Articles by Month: November 2004

Presentation: Enterprise Content Management (KL, Malaysia)

It was a pleasure to spent time in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia last week, as a speaker at the Enterprise Content Management conference. I presented on two closely-related topics:

• "Selecting an appropriate content management system"
  Powerpoint presentation (66 kB)
• "Successfully implementing a content management system"
  Powerpoint presentation (46 kB)

Posted by jamesr at 01:10 AM | Permalink
Categories: Conferences & presentations, Content management

Design patterns for information architecture with DITA map domains

Erik Hennum, Don Day, John Hunt and Dave A. Schell have written an article on design patterns for DITA. To quote:

The Darwin Information Typing Architecture (DITA) provides maps for assembling topics into deliverables. By specializing the map elements, you can define a formal information architecture for your deliverables. This architecture provides guidance to authors on how to organize topics and lets processes recognize your organizing principles, resulting in a consistent, clear experience for your users.

[Thanks to InfoDesign.]

Posted by jamesr at 12:14 PM | Permalink
Categories: Content management, Information architecture, XML

An XML architecture for technical documentation: DITA

Don Day, Erik Hennum, John Hunt, Michael Priestley, David Schell and Nancy Harrison have written an article on the Darwin Information Typing Architecture (DITA). To quote:

DITA is an architecture for creating topic-oriented, information-typed content that can be reused and single-sourced in a variety of ways. It is also an architecture for creating new information types and describing new information domains, allowing groups to create very specific, targeted document type definitions using a process called specialization, while at the same time reusing common output transforms and design rules. We discuss several methods that can be used to extend DITA's basic topic types.

[Thanks to InfoDesign.]

Posted by jamesr at 12:00 PM | Permalink
Categories: Content management, XML

Usable GUI design: a quick guide for F/OSS developers

Benjamin Roe has written a guide on usable GUI design for open-source developers. To quote:

After years of struggling with these problems, I thought I would write down a short list of five things that we OSS developers should consider when designing our application's GUI. These are drawn from my experience in using and writing OSS software and my reading of a few very interesting books and web sites on the subject. These works are listed in the references — they are all excellent reading for any developer interested in usability issues.

Posted by jamesr at 11:51 AM | Permalink
Categories: Usability & user-centered design

Design checklists for online help

Michelle Corbin has written an articling outlining a number of design checklists for online help. To quote:

Online help systems have evolved over the past 20 years to meet the needs of our users. Designers must consider the content, format, presentation, navigation, and access methods of online help systems. A series of design checklists based on the past 20 years of research are presented in this paper, which summarizes a journal article currently being considered for publication. The latest trend in online help system design is embedded user assistance, which includes integrating information into the interface and including an embedded help pane within that interface to display a context-sensitive online help system.

[Thanks to InfoDesign.]

Posted by jamesr at 09:49 PM | Permalink
Categories: Usability & user-centered design

Learning Management Systems: The wrong place to start learning

George Siemens has written an article on the problems inherent in starting with an LMS purchase. To quote:

Learning Management Systems (LMS) are often viewed as being the starting point (or critical component) of any elearning or blended learning program. This perspective is valid from a management and control standpoint, but antithetical to the way in which most people learn today.

[Thanks to elearningpost.]

Posted by jamesr at 04:03 PM | Permalink
Categories: E-learning

Is "enterprise content management" too broad?

I am in the middle of a conference on enterprise content management (ECM), being held in KL, Malaysia. Plenty of good talks, but what strikes me most is how diverse the subject-matter is.

