Communicating Design
An Astonishingly Close Look at IA Documentation
Presented by Dan Brown
Principal, EightShapes, LLC
IA Summit 2007
Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

ENTERPRISE ANALYSIS Project Constan t s :
TECHNICAL - Iterative Approach for all Ph a s e s
AUDIT
AND DEVELOPMENT - Knowledge Manageme n t
- Client Servic e
- Client Va l u e
TECHNOL O G Y
STRAT G Y
E
BRAND
ANALYSIS
BEGIN PROJE C T
CREATIV E
STRAT G Y
E
(Brand & U s e r
USER ANALYSI S
Experien c e )
RESOURCE &
ORGANIZAT O N A L
I
STRATE G I C COMPETIT I V E ANALYSIS
ANALYSIS
CONT X T
E
CUSTOM E R & INTE N T
ANALYSIS
USER
BUSINESS
TRAINI N G
STRAT G Y
E
INTERN A L
COMMUNICAT I O N S
METR I C S IMPAC T
ANALYSIS
PROJEC T
WARRANT Y
GOVERNANC E
WOR K INTERN A L
METR I C S PLAN
COMMUNICAT I O N S PROBLE M
STATE M E N T
DEPLOYME N T
ENTERPR I S E
PLAN SCOPE &
ANALYSI S
METR I C S PLAN
DOCUME N T
VISIO N
PLAN PURSU I T SCOPE & RO L E
OPTION S
ORGANIZAT O N A L
I DOCUMENT T I O N
A
weak relationsh i p
MODIFI E D CHANG E
DELIVERABL E MANAGEM E N T SOLUT O N
I
REQUIREM N T S
E
MODEL N G ,
I
MODIFI E D DESIGN, &
DEPLOY E D
TRANSIT I O N
DELIVERABL E SOLUTIO N
PLAN
PLAN
REQUIREM N T S
E
MODIFI E D
envisioning the real-time enter p r i s e
DELIVERABL E
ENTERPRI S E
implementing a solut i o n
VISIONI NG REQUIREM N T S
E
MODIFIE D CHANG E
SOLUTIO N
RELEASE MANAGEM E N T
SOLUTION
NOTE S CHANG E
MODELING MANAGEM E N T
ENTERPRI S E TISANI
TRANSITION METHODOLOGY
REQUIREMEN T S
USABILITY TEST S &
RECOMMENDAT I O N S MEASUREME N T
TEST E D PROCESS
SURVEY SOLUTIO N
modeling a solut i o n
SOLUTION
BUSINESS
DESIGN USE CASE
SPECIFICATI O N
BUILT
SOLUTIO N
PERFOMA N C E
TEST RESU L T S
applying a soluti o n
QA TEST &
S
TEST RESU L T S DOCUMENTATIO N DESIG N
COMMUNICA T I O N USE CASES
PROGRAM ( S )
MATERIA L S Delivera b l e
USE CASES
PROTOTY P E
Project Managem e n t
INTERF C E
A PROTOTY P E
DESIG N
PROCESS
STANDARD S
INTERACT I O N
DETAIL S
DOCUMENT T I O N
A
INTERACT V E
I MODE L
APPLICATIO N S
Strategy
IMPLEMENT T I O N
A
PLANS
STANDARD S
DOCUMENT T I O N
A
SYSTE M S
CONT X T
E
USABILIT Y
DIAGRAM S
Creativ e
QA TEST P L A N TEST PL A N
SYSTE M
SOLUTION ANALYSIS
ARCHITECT R E
U
PROCESS
STANDARD S
AND DEVELOPMENT
DETAIL S
DOCUMENT T I O N
A DOMAIN & OB J E C T
MODEL S
Technolo g y

applying a soluti o n
DESIG N
USE CASES
Delivera b l e
USE CASES
PROTOTY P E
Project Managem e n t
INTERF C E
A PROTOTY P E
DESIG N
PROCESS
INTERACT I O N
DETAIL S
MODE L
Strategy
SYSTE M S
CONT X T
E
DIAGRAM S
Creativ e
SYSTE M
SOLUTION AN
ARCHITECT R E
U
PROCESS
AND DEVELOP
DETAIL S
DOMAIN & OB J E C T
MODEL S
Technolo g y

project methodology
activity/event
static sites deliverable
data
baseline sample ongoing sample regular
collection analysis
study report studies report reports
request
metrics
external meeting
internal meeting
client
survey
other kinds of usability activities (card sorting) requires sign-off
ux
meeting participants
survey funding baseline wireframe
recruiting analysis recruiting
btl
analysis approved test testing
content management
st cm
usability
usability
us
information architect
ia
business team lead
follow-up recommen- final recommen- btl
prototypes
questions dations wireframes dations
user experience lead
ux
copywriter
cw
strategy lead
st
ux btl
business recommen-
wireframe
driver dations
btl us
review
kick off review ia
st
ia
btl
ux btl ia ux btl ia
cw us us
cm
draft user
request revised draft wireframe revised revised page
require- experience
materials site map wireframes review wireframes wireframes inventory
ments kick-off
ia
ux btl st
ux btl
require-
existing task input source wireframe
ments task inputs
btl ia
materials* review material review
review
st cw
copy design
cm
ia
revised metrics/ content assess
cw
high-level 508 copy
require- scoping usability copy deck audit/ graphics
cm
site map review review
ments plan strategy needs
btl
ux btl st
st
reqs launch teamsite new
btl
review email pages graphics
ux
ux lead strategy lead btl cm
final filenames
legal copy revised
require- for
review review copy deck
ments tracking
metrics
ia
cw cm btl
* existing materials include baseline metrics reports,
existing usability studies, customer satisfaction surveys.

ux ia ux ia
us us
cm
user
revised draft wireframe revised revised p
xperience
site map wireframes review wireframes wireframes inve
kick-off
source wireframe
material review
copy
ia
content
cw
508 copy
copy deck audit/
cm
review review
strategy
btl
teamsite new
pages graphics
btl cm
filenames
legal copy revised
for
review review copy deck
tracking
metrics
ia
cw cm btl

Web Design Methods in a Nutshell
What do users want/need?
❖
What approach will we take to design a solution?
❖
What does the solution look like?
❖
Does the solution e ectively ll the need?
❖

A document
captures an idea.

War is Bad

The Role of Documentation
Consistency of Vision
❖
Documents help facilitate communication
Accountability
❖
Documents represent project history
Traceability
❖
Documents show progress

Di erent Kinds of Documents
Usability Test Plan
Usability Report
Concept Model
Screen Design Site Map
Persona
Flow Chart
Competitive Analysis
Wireframe
Content Inventory

Di erent Kinds of Documents
User Needs Strategy Design
Persona Competitive Analysis Site Maps
Usability Test Plan Concept Model Flow Charts
Usability Reports Content Inventory Wireframes
Screen Designs
What do users want? What approach What does the
Does it meet their needs? should we take? solution look like?

A Closer Look at Flow Charts

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The Anatomy of a Document

Di erent Document Elements
De ning Elements
❖
Making the document what it is
Elaborating Elements
❖
Providing useful details -- “useful” varies by context
Enhancing Elements
❖
Adding details to support broader agenda

Critical Thinking about
Your Own Documentation

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Creating Deliverables
Establish purpose
❖
Identify audience
❖
Inventory contents
❖
Prioritize contents
❖
Create visual language
❖

Using Deliverables
Communicate purpose
❖
Relinquish control
❖
Note opportunities for improvement
❖
Estimate value of maintenance
❖

Thank You!
Contact Me
❖
dan@eightshapes.com
About the book
❖
www.communicatingdesign.com