MAKING PLACES!
with!

Information Architecture !
& Content Strategy

!

Presented by
AGENDA!
2:00 Introductions & Agenda.
2:15 Placemaking & Sensemaking + Structure & Content.
3:00 Group discussion activity.
3:30 Very short break!
3:40 Places & Stories + Business & Users.
5:00 And we’re done.
PLACEMAKING &!
SENSEMAKING.!
+!
STRUCTURE &!
CONTENT.!
!
ENVIRONMENT!
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Derbyshire_Landscape.jpg
INFORMATION !
ENVIRONMENT!
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Derbyshire_Landscape.jpg
INFORMATION!
ENVIRONMENT

	


INFORMATION!
ENVIRONMENT
INFORMATION ENVIRONMENT(S)
INFORMATION ENVIRONMENT(S)

	


LANGUAGE
Language is !
infrastructure!
for sensemaking!
& placemaking!
Placemaking	

The process by which
undifferentiated “space” is formed
into & experienced as “place.” !

Sensemaking	

The process by which people
give meaning to experience. !
Structure & Message work together as part of making places & making “sense”. 	


Placemaking	

aka, Architecture	


Message	


Structure	


aka, Content!

Sensemaking
AFFORDANCE!
The perceived
functional properties of
objects, places and
events in relation to an
individual perceiver.!
- James J Gibson !
AFFORDANCE!

The perceived functional properties of objects,
places and events in relation to an individual
perceiver. !

Physical	


Semantic
AFFORDANCE!

The perceived functional properties of objects,
places and events in relation to an individual
perceiver. !

Physical	


Physical!
+ Semantic!

Simulated-Physical!
+ Semantic	


Mostly Semantic!
Information Architecture structures environment.
Content fulfills the promise of architecture.
Our experience of
digital places is
embodied. !
Coherence of
“place” is crucial. !
LABELS! Places, Objects, Events	

!
CONNECTIONS! Links, Relationships	

!
RULES! Cause & Effect	

!
RULES AFFECT COHERENCE OF “PLACE” FOR OUR CONTENT!

GOOGLE PLUS WEB!
Easily post content in the place I’m in.	


GOOGLE PLUS APP!
Confusingly requires re-establishing place for content.
RULES AFFECT COHERENCE OF “PLACE” FOR OUR ACTIONS!
SYSTEMS OF LANGUAGE
DISCUSSION!
WHAT IS A RECIPE?!
WHAT IS A RECIPE?!
WHAT IS A RECIPE?!
WHAT IS A RECIPE?!
WHAT IS A RECIPE?!
WHAT IS A RECIPE?!
WHAT IS A RECIPE?!
Peel off into groups of 3-5; pick a couple examples. !
!
-  How are structure & content establishing one or more “places”? !
-  What kind of place is being established? !
-  How successfully is that happening?!
-  Are there any places in play other than what is on the screen? !
10 MINUTE BREAK! !
PLACES &!
STORIES.!
+!
BUSINESS &!
USERS.!
SENSEMAKING IS STORYMAKING

WE’RE ALWAYS COMPOSING A NARRATIVE FROM EXPERIENCE!

Non-linear action. 

Linear recollection.
PLACES & MEANINGS ARE NESTED WITHIN STORIES

NARRATIVE IS HOW HUMANS MAKE SENSE OF EVERYTHING!

From xkcd - http://xkcd.com/657/large/
PLACES ARE NODES THAT STRUCTURE NARRATIVE !
AND NARRATIVE INFORMS EXPERIENCE OF PLACE!
ORGANIZATIONS HAVE NARRATIVES TOO !
MANY INDIVIDUAL STORIES FORM A “CORPORATE” STORY !

(The good people of OrgCorp)
ORGANIZATIONS ARE PLACES MADE OF INFORMATION

STRUCTURES THAT INFLUENCE WHAT WILL BE MADE!

