Redesigning TCS.com with Remote Research Chris Farnum | Senior Information Architect | Enlighten Information Architecture Summit March 22, 2009

Meta – About This Presentation NOT about redefining IA or the future of IA NOT groundbreaking emergent theories Instead I want to tell you a case study about… Finding a process to fit the project Remote user research IA issues for a global site A few tips and tricks

NOT about redefining IA or the future of IA

NOT groundbreaking emergent theories

Instead I want to tell you a case study about…

Finding a process to fit the project

Remote user research

IA issues for a global site

A few tips and tricks

About the Client - TCS IT Services, Business Solutions and Outsourcing HQ – Mumbai, India Part of Tata Group, one of India’s largest industrial conglomerates and most respected brands TCS has over 130,000 IT consultants in 42 countries TCS Annual Sales: $5.7 billion (fiscal year ending March 31, 2008) Known for quality results – CMMI Maturity Level 5

IT Services, Business Solutions and Outsourcing

HQ – Mumbai, India

Part of Tata Group, one of India’s largest industrial conglomerates and most respected brands

TCS has over 130,000 IT consultants in 42 countries

TCS Annual Sales: $5.7 billion (fiscal year ending March 31, 2008)

Known for quality results – CMMI Maturity Level 5

Project Goal – Redesign TCS.com Global Message: Position TCS as a global company and highlight the message of the Global Network Delivery Model ™ Brand building: Firmly establish TCS positioning and support the “Experience Certainty” campaign now and into the future Demand generation: Create an environment to support Demand Generation using the new website (i.e., improve calls-to-action) User-centric Design: Design and Develop site based on key user needs and tasks (i.e., ‘outside in’ vs. ‘inside out’) Technical Infrastructure: Develop the new site on a scaleable Content Management System to facilitate content development & maintenance - Microsoft SharePoint 2007

Global Message: Position TCS as a global company and highlight the message of the Global Network Delivery Model ™

Brand building: Firmly establish TCS positioning and support the “Experience Certainty” campaign now and into the future

Demand generation: Create an environment to support Demand Generation using the new website (i.e., improve calls-to-action)

User-centric Design: Design and Develop site based on key user needs and tasks (i.e., ‘outside in’ vs. ‘inside out’)

Technical Infrastructure: Develop the new site on a scaleable Content Management System to facilitate content development & maintenance - Microsoft SharePoint 2007

Project Overview Engagement Plan Facilitated Work Sessions Analysis of Key Internal and External Factors Conduct User Research Project Requirements Strategic Assessment Project Requirements Information Architecture User Interface Functional Specifications Technical Specifications Art Comps Test Plan / User Acceptance Testing Launch Specifications Site Specification Art Production Programming Integration Quality Assurance User Acceptance Testing Staging Deployment Final Site Update Monitor Measure Report Improve On-Going Improvements DEFINE DESIGN BUILD Feature / Scope Definition Technical & Implementation Recommendations Preliminary UI Art Comps Strategy Requirements Design Build Maintenance

Research Step One – Stakeholder Interviews Enlighten and TCS staff conducted 28 group interview sessions on site in Chennai and Mumbai and by conference call with: Practice Leads Delivery Heads Business Unit Managers Sales Leaders Human Resource Leaders Global Representatives Executive Leadership Estimate: 60-70 participants Photo courtesy of Scott Mills

Enlighten and TCS staff conducted 28 group interview sessions on site in Chennai and Mumbai and by conference call with:

Practice Leads

Delivery Heads

Business Unit Managers

Sales Leaders

Human Resource Leaders

Global Representatives

Executive Leadership

Estimate: 60-70 participants

TCS.com Site March 2007 – Home Long, crowded, and overwhelming High abandonment rate Overlapping and confusing left nav choices

Long, crowded, and overwhelming

High abandonment rate

Overlapping and confusing left nav choices

Interim Site – Launched Spring 2007 Channel navigation within a closed page element.

User Research Part One - Overview Research goals – to gain a better understanding of… Buying cycle and research process Site content and features Brand attributes and positioning How users see the relationships and grouping between different types of content 19 Participants Customers representing North America, South America, Europe and UK (15) Analysts (2) Career Seekers (2) User Segments Customer: C-Level Customer: Business Unit Manager Industry Influencers Career Seeker (Mid-career)

Research goals – to gain a better understanding of…

Buying cycle and research process

Site content and features

Brand attributes and positioning

How users see the relationships and grouping between different types of content

19 Participants

Customers representing North America, South America, Europe and UK (15)

Analysts (2)

Career Seekers (2)

User Segments

Customer: C-Level

Customer: Business Unit Manager

Industry Influencers

Career Seeker (Mid-career)

User Research Part One - Methods Remote user research allowed us to connect with users in their own offices while we remained in ours. Sessions consisted of: Interview questions Priorities for features and content Discussion questions about buying cycle and brand perception Online card sorting observed in real time to inform organization of content Remote user testing tool: UserVue Online card sorting tool: WebSort Analysis with EZ-Calc

Remote user research allowed us to connect with users in their own offices while we remained in ours.