Topics covered at the conference include (in no particular order):

• data modelling and integrity
• information lifecycle management
• web publishing processes
• metadata and taxonomies
• web content management
• document management
• records management
• storage
• IT architecture
• knowledge management
• portals
• corporate governance & compliance
• process modelling
• security

All of these topics can legitimately fit under the banner of "ECM". Having this huge scope, however, introduces some problems and challenges:

• It's hard to construct a conference that can meaningfully cover all of ECM, in sufficient depth.
• Conference participants aren't likely to be interested in (or understand) all of these topics. Instead, they are probably focusing on just a few aspects.
• Bridging the terminology gaps between such diverse topics is very hard.
• In fact, there is very little overlap between the areas of activity of many of the participants.
• While it's easy to talk about "ECM" at a theoretical level, it's very difficult to explore at a practical level without focusing on just one of the areas listed above.

All of these issues reinforces my feelings about ECM: that it is to vague to be really useful, other than to provide a "brand" for vendors to align themselves under. In practice, no-one does ECM. Rather, they do one (or more) of the specific areas, such as CM, DM, RM, etc.

I will therefore continue to avoid using the term "ECM"...

Posted by jamesr at 08:07 PM | Permalink
Categories: Conferences & presentations, Content management

The knowledge-model driven enterprise

Andy Schriever has written an article on the use of metadata to create a knowledge-model driven enterprise. To quote:

We think the importance of a centralized metadata repository is a key insight. We'd go much further, in fact, and suggest that carefully developed metadata provides the foundation for a knowledge-model driven enterprise. This article describes how externally focused metadata is an essential element of a truly robust enterprise data model. It shows how a metadata repository can serve as a fundamental resource for enterprise applications of all kinds. And it argues for a wider role for information architects in designing and developing the kind of metadata required to serve such a broad purpose.

[Thanks to InfoDesign.]

Posted by jamesr at 10:31 PM | Permalink
Categories: Information architecture, Knowledge management

Planning a usable website: A three-step guide

Trenton Moss has written an article on planning a usable website, in which he identifies three key steps:

• Work out your site visitors' immediate needs
• Create an information flow
• Usability testing

[Thanks to Planet HCI.]

Posted by jamesr at 07:54 AM | Permalink
Categories: Usability & user-centered design

A Primer on faceted navigation and guided navigation

Steve Papa has written a primer on faceted navigation. To quote:

You've likely heard the buzz by now: faceted navigation truly changes the ground rules for KM, and for the many related applications where users need to find information, ranging from subscription content services to directories. It complements search and relevance ranking to fill a big hole in the process of making knowledge reusable. Faceted navigation brings the double whammy of helping users far more easily find what they're looking for, while also helping content owners to far more efficiently manage content (or in reality, to make it even feasible to manage content at all.)

[Thanks to elearningpost.]

Posted by jamesr at 05:12 PM | Permalink
Categories: Information architecture

International seminars

I've just had a new international seminars section added to our site, listing both:

• upcoming international events that members of our team are facilitating or participating in
• our standard international workshops that we can run on behalf of regional conference and event organisers

So if you are either interested in hearing us speak, or would like us to run an event in your region, have a browse through this new information.

Posted by jamesr at 08:56 PM | Permalink
Categories: Conferences & presentations

In-house seminars

In recent times we've been running a number of in-house seminars, focusing primarily on usability and information architecture. Due to demand, we've formalised our series of in-house events, and have published full details on our site. This includes costs, organisational details, and workshop outlines.

At present, our standard workshops include:

• Aligning the Intranet
• Choosing the Right CMS
• Improving Intranet Content
• Information Architecture Fundamentals
• Latest Thinking in Usability & IA
• Usability Testing Fundamentals

If you are interested in obtaining some training for your team, see our in-house seminars sections.

Posted by jamesr at 08:35 PM | Permalink
Categories: Conferences & presentations

CMS acceptance testing

Lisa Welchman has written an article on CMS acceptance testing. To quote:

Ideally your organization is undertaking some degree of user testing while your CMS implementation is underway. But before the system launches, it will need a rigorous and likely more comprehensive review by all the key stakeholders through formal "acceptance testing." When creating an acceptance test plan for web content management systems you must address three concerns.