Early org chart for what became IBM.
HOW WE TALK ABOUT THE WORLD

CAN FIND ITS WAY INTO OUR SYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENTS!

These different terms have slightly
different connotations. !
Whatever terminology we use in our
architectures, it needs to reflect these
connotations. !
!
- Jesse James Garrett !
“Brand Driven Information Architecture” !
February 2004!
HOW WE TALK ABOUT THE WORLD

CAN FIND ITS WAY INTO OUR SYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENTS!

From Moveo.com	


From Zeromomentoftruth.com
HOW WE TALK ABOUT THE WORLD

CAN FIND ITS WAY INTO OUR SYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENTS!

	


Documentation

Technology

	


	


Culture & Conversation

	

 	

 	

	

 	

 	

	

	

	

 	


customer
client
owner
conversion
product
purchase
sale subscription
user
cart

Requirements & 
Agile “User Stories”	


Database
Entities & Attributes	


Colloquial terminology
Inside the company
THE UNDERLYING STORY ISN’T THE SAME AS THE “PROP” OF UI!
BUT WE TEND TO CONFLATE THE TWO!
Interface!
Underlying Story!
WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE ORGANIZATIONAL STORY

IT SETS THE BOUNDARIES FOR WHAT SHOULD BE MADE!

LABELS!
!
CONNECTIONS!
!
RULES!
!

What things mean to the org.	

How things relate for the org.	

The “business rules” !
of cause & effect.
ARCHITECTURES OF INFORMATION REQUIRE … !

Ontology!

Particular meaning

Taxonomy!
Arrangement of the parts

Choreography!
Rules for interaction among the parts.
OMNI-CHANNEL ONTOLOGIES

WHAT IS A PARTICULAR THING ACROSS MANY CONTEXTS? !

The
Thing
TAXONOMY

“THE RULES OR CONVENTIONS OF ORDER OR ARRANGEMENT”!

Lists!
Trees!
Hierarchies!
Polyhierarchies!
Matrices!
Facets!
System Maps	


NOT JUST
HIERARCHIES
SOME TOOLS FOR !
UNDERSTANDING !
THE ORGANIZATIONAL
STORY!
UNDERSTANDING THE BUSINESS HELPS IT UNDERSTAND ITSELF!
PERFORMANCE CONTINUUMS !

What is possible
for us to build
starts with the
language that we
use to describe
intention of what
we think is going
to be good.
UNDERSTANDING THE BUSINESS HELPS IT UNDERSTAND ITSELF!
MODELING BUSINESS RELATIONSHIPS & SCENARIOS!
UNDERSTANDING THE BUSINESS HELPS IT UNDERSTAND ITSELF!
MAPPING DIGITAL STRATEGY !
UNDERSTANDING THE BUSINESS HELPS IT UNDERSTAND ITSELF!
ABSTRACT MODELING OF FUNCTIONAL NEEDS (WITHOUT IA/UI)!
Quality Shopping	


Accessible Learning	


Art Max needs to support discerning art supplies
Art Max emphasizes learning about art
shoppers: !
and how to use materials: !
-  Clear that Art Max knows superior quality/brands !
-  Expert tutorials provided for a basic
-  Recommends higher quality, regardless of price!
techniques and uses of most common
-  Expert reviews + customer reviews heavily
materials and tools. !
considered	

!

Available!
Anywhere!

All digital information available in wifi-enabled stores, for personal devices & via kiosks;
learning multimedia playable on all major platforms; customer profile & tools mobileadaptive. !
Enables easy, rich sharing of content by Art Max’s dedicated, discerning customer
following that shares often via sites like, Tumblr, Flickr, and Pinterest. Art max is then
better able to become the source of choice for customers’ ambitions and “leveling up” in
materials quality.!
Art Max provides tools for cultivating
preferences in art supplies and tools of
the trade, helps customers remember
Social
context of their prior purchases and
makes suggestions based on what similar
artists have done. !

Tools & Resources	


Sharing!

