Webster Redesigning the U.S. Senate’s Intranet

Web Executive Seminars Putting Online Audiences First, Again and Again May 8, 2008 National Press Club Washington, DC Learn more: www.forumone.com/wes

Webster Redesigning the U.S. Senate’s Intranet

Agenda Webster background How users drive our design Supporting infrastructure Testing: screenshots before, during and after Next steps If time…creating content

Webster background

How users drive our design

Supporting infrastructure

Testing: screenshots before, during and after

Next steps

If time…creating content

Background (Continues) Senate’s intranet Method for the four stakeholders advertise the services available to the Senate Community. Stakeholders Sergeant at Arms (security, technology) Secretary of the Senate (legislative, records) Chaplain (spiritual advisor and counselor) Committee on Rules and Administration (“mayor”) Culture Technology Advisory Group (TAG) Management Webster: The Senate’s Intranet

Senate’s intranet Method for the four stakeholders advertise the services available to the Senate Community.

Stakeholders

Sergeant at Arms (security, technology)

Secretary of the Senate (legislative, records)

Chaplain (spiritual advisor and counselor)

Committee on Rules and Administration (“mayor”)

Culture

Technology Advisory Group (TAG)

Management

(Continued) Background Audiences Content creators A subset of the community including service providers who work for one of the Stakeholders. Includes managers who provide services and their staff. Content consumers The entire U.S. Senate community : Senators, Committees, staff from supporting organizations. Administrative managers, system administrators, press secretaries, legislative (e.g., attorneys, issue experts), events planners, interns and pages Security-related staff, technical staff, trainers, cabinet makers and so on Democrats, Republicans, Independents Webster: The Senate’s Intranet

Audiences

Content creators A subset of the community including service providers who work for one of the Stakeholders. Includes managers who provide services and their staff.

Content consumers The entire U.S. Senate community : Senators, Committees, staff from supporting organizations.

Administrative managers, system administrators, press secretaries, legislative (e.g., attorneys, issue experts), events planners, interns and pages

Security-related staff, technical staff, trainers, cabinet makers and so on

Democrats, Republicans, Independents

Current Webster (Prior to Redesign) Webster: The Senate’s Intranet

User Perception: Assessment Neutral evaluator Mixed methods Online survey (500 fully or mostly complete) One-on-one interviews and focus groups (22 complete) Web log review (6 months worth) Search term analysis (6 months worth) How Users Drive Our Design

Neutral evaluator

Mixed methods

Online survey (500 fully or mostly complete)

One-on-one interviews and focus groups (22 complete)

Web log review (6 months worth)

Search term analysis (6 months worth)

How Users Drive Our Design

User Perception: Content Creators Recommendations Plus... Establish governance for Webster Don’t want to determine their own look/feel How Users Drive Our Design More robust content management system

Plus...

Establish governance for Webster

Don’t want to determine their own look/feel

How Users Drive Our Design

User Perception: Content Consumer Recommendations Plus... More business online Sign-up for announcements to be sent Quickly view what is new on Webster More information, better written Finding information

Plus...

More business online

Sign-up for announcements to be sent

Quickly view what is new on Webster

More information, better written

Additional Evaluator Recommendations Provide easy access to... Top documents downloaded Top pages visited by season Top-used tools Retain features content consumers value Organizational structure of information Indicator of which stakeholder provides the information Contact information on each page

Provide easy access to...

Top documents downloaded

Top pages visited by season

Top-used tools

Retain features content consumers value

Organizational structure of information

Indicator of which stakeholder provides the information

Contact information on each page

Who Supports Webster Stakeholder Teams Each stakeholder has their own teams Stakeholders collaborate/share personnel/resources Roles we have: program managers; project managers; CF, CS, CSS developers; taxonomists/librarians; usability Also want: graphics person; editor; communications director The WAG Stakeholders make up the advisory group Focus of the charter: Meet user needs by involving the in them decision-making Continuous customer evaluation and revision Supporting Infrastructure