Posted by jamesr at 05:27 PM | Permalink
Categories: Content management

Techniques for Building a Better Intranet (London)

I'm just starting to pack for my trip to Malaysia and London, and thought it might be a good time to remind those in the UK about my one-day Techniques for Building a Better Intranet workshop, to be held on November 29, in conjunction with the Online Information conference.

This will cover a wide variety of useful topics:

• Promoting your intranet
• Intranet goals
• Identifying staff and business needs
• Structuring your intranet
• Card sorting
• Content management systems

This is a very hands-on day, and it's still not too late to register...

Posted by jamesr at 07:30 PM | Permalink
Categories: Conferences & presentations

Case Study: intranets, usability, and value

Jeff Veen presents a mock case-study exploring the redesign of an intranet, and the ROI it may deliver. To quote:

As Tracy sits down to write a project plan, she considers the problems the company is facing: Almost all the information employees are looking for exists somewhere, but nobody can find anything. She could try to solve this problem with a content management system, but will employees adopt the new tools? And will departments want to give up the control they have over the local servers they have? And how will she show measurable change if she does implement new systems? After all, she wants credit for saving HR all that money at the call center.

Posted by jamesr at 05:33 PM | Permalink
Categories: Intranets, Metrics & ROI, Usability & user-centered design

User experience comes in threes

Luke Wroblewski has published a blog entry, outlining the various Veen diagrams in the field of user-centred design. To quote:

The two or more overlapping circles that make up a Venn diagram are often used in mathematics to show relationships between sets. In the context of User Experience, however, Venn diagrams are frequently used to "quickly convey a message or vision, as a visual reminder to support change/focus, and to easily identify the cause or source of something."

[Thanks to antenna.]

Posted by jamesr at 03:22 PM | Permalink
Categories: Information architecture, Usability & user-centered design

The end of usability culture

Dirk Knemeyer has written an article on the end of usability culture. To quote:

The critical factor is ensuring a balanced view and execution. Thoroughly tested usability and a well-constructed architecture are only part of the story. Business, brand, experience design, programming, hardware and network analysis -- among other things -- must be incorporated and given appropriate weight. This requires more than knowledge and experience. Leading a successful Web project demands a healthy respect for how these varied disciplines interrelate, and the courage and focus to push for solutions that not only meet the quantitative metrics but also strive to innovate, differentiate and delight.

Posted by jamesr at 08:23 AM | Permalink
Categories: Usability & user-centered design

If I was a CMS vendor: Getting feedback

The issue

Tenders are a life-or-death process for most vendors. Either you win jobs, or you don't. Now, I've been spending a lot of time reading tender responses and sitting in on vendor demos recently, and I've seen a lot of the same problems arise. They include:

• Written tender responses from vendors that are confusing, or don't provide the information that is being looked for.
• Written responses that are too long, or too short.
• Pricing information that is incomplete or confusing.
• Demonstrations that are too complex or technical, leaving the audience feeling drained and overwhelmed.
• Vendors who rush through demos, or others who take way too long.
• Demonstrations where the vendor spends the first 30-40 minutes trying to get an internet connection, because they either haven't explained their needs to the customer, or found another way of running the demo.
• Vendors who fail to follow the instructions laid out for demos.
• Vendors who contact the prospective customer so often that they feel stalked.

A lot of these are very little things, but they can have a big impact upon the customer's impressions of the vendor.

If I was a CMS vendor...

It strikes me that most vendors aren't even aware of the impact that these (often small) issues are having on their chances of success. Beyond this, not having a good understanding of customer's thought processes will always impact upon a vendor's ability to make a sale.

So, if I was a vendor, I would put in place processes to get feedback on the tendering process, regardless of whether I was successful or unsuccessful. As a starting point, I would create a simple online feedback form, listing all the major aspects of the tendering process (written tender response, demonstration, other communications, clarity of pricing, etc).

This could provide an option for both scored responses, and free text. This would be particularly valuable for larger vendors, who are reliant on having a range of staff (sometimes quite junior) fill in tender responses.

