Designing websites that work Donna Maurer – Maadmob Interaction Design

About me Freelance information architect/interaction designer I design structures & interfaces for complex informational & interactive systems 6+ years professional experience, as an innie, an outie & a freelancer Designed loads of business applications, websites, intranets Practice, teach and write about IA and IxD Chair for next year's IA Summit Writing a book about card sorting - due Jan 2007

Freelance information architect/interaction designer

I design structures & interfaces for complex informational & interactive systems

6+ years professional experience, as an innie, an outie & a freelancer

Designed loads of business applications, websites, intranets

Practice, teach and write about IA and IxD

Chair for next year's IA Summit

Writing a book about card sorting - due Jan 2007

The problem Information is hard to find Content is poor quality Site needs a visual refresh Site doesn’t scale well New content doesn’t fit in Search engine is choking Navigation method is no longer suitable Site is a poor reflection on the company The last redesign didn’t fix anything

Information is hard to find

Content is poor quality

Site needs a visual refresh

Site doesn’t scale well

New content doesn’t fit in

Search engine is choking

Navigation method is no longer suitable

Site is a poor reflection on the company

The last redesign didn’t fix anything

You need to redesign Sometimes only a redesign will help The problem is too big to tweak It has been left too long It is the only way you’ll get the resources This talk is about design/redesign, not long-term maintenance or incremental design

Sometimes only a redesign will help

The problem is too big to tweak

It has been left too long

It is the only way you’ll get the resources

This talk is about design/redesign, not long-term maintenance or incremental design

Essential elements Information Skills Time Design work is creative, not just analytic

Information

Skills

Time

Design work is creative, not just analytic

Without information Decisions are hard to make Decisions don’t fit Design based on personal opinion Arguments May build the wrong thing If you don’t have enough Use existing sources such as web stats, search logs, customer emails Informal research

Decisions are hard to make

Decisions don’t fit

Design based on personal opinion

Arguments

May build the wrong thing

If you don’t have enough

Use existing sources such as web stats, search logs, customer emails

Informal research

Gathering information Good inputs give good outputs User research activities Interviews, surveys Existing data Card sorting Content Inventory, wishlists Analysis Business goals Discussion Background research Competitor analysis

Good inputs give good outputs

User research activities

Interviews, surveys

Existing data

Card sorting

Content

Inventory, wishlists

Analysis

Business goals

Discussion

Background research

Competitor analysis

Without skills Just can’t do a good job No credibility if you do well No way to judge your outputs Activity-led design ‘ Research’-led design Analysis paralysis If you don’t have enough Hire in (will take time) Train/get mentoring Consulting services Narrow down the project

Just can’t do a good job

No credibility if you do well

No way to judge your outputs

Activity-led design

‘ Research’-led design

Analysis paralysis

If you don’t have enough

Hire in (will take time)

Train/get mentoring

Consulting services

Narrow down the project

Skills Teams, not individuals Creative thinkers Analyse & think about implications Not follow formulae Previous experience Excellent communicators Writing, selling Understand relevant technology Plan & keep everything on track

Teams, not individuals

Creative thinkers

Analyse & think about implications

Not follow formulae

Previous experience

Excellent communicators

Writing, selling

Understand relevant technology

Plan & keep everything on track

Skills/roles User research Information architecture Content (analysis, management) Usability testing Accessibility Visual design

User research

Information architecture

Content (analysis, management)

Usability testing

Accessibility

Visual design

Without time Can’t collect sufficient information Can’t think issues through properly Don’t get to attempt and abandon ideas Premature decisions Quality suffers If you don’t have enough Reduce scope Don’t compromise quality Get expert skills in

Can’t collect sufficient information

Can’t think issues through properly

Don’t get to attempt and abandon ideas

Premature decisions

Quality suffers

If you don’t have enough

Reduce scope

Don’t compromise quality

Get expert skills in

Time ‘ Thinking time’ is an amazing resource Allow gaps instead of rushing Allow time for analysis Try different options and choose a good one Allows good consultation Good documentation (e.g. rationales) Much more likely to get a good solution

‘ Thinking time’ is an amazing resource

Allow gaps instead of rushing

Allow time for analysis

Try different options and choose a good one

Allows good consultation

Good documentation (e.g. rationales)

Much more likely to get a good solution

If you hire a consultant Check the person has skills, not just techniques Don’t ask about results Learn how they think Get involved in all activities, discussions & decisions Skills awareness & transfer

Check the person has skills, not just techniques

Don’t ask about results

Learn how they think

Get involved in all activities, discussions & decisions

Skills awareness & transfer

Questions & thanks http://maadmob.net/ 0409-778-693 [email_address] I’m available from Jan 07

http://maadmob.net/

0409-778-693

[email_address]

I’m available from Jan 07