Stakeholder Teams

Each stakeholder has their own teams

Stakeholders collaborate/share personnel/resources

Roles we have: program managers; project managers; CF, CS, CSS developers; taxonomists/librarians; usability

Also want: graphics person; editor; communications director

The WAG

Stakeholders make up the advisory group

Focus of the charter:

Meet user needs by involving the in them decision-making

Continuous customer evaluation and revision

Supporting Infrastructure

Home Page (Early Drafts) Screenshots: Before, During Testing and Final

Screenshots: Before, During Testing and Final

Home Page (Early Drafts) Screenshots: Before, During Testing and Final

Screenshots: Before, During Testing and Final

Home Page (Early Drafts) Screenshots: Before, During Testing and Final

Screenshots: Before, During Testing and Final

Home Page Testing Users Stratified by role/job responsibilities, length of time at Senate Weighed data Early, continuously 40 users, 8 rounds, new users in each round Example questions Identify priority tasks by position: What do you feel Webster should present on the home page to help you do your job? What is your favorite feature of the existing Webster site? Least favorite? Why? Design: Where did your eyes go first? What do you like? What don’t you like? Why? Screenshots: Before, During Testing and Final

Users

Stratified by role/job responsibilities, length of time at Senate

Weighed data

Early, continuously

40 users, 8 rounds, new users in each round

Example questions

Identify priority tasks by position:

What do you feel Webster should present on the home page to help you do your job?

What is your favorite feature of the existing Webster site? Least favorite? Why?

Design:

Where did your eyes go first? What do you like? What don’t you like? Why?

Screenshots: Before, During Testing and Final

Home Page Final Composition Screenshots: Before, During Testing and Final (Final Design)

Final Composition

Screenshots: Before, During Testing and Final

Taxonomy (Early Drafts) Screenshots: Before, During Testing and Final 4 - 11 Level 2 “Service” categories All items display 2-level hierarchy

Screenshots: Before, During Testing and Final

4 - 11 Level 2 “Service” categories

All items display

2-level hierarchy

Taxonomy (Early Drafts) Screenshots: Before, During Testing and Final 4 - 11 Level 2 “Service” categories All items display 2-level hierarchy

Screenshots: Before, During Testing and Final

4 - 11 Level 2 “Service” categories

All items display

2-level hierarchy

Taxonomy Testing Same users as home page Testing Methodology Expect to find...? Show the taxonomy – “how does this fit in with your expectations?” Card sort – regroup categories, introduce new ones Retest with same and new users Screenshots: Before, During Testing and Final

Same users as home page

Testing Methodology

Expect to find...?

Show the taxonomy – “how does this fit in with your expectations?”

Card sort – regroup categories, introduce new ones

Retest with same and new users

Screenshots: Before, During Testing and Final

Taxonomy (Final Design) Screenshots: Before, During Testing and Final 8 categories “ Hot” items display Link to “see all”

Screenshots: Before, During Testing and Final

8 categories

“ Hot” items display

Link to “see all”

Personalization through “My Links” (Final Design) Screenshots: Before, During Testing and Final Next Steps

Screenshots: Before, During Testing and Final

SAA’s Site Design Process Identify target audience Business strategy assessment Develop purpose statements Create information architecture Design Test Obtain technical training Market Creating SAA Content We teach them how to bait the hook and fish....

Identify target audience

Business strategy assessment

Develop purpose statements

Create information architecture

Design

Test

Obtain technical training

Market

Creating SAA Content

CIO Creating SAA Content

Creating SAA Content

CIO Creating SAA Content

Creating SAA Content

Chaplain Creating SAA Content

Creating SAA Content

Chaplain Creating SAA Content

Creating SAA Content

Next Steps Taxonomy Finalize for each stakeholder Test with content consumers and content providers Home page Finalize development of each widget Usability test WAG Establish regular maintenance meetings Prioritize development of additional features

Taxonomy

Finalize for each stakeholder

Test with content consumers and content providers

Home page

Finalize development of each widget

Usability test

WAG

Establish regular maintenance meetings

Prioritize development of additional features

LEARN MORE: www.forumone.com/wes Web Executive Seminars