Sessions consisted of:

Interview questions

Priorities for features and content

Discussion questions about buying cycle and brand perception

Online card sorting observed in real time to inform organization of content

Remote user testing tool: UserVue

Online card sorting tool: WebSort

Analysis with EZ-Calc

Remote Research with UserVue Moderator (Enlighten, Ann Arbor) Participant (US, S. America, Europe…) TCS Observer (Chicago) TCS Observer (Mumbai) Desktop sharing via UserVue Voice via conference call line

UserVue Kung Fu Normally UserVue places a call directly to the participant – domestic calls ONLY For international calling , have UserVue dial an international conference call bridge line Send detailed instructions with invitations for accessing the prototype and the conference call Watch out for spam filters ! Be flexible in case of poor connections Leave plenty of time between sessions if you want to capture video Practice!

Normally UserVue places a call directly to the participant – domestic calls ONLY

For international calling , have UserVue dial an international conference call bridge line

Send detailed instructions with invitations for accessing the prototype and the conference call

Watch out for spam filters !

Be flexible in case of poor connections

Leave plenty of time between sessions if you want to capture video

Practice!

Card Sorting Online with WebSort

User Research Part One - Findings Top 5 Features Ranked by Average “Importance” Score (1 – 10) Case studies (7.8) International locations/language (6.9) White papers (6.4) Articles about Innovation/R&D (6.4) Press Releases (6.3) Recommendation: Provide easy access to these basic types of content and make certain that they are well structured and well written. Also, take care to NOT overplay the marketing message.

Top 5 Features Ranked by Average “Importance” Score (1 – 10)

Case studies (7.8)

International locations/language (6.9)

White papers (6.4)

Articles about Innovation/R&D (6.4)

Press Releases (6.3)

Recommendation: Provide easy access to these basic types of content and make certain that they are well structured and well written. Also, take care to NOT overplay the marketing message.

User Research Part One – Findings cont. Key Observations: Strong groupings by Industries and Services/Solutions Products, enterprise software, development environments - difficult to place Case studies - often grouped together on the basis of document type. Certain individual topics like eLearning and enterprise software were more problematic Recommendations: Support browsing either by horizontal services or vertical industries Provide alternate ways to find content by type (case study, white paper, etc.) TCS Products are relevant both within their industry context and also aggregated as a type of offering Special categories as needed to accommodate topics like Enterprise Software (e.g. SAP)

Key Observations:

Strong groupings by Industries and Services/Solutions

Products, enterprise software, development environments - difficult to place

Case studies - often grouped together on the basis of document type.

Certain individual topics like eLearning and enterprise software were more problematic

Recommendations:

Support browsing either by horizontal services or vertical industries

Provide alternate ways to find content by type (case study, white paper, etc.)

TCS Products are relevant both within their industry context and also aggregated as a type of offering

Special categories as needed to accommodate topics like Enterprise Software (e.g. SAP)

User Research Part One – Cultural Considerations Need to overcome Western assumptions about India-based businesses NAMED Case studies – industry and location both important Location, location, location… Need to demonstrate local presence Language translation – important, but English acceptable depending on location…. Special cases – Europe, Latin America, Eastern Asia

Need to overcome Western assumptions about India-based businesses

NAMED Case studies – industry and location both important

Location, location, location… Need to demonstrate local presence

Language translation – important, but English acceptable depending on location….

Special cases – Europe, Latin America, Eastern Asia

User Research Part One – Card Sort Diagram

User Research Part One - Outcomes Key Outcomes Strategic recommendations and prioritized feature set Report to client stakeholder governance board Personas for high-priority user segments CIO Business Unit Manager Career Seeker Industry Analyst High level information architecture recommendations

Key Outcomes

Strategic recommendations and prioritized feature set

Report to client stakeholder governance board

Personas for high-priority user segments

CIO

Business Unit Manager

Career Seeker

Industry Analyst

High level information architecture recommendations

User Research Part Two - Overview Goal - get feedback on initial idea for 5 key pages and features: Participants - 9 participants (volunteers from part one) 6 customers 1 analyst 1 career seeker 1 TCS stakeholder After five interviews, we updated the prototype to incorporate the feedback we had received so far.

Goal - get feedback on initial idea for 5 key pages and features:

Participants - 9 participants (volunteers from part one)

6 customers

1 analyst

1 career seeker

1 TCS stakeholder

After five interviews, we updated the prototype to incorporate the feedback we had received so far.

