive. Draft v0.2 - 20 Mar 2008

IA Maintenance Strategy

Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3 Stage 4

Consultation& Analysis

Information ArchitectureDesign

Domain FamiliarisationBusiness Stakeholder ResearchUnderstanding the business needs and goals for the DHS intranets and the Workspace Portal.User ResearchUnderstanding intranet and Workspace Portal users’ informational needs and goals.Analysis of Research FindingsAnalysis, synthesis and summary of all findings from business stakeholder and user research.

• Intranet Consultation and Analysis Findings Report

• Interactive Tools Requirements (Internet & Intranet) Report

• Intranet Best Practice Analysis Report

• IA Maintenance Strategy• Style Guide

• TBC • TBC • TBC

Information Architecture (IA) Designing an IA for the intranet. This includes the following activities:

• Card sorting activities with users

• Draft Information Architecture

• Review of information architecture

• Documentation of IA evolution and rationale

• Final Information Architecture Report

Interaction DesignDesigning key interaction and wireframe screens for the intranet and Workspace Portal. This includes the following key activities:

• Collaborative design sessions

• User testing sessions• Iterative design

processes

IA Maintenance StrategyDeveloping an ongoing strategy to ensure IA is maintained appropriately. Style Guide DevelopmentDeveloping guidelines, specifications, design rationale and style guide.

• Wireframes• Visual Design mock-ups

Implementation

Stage 5

• TBC

TBC

• TBC

Interaction & Visual Designs

Visual DesignCreating visual designs for each of the DHS websites.

Internet

Intranet

IntranetWebsite 1 Website 2 Website 3 Website 4 Website 5Key:

Resources

Jun 08 Jul 08 Aug 08 Sept 08 Oct 08May 08 Nov 08 Dec 08 Jan 09 Feb 09 Mar 09 Apr 09 Jun 09 Jul 09 Aug 09 Sep 09 Oct 09May 09 Oct 09

Visual Design#

Visual Design#

Stage 1: Internet Consultation & Analysis Stage 2 Stage 3 & part of Stage 4

Stage 2 Stage 3 & part stage 4

Stage 2

Stage 3 & part of Stage 4

Visual Design#

Visual Design#

Visual Design#

Lead Consultant #1

VPS resource #1

Visual Designer

Stage 2 Stage 3 & part of Stage 4

Stage 2 Stage 3 & part of Stage 4

LeadConsultant #2

VPSresource #2

Resources required

for implementation

Stage 5: Intranet implementation (estimate only)Resources requiredfor implementation

Lead Consultant #2VPS resource #2 Stage 1: Intranet Consultation & Analysis Stage 2 Stage 3 Stage 4

Stage 5: Internet implementation (estimate only)

Apr 08 Nov 09

Stage2

Brad, are you even listening to me?


• By project board (of 11 key stakeholders)

• Controversial because group of web managers' perceived limited authority to influence this approach

• Web director (project executive) instrumental in moving past first hurdle

PROJECT ACTIVITY SIGNOFF

1.Senior support is essential

LESSONS


Scene 4:Just the facts please

What did we need to get out of Stage 1?

Business goals

User goals

Answer to the $1,000,000 question: “How many websites should there be and what should they be called?"

CONSULTATION & ANALYSIS

Internet 1 x Executive stakeholder workshop (10 participants) 12 x Business stakeholder workshops (38 participants) 9 x Web manager interviews (17 participants) 12 x User workshops (87 participants) 12 x Card sorting (97 participants)

Intranet Similar set of activities; large amount of

participants

CONSULTATION

I’m just not sure about us anymore, Brad.


“Are you talking to enough people?”“What about Web 2.0? Blogs? Wikis?”“Are you talking to enough people?”

“Why worry about IA, can’t we just get a search like Google?”

“Are you talking to enough people?”

Key messages worked into all communications and discussions by team members

Preparing a communication strategy helped

KEY MESSAGES =BROKEN RECORD


2.Have your key messages ready - and be ready to repeat them many times

3.Utilise a change/comms manager from the very beginning

LESSONS


It works like a

charm!


Scene 5:Back to headquarters to examine the evidence

MAKING SENSE OF IT ALL

• Heaps of analysis to do!• Mind maps• Affinity diagrams• Analysing card sort results – looking for

patterns

GOALS - INTERNET

• Business Goals• DHS services easy to understand and access• Foster knowledge sharing, networking and communication• Encourage Victorians to manage their health and wellbeing• Provide more opportunities for Victorians to have their say• Reduce non-DHS related email and phone enquiries (incl costs)

• User Goals• Quickly understand what DHS does• Easily understand their eligibility and how to access DHS services• Quickly locate content • Interact more easily with DHS• Have a pleasant, friendly experience

FINDINGS & RECOMMENDATIONS

• Business stakeholders were expecting to hear about a number of websites

• But user research didn’t point that way….

“It can’t be split up, all falls under

same heading.”

“Annoying having to click from one site to another.”

“How would you know what all of the department’s

websites are? Where would you

find that out?”

“Hard to navigate back if

going site to site.”

ONE SITE

• The final recommendation was for a consolidation into a single departmental site

• With one exception: a "Better Health Channel" site

• Knew it was going to be a tough sell

• Single site model controversial given previous state of autonomy

• Decided needed to talk to each Board member individually to address individual concerns


What do you mean I only get one!!?!


I’m so glad we talked about our problems.


2.Have your key messages ready - and be ready to repeat them many times

3.Utilise a change/comms manager from the very beginning

4.One on one road-shows work well

LESSONS

Scene 6:Sort ing it out

STAGE 2: IA DESIGN

• 43 card sorting sessions (open and closed) with 122 data sets

• Results often inconclusive for (conceptual overlap, split down middle)

• Decided on extra, unplanned business consultation to help clarify grey areas

• Excellent final solutions for both intranet and internet were found

• Utilising role and topic-based navigation, cross linking, faceted classification, polyhierachy...


Take that ! I’m fighting for the users!

1. Senior support is essential

2. Have your key messages ready - and be ready to repeat them many times

3. Utilise a change/comms manager from the very beginning

4. One on one road-shows work well

5. User feedback should influence every step you take

LESSONS

Scene 7:Now we see what it looks like

STAGE 3: INTERACTION & VISUAL DESIGN

• Completed stage for intranet; about to start for internet

• Staff responded very well to the intranet layout

• Met their needs

AND THE SAGA CONTINUES

As internet IA was formally approved and the intranet visual designs complete, the Premier announced the split of DHS into 2 departments

Revalidation necessary Impact on intranet? Changes to IA with creation of 2

internet sites (instead of just 1) Do business goals change?

MORE user consultation...

I can’t believe this

is happening!


Senior support in place from day 1

Took stakeholders on the journey

Broke steps up into manageable bites

Adjusted to new needs as they arose

Used embedded experts - works well in an organisation that needs user champions and mentoring

KEY THINGS WE GOT RIGHT

Thanks to…Suze Ingram – original concept & developmentScott Lacey – graphic designMatt Daniel – sanity checkingRoy Lichtenstein – artwork

Tears, Tantrums and Triumphs OZIA 2009

Design

Transcript of Tears, Tantrums and Triumphs OZIA 2009