My gut feel is that customers would be very happy to provide some constructive feedback on vendor activities, particularly if they thought it would make someone else's life easier down the track.

Over time, such feedback would help vendors to tune their tender responses, and to adjust the way they interact with customers. Surely this would be good for both vendors and customers?

Posted by jamesr at 07:06 PM | Permalink
Categories: Content management

Acting on user research

Jakob Nielsen has written an alertbox on acting on user research. To quote:

The good news in user research is that we're building up a massive body of knowledge about user behavior in online systems. The days are long gone when companies had to guess about website and intranet designs. The bad news is that the sheer amount of accumulated research findings can be overwhelming. Even worse? User research won't generate an additional penny of profit unless you understand it and act upon it.

Posted by jamesr at 06:07 PM | Permalink
Categories: Usability & user-centered design

Personas: empathetic focus

Donald Norman has written an article on maintaining an empathetic focus when designing personas. To quote:

The purpose of the Persona, I believe, is to add empathetic focus to the design. Empathetic focus. By focus I mean that the design must be clean and coherent. It is not a collection of features added willy-nilly through the life-span of the product, even if each feature by itself makes sense. Rather it is having a clear image of what the product is meant to be -- and what it is not meant to be -- and rejecting features that do not fit, only accepting ones that do. By empathy, I mean an understanding of and identification with the user population, the better to ensure that they will be able to take advantage of the product, to use it readily and easily -- not with frustration but with pleasure.

[Thanks to InfoDesign.]

Posted by jamesr at 05:45 PM | Permalink
Categories: Usability & user-centered design

Practical ideas for CMS project success

Janus Boye has written an article on practical ideas for CMS project success. To quote:

Too many CMS projects fail to meet their objectives, or just fail outright. A well-documented cause is lack of commitment and understanding from senior management. Management and the responsible business units (e.g. marketing, communications, sales, HR, etc.) may excel at managing content, but unfortunately are unlikely to claim ownership of a content management project due to lack of experience and knowledge.

Posted by jamesr at 09:44 AM | Permalink
Categories: Content management

Navigation accessibility 2: Accessing page content

Roger Hudson follows on from his last article, to look at accessible navigation with the page. To quote:

Helping the user locate and go to a Web page is crucial to site navigation, but it is only part of the story. Once the user has arrived at the page they should then be able to easily access the content it contains. This is not likely to be problem for an able-bodied person who can use a mouse and quickly scan the content of the page.

[Thanks to the eGovernment Resource Centre.]

Posted by jamesr at 08:48 AM | Permalink
Categories: Information architecture, Usability & user-centered design

Navigation accessibility 1: Menus and links

Roger Hudson has written an article on creating navigation that is accessible for website users with disabilities. To quote:

There are many good books and Websites with information about designing usable navigation systems. Rather than going over well-travelled ground, this document is the first of two that will consider the accessibility implications of Website navigation and how access to site content for people with disabilities might be enhanced.

[Thanks to the eGovernment Resource Centre.]

Posted by jamesr at 08:43 AM | Permalink
Categories: Information architecture, Usability & user-centered design

More feedback on the Intranet Roadmap

More positive feedback on the Intranet Roadmap:

"Many so called how-to guides are written by theoreticians, not practitioners. James Robertson and the Step Two Designs team--while up on the latest in technology and business theory--write how-to from a hands-on perspective. Like a native taking you through an unfamiliar (and sometimes perilous) landscape, ultimately leading you to a truly rewarding place, the Intranet Roadmap is just as its name implies. Intranets are among the most promising and least understood enterprise initiatives and, with its practical, comprehensive, and comprehensible approach, the Intranet Roadmap will help organizations find the way to successful Intranet deployments."

Michelle Manafy
Editor, EContent & Intranets

Posted by jamesr at 08:20 AM | Permalink
Categories: Intranets

Announce-list is growing

The papers-announce list is something that I setup a long time ago now. Joining this ensures that you'll be kept up to date when we release new articles, like the ones published yesterday:

• What is usability?
• KM for consistency & innovation
• How to scope an intranet release

This has been growing steadily over the years, and we now have about 1,400 subscribers!