Platform Presences!
UNDERSTANDING THE BUSINESS HELPS IT UNDERSTAND ITSELF!
OBJECTIVE/STRATEGY MAPPING!
PLACE-MAKING & SENSE-MAKING

ACCOMMODATE HOW PEOPLE ACTUALLY BEHAVE!
THE CUSTOMER “JOURNEY”

NOT A STRAIGHT LINE – IDIOSYNCRATIC USE OF ENVIRONMENT!

“	


What we found were
3,000 completely
different paths! But
when we drilled down,
we found certain stops,
or “hubs,” in common.!
Zero Moment of Truth 2012	


”
WHAT IS THE “JOURNEY” TO CAR BUYING? 

!
WHAT IS THE “JOURNEY” TO CAR BUYING? 

!
WHAT IS THE “JOURNEY” TO CAR BUYING? 

!
WHAT IS THE “JOURNEY” TO CAR BUYING? 

!
WHAT IS THE “JOURNEY” TO CAR BUYING? 

!
A HYPOTHETICAL USER’S STORY!

PRIMARY SHOPPING SCENARIOS: 
End of lease, the seven year itch, new family
member reaches driving age, new baby,
other replacement need (accident)

CONTEXTS: 
Situational: Cost of Ownership, Seating,
Cargo Space, Utility, Feature Benefits (e.g.
Fuel Economy)

Behavioral: Varies based on primary
scenarios
ELEMENTS OF CONTEXT!

Behavior

Situation

Environment
PERSONAL-BEHAVIORAL CONTEXT!

DOING
environmental factors,
physical activity,
habits, disabilities,
preferences, sensory stimuli

Physical

Emotional

FEELING
psychological state, stress
level, desires, wants, needs

Cognitive
LEARNING
cognitive assumptions,
learning ability, education
PERSONAL-SITUATIONAL CONTEXT!

Task

Task

Situation

Task

Need

Need

Task

Task

Need

Task

Task
Task
Media
and
consumer
reviews

NEED: A vehicle
that I won't hate
being seen in

Competitive
Comparison
Data

Photo
gallery
Exterior
Shots

NEED: To spend
less than
$30,000

Current
offers

Class
leadership
claims

I need to turn in my lease
vehicle

Where
will a tank
of gas get
him?

NEED: Ability to
travel with my
kids and all their
stuff.

Video Content
Featuring
Configurations

Packages
and
pricepoints

Will it Fit?
Chart/
Images
highlighting
everyday
cargo loads

NEED: Balance
of features and
fuel economy

Available
Accessories

Safety
features

Technology
Videos
Demonstraitons
SITUATIONAL-BEHAVIORAL CONTEXT!

Task

Physical

Emotional

Task

Situation

Cognitive

Need

Task

Task

Need

Task

Need

Task

Task
Task

CONTEXTUAL CONTENT STRATEGY
ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS!

PC/MAC

Third Party
Set Top Box

Tablet

Game Console

Mobile

Connected TV

Connected
Set Top Box
ANOTHER USER’S STORY!

SCENARIO: 
Adult student returning to college

CONTEXTS: 
Situational: Budget, Time With Family,
Work Life Balance, 

Behavioral: Fear/Insecurity, Confusion,
Hope/Excitement and many more
FORM A HYPOTHESIS!
EXPLORE OPTIONS
(Browse options and understand
qualifications

OVERCOME FEAR
(Via testimonial, Use Cases, Financial
Examples)

PLAN AND IMMERSE
(Browse an expert, Understand Tools)

TAKE ACTION
(Apply for pin, Download Forms,
Contact Advisor)
MODEL AND PLAN!
MODEL AND PLAN!
MODEL AND PLAN!
MODEL AND PLAN!
COMPLETE THE MODEL!
PLAN FOR A PLACE!
QUESTIONS? !
THANKS!!

http://understandinggroup.com/2013/10/makingplaces/!

Making Places with Information Architecture & Content Strategy