User Research Part Two – Prototyping Methods Remote user testing with a clickable prototype IA + Design collaboration = Medium Fidelity Prototype created with Visio + SWIPR Task based user testing sessions Measure feedback via Likert Scale Questions Ease of Use: 1-10 Usefulness: 1-10 Clients and internal team members observe live remotely and watch video captured from sessions

Remote user testing with a clickable prototype

IA + Design collaboration = Medium Fidelity

Prototype created

with Visio + SWIPR

Task based user testing sessions

Measure feedback via Likert Scale Questions

Ease of Use: 1-10

Usefulness: 1-10

Clients and internal team members observe live remotely and watch video captured from sessions

Prototype Version A - Home Industries not expected here Useful feature but not noticed Too much duplication

Prototype Version B - Home Industries and Offerings split, “Solutions” gone New layout with Flash promo area better shown, No main navigation bar on Home Content filter tool now more prominent Thought Leadership instead of Best Practices

More Prototype Pages – Channel Landing Global Navigation bar Interactive channel landing pages

More Prototype Pages – Topic Node Channel navigation Calls to action Channel content

More Prototype Pages – Interactive Map Details available on roll-over.

User Research Part Two - Outcomes Overall Acceptance of the prototype was good. Scores improved from version A to version B Some concerns about usefulness of article content Revised site architecture – Solutions  Offerings and Solutions Adjusted labels – e.g. Best Practices  Thought Leadership Repositioned tool for finding Case Studies and other resources Adjusted site navigation and approach to main channels on Home Worldwide map concept proved very popular Contact Us scores improved dramatically in version B

Overall Acceptance of the prototype was good.

Scores improved from version A to version B

Some concerns about usefulness of article content

Revised site architecture – Solutions  Offerings and Solutions

Adjusted labels – e.g. Best Practices  Thought Leadership

Repositioned tool for finding Case Studies and other resources

Adjusted site navigation and approach to main channels on Home

Worldwide map concept proved very popular

Contact Us scores improved dramatically in version B

Next Step - Designing the Solution Next steps: Revised wireframes and created a Functional Specification Content types and descriptive metadata attributes 9 Core Page Types for the content management system

Next steps:

Revised wireframes and created a Functional Specification

Content types and descriptive metadata attributes

9 Core Page Types for the content management system

Designing the Solution – Functional Requirements Global Page Components Wireframes & Page Requirements

Designing the Solution – Moving from Design to Build Design Comps Production Art Site Inventory Site Copy and Content Creation of HTML page templates Content Management System implementation Flash development QA Testing UAT Hosting…

Design Comps

Production Art

Site Inventory

Site Copy and Content

Creation of HTML page templates

Content Management System implementation

Flash development

QA Testing

UAT

Hosting…

The Big Moment Arrives! TCS.COM Relaunch – February 2008

TCS.COM Relaunch – February 2008

TCS.com Relaunch - Home

TCS.com Relaunch – Channel Landing

TCS.com Relaunch – Topic Node Screenshot – with callouts?

Screenshot – with callouts?

TCS.com Relaunch – Content Article

TCS.com Relaunch – Worldwide Locations

TCS.com Relaunch – Worldwide: Google Map

TCS.com Relaunch – Contact Us

Web Analytics & Measurement Our Post-Launch Scorecard Home page abandonment rate down Offerings - the most popular channel Industries Channel funnels traffic to Offerings About isn’t often the first section visited, but gets the second highest amount of traffic Worldwide pages – 8% of site traffic Thought Leadership gets the fewest visits of any of the main sections, but includes all main visitor groups: investors, careers, client content. Often followed by white papers and case studies in the same visit Visits occurs late in sessions, not right away 3 mins 2:35 mins Visit Length 4.5 pages 3.43 pages Ave Pages Per Visit After – Feb 2008 Before – Jan 2007

Our Post-Launch Scorecard

Home page abandonment rate down

Offerings - the most popular channel

Industries Channel funnels traffic to Offerings

About isn’t often the first section visited, but gets the second highest amount of traffic

Worldwide pages – 8% of site traffic

Thought Leadership gets the fewest visits of any of the main sections, but includes all main visitor groups: investors, careers, client content.

Often followed by white papers and case studies in the same visit

Visits occurs late in sessions, not right away

Web Analytics – Home Page “Heat Map”

Final Thoughts Prioritizing features can be challenging - user research helps in making tough decisions Follow up projects added localized and translated areas of the site Try remote user testing: When local users are hard to recruit Geographic diversity needed Prototyping - make your mistakes earlier and get your internal team and the client engaged Go to India if you get the chance! Photo courtesy of Scott Mills

Prioritizing features can be challenging - user research helps in making tough decisions

Follow up projects added localized and translated areas of the site

Try remote user testing:

When local users are hard to recruit

Geographic diversity needed

Prototyping - make your mistakes earlier and get your internal team and the client engaged

Go to India if you get the chance!

In Closing Questions and Comments? Download: This presentation is available online via SlideShare: http://www.slideshare.net/ChrisFarnum Contact: Chris Farnum, Senior Information Architect [email_address] Enlighten Interactive Marketing | Web Development | Strategic Consulting Ann Arbor, Michigan | www.enlighten.com

Questions and Comments?

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Contact:

Chris Farnum, Senior Information Architect [email_address]

Enlighten Interactive Marketing | Web Development | Strategic Consulting

Ann Arbor, Michigan | www.enlighten.com