Following a core set of guidelines will greatly improve the effectiveness of staff interviews.
Article category: usability & information architecture
CMb 2009–01
Needs analysis from a distance
There are practical ways to understand the needs of staff who are located in remote or regional locations.
APRIL 2008
Using cultural probes for intranet user research
In this article we talk with user experience consultant Gerry Gaffney, about his experience in using a new technique called cultural probes.
CASE STUDY (MARCH 2008)
Audience personas for the Macquarie University Library website
Macquarie University Library’s website plays a core role in the delivery of electronic services to clients. This article explores one of the key outcomes of user research into the site: a set of audience personas.
DECEMBER 2007
The many faces of information architecture
A lot of confusion surrounds the term ‘information architecture’ (IA). This article explores the various labels that might be used to describe IA work.
CMb 2007-13
Apply IA techniques when creating taxonomies
The field of information architecture (IA) has much to offer those creating taxonomies, including a range of structured techniques for testing their effectiveness.
CMb 2007-11
In-house recruitment of users for research
Recruiting participants for website research can be difficult, but a few simple steps can help make the process go much more smoothly, without the need for expensive agency fees.
CMb 2007-09
Start user research by talking with staff
We all know we should involve users when redesigning a website, but where do you start? Talking with staff in your own organisation allows you to leverage their vast body of knowledge on your website audience.
CMb 2006-21
Usability and IA are core skills for intranet teams
Usability and information architecture (IA) are core areas of expertise for intranet teams, and all organisations should take steps to build this expertise internally.
CMb 2006-18
Separate design and the CMS
Organisations are almost always better served by separating out the design and the CMS, and sourcing these from different providers.
APRIL 2006
Accessibility tips for website construction
We all know accessibility is important, but precisely how does one make a website or intranet more accessible? Often what is needed is a pragmatic view, based on real experience, to reveal what is really important and what should be tackled first.
Introduction to web accessibility
The industry is finally accepting responsibility for providing accessible websites and intranets. Yet, a great deal of misunderstanding continues to surround the subject of accessibility.
CMb 2005-05
Why are intranets structured like the organisational chart?
Any intranets structured around the organisational chart are difficult to use. Before attempting a restructure, consider why this structure has been used.
CMb 2005-01
How staff look for documents
You need to understand how staff look for documents in a business setting, in order to design suitable systems and classification schemes.
NOVEMBER 2004
What is usability?
This article provides an overview of what usability is (and what it is not), as well as giving ideas on how to include more usability activities in projects.
CMb 2004-13
Improving your intranet, task by task
By improving the way the intranet supports key tasks, immediate business benefits can be delivered in a manageable and cost-effective manner.
APRIL 2004
Card sorting: a definitive guide
Card sorting is a simple user-centered technique for obtaining insight into the structure of a site.
MARCH 2004
An introduction to personas and how to create them
Creating personas is an effective way to understand the needs of your users, priortise features and functionality, and direct the design of your intranet or website.
JANUARY 2004
Five ways to identify intranet usability issues
This article provides five techniques to identify likely usability problems in your intranet. Some techniques provide indications about where the main problems lie, others provide concrete evidence.
CMb 2003-21
The difference between usable and useful
A redesigned site can be easy and quick to use, and perfectly structured, and still be useless. For a site to be useful, it must meet user needs, and there are a range of techniques for identifying these.
OCTOBER 2003
Escaping the organisation chart on your intranet
Escaping an organisational structure for your intranet is not easy, but will deliver many business benefits.
CMb 2003-11
The importance of CMS usability
The success of a CMS depends it being used, and whether authors create content. It these two challenges makes the usability of the CMS critically important.
APRIL 2003
Card-based classification evaluation
The technique of ‘card based classification evaluation’ provides a practical (and rapid) approach for testing a prototype site structure.
CMb 2003-07
Five minute intranet self-evaluation
This briefing presents a simple checklist that will allow you to judge just how much work will be required to bring your intranet back to top performance.
MAY 2002
Using usability to direct KM systems
KM has much to learn from usability, which can provide many useful starting points for structuring and managing KM projects.
FEBRUARY 2001
Information design using card sorting
Card sorting is a very simple method of working with users to come up with a usable information design. A valuable tool for all information architects.