Posted by jamesr at 10:37 AM | Permalink
Categories:

Meeting a user's emotional needs

D. Keith Robinson has written a blog entry on meeting a user's emotional needs. To quote:

One thing that came up last week was the challenge of being able to meet all of the users needs. We work with companies who are trying, much of the time, to satisfy business goals that relate to marketing and branding. Sometimes it’s not clear exactly how tangible user needs relate to those goals as they are often more tied to what I'm calling emotional needs. All of these needs are important, but for many Web sites, it's not enough just to meet a users basic, tangible needs, yet identifying and meeting those emotional needs poses a bit of a challenge on the Web. This weekend I spent lots of time thinking about this and this post is the result, it's a bit of a brainstorm, so bare with me.

Posted by jamesr at 10:26 AM | Permalink
Categories: Usability & user-centered design

User experience diagram rationalisation

Luke Wroblewski has posted a blog entry on user experience diagram rationalisation, in which he brings together the various strategic diagrams created in the industry. To quote:

In the spirit of convergence, the user experience diagram rationalization brings together the goals, processes, and disciplines that are responsible for great products. It also draws on the diagrammatic work of two information architects, one experience designer, and a cantankerous visionary.

[Thanks to InfoDesign.]

Posted by jamesr at 09:16 AM | Permalink
Categories: Information architecture, Usability & user-centered design

Debunking Miller's Magic 7

Bryan Eisenberg has written an article on the 7 plus/minus 2 rule. To quote:

Many advances have been made in understanding human memory since 1956. Why does Miller's Magic 7 survive in light of current science? We can't concede that maximizing this informational processing "capacity" is necessary on a Web site. I want to offer a more current and commonsensical approach to these design element "conclusions." No designer should be bound by a meaningless number rooted in dusty science.

[Thanks to Digital Web Magazine.]

Posted by jamesr at 08:07 AM | Permalink
Categories: Information architecture

How to scope an intranet release

My second CM Briefing for this month is on scoping an intranet release. To quote:

The most crucial release is often the initial 'go-live' of the intranet. This must demonstrate the value of the intranet, and build sufficient interest to ensure the site develops further and grows.

When developing intranet releases, however, intranet teams often find themselves very constrained by both time and resources.

The challenge then becomes delivering sufficient content and capabilities to meet business and user expectations, within the project constraints. This briefing introduces a simple approach to scoping a release that takes all of these factors into account.

Posted by jamesr at 12:07 PM | Permalink
Categories: Intranets, James' articles

KM for consistency & innovation

I've written the first of two CM Briefings this month, exploring KM for consistency & innovation. To quote:

Much is made of the role of knowledge management (KM) in supporting innovation within organisations. This is also closely tied in with enhancing the activities of 'knowledge workers' in dynamic organisations such as consulting firms.

While KM is undoubtedly important for innovation, this aspect has somewhat overtaken another focus of KM: ensuring consistency. In many organisations, it is consistency that must be the key driving factor, rather than innovation.

This briefing will explore and contrast these two facets of KM: innovation and consistency.

Posted by jamesr at 12:02 PM | Permalink
Categories: James' articles, Knowledge management

What is usability?

Donna Maurer has written our KM Column article this month, answering the question: what is usability? To quote:

'Usability' is widely seen as the answer to many of these frustrating interactions with technology. There are usability books, websites, guidelines and checklists, so why are products and systems getting harder to use instead of easier?

There is some confusion about what usability is and whether businesses are 'doing usability' or not. There are many aspects to usability - more than just running a usability test at the end of a project.

This article provides an overview of what usability is (and what it is not). It provides ideas on how to include more usability activities in projects and the types of activities that are needed in order to create more usable systems.

Posted by jamesr at 11:58 AM | Permalink
Categories: Usability & user-centered design