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Information Architecture and User /Task Analysis

Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................ 2
What has changed?................................................................................................. 2
Architecting Your Content........................................................................................... 4
Moving to topic based content................................................................................ 4
Classifying topics (Creating a taxonomy)................................................................5
Creating topic sets.................................................................................................. 5
Developing Information for Faceted Browsing............................................................7
Optimizing the Content for Faceted Browsing.........................................................7
DITA...................................................................................................................... 7
Classifying Content................................................................................................ 13
User /Task Analysis................................................................................................... 15
Identifying who your users are and the tasks they perform..................................15
Information Development Process.........................................................................15
Perform Audience Analysis................................................................................. 15
Identify Goals..................................................................................................... 16
Develop scenarios for goals............................................................................... 16
Identify Information for Supporting Goals..........................................................16
Identify and Organize Tasks................................................................................ 16
Organize Tasks................................................................................................... 17
Identify and Organize Supporting Information...................................................18
Specify Links between Topics.............................................................................18
Specify Relationship Links..................................................................................18
Develop Multiple Deliverables............................................................................19
Content Delivery: New and Traditional......................................................................19

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Information Architecture and User /Task Analysis

Introduction
What has changed?
Research has shown that shown that the information needs of users of technical
documentation have been changing over the years. Users rarely read a user guide
end to end.

They read less and want to have more to do they typically search for information.
They have access to vast sources of reference information on the internet, therefore
what they look for in our documentation is content that will:

Help them do their work effectively

Lead them to the results they are looking for

Help them solve a problem

Provide an answer to a question

The changing needs of customers are changing the content itself, as well as way in
which it needs to be delivered (on the internet, in various formats (HTML, PDF),
accessed over many devices (PCs, phones, tablets) - Information anytime and
anywhere.

To adapt to the internet era, the technical communicator needs to understand how
to optimize their content to be able to address the needs of advanced delivery
technologies.

This brings us to the concept of Information Architecture. Simply put, Information


Architecture is a discipline and a set of methods that aim to identify and organize
information in a purposeful and service-oriented way.

As Clayton M Christensen said: Instead of designing products and services that


dictate consumers behavior, let the tasks people are trying to get done inform your
design.

To implement a successful Information Architecture we need to understand our


users and their need for information as they go about their various tasks.

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Information Architecture and User /Task Analysis

The work of architecting and classifying information goes simply beyond structuring
information in a hierarchical table of contents with good index entries and cross
references. Linear content usually does not give the user a choice on the order of
the information flow. For multimedia content, linear content progresses often
without any navigational control for the viewer

The work of architecting and classifying information goes simply beyond structuring
information in a hierarchical table of contents with good index entries and cross
references. Linear content usually does not give the user a choice on the order of
the information flow. For multimedia content, linear content progresses often without
any navigational control for the viewer.

Information architects have not only to consider the architecture of the content but
also ensure that the content is written appropriately to take advantage of new
technologies such as videos, multimedia, simulated graphics, and mobile docs. As
an information architect you need to define information in a manner that enables
your users find the information they need.

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Information Architecture and User /Task Analysis

That brings us to structured writing or authoring. It is a writing


methodology that enables you to define and enforce a consistent
organization of information within and across publications, thereby enabling
true single-sourcing and reusability.

It involves:

creating interchangeable parts

assembling the interchangeable parts into something greater than its


parts and

repurposing them for different audiences and different uses

A writing methodology that enables you to define and enforce a


consistent organization of information within and across publications,
thereby enabling true single-sourcing and reusability.

Architecting Your Content


High level tasks that need to be performed when architecting content:

Creating topic sets


Classifying topics (Creating a taxonomy)
Creating topic sets

Moving to topic based content


By organizing your content into topics you can achieve the following goals

Topic-based chunks of stand-alone content are readable even when it is


accessed out of context from search , not just when read in sequence as part
of a chapter
Because topics are already organized around a single subject, you can
organize a set of topics logically and get an acceptable flow between them.
Transitions from one subject to another dont need to be as seamless as the
flow of explanations within a single subject, because the prime focus is on
ensuring each subjects document makes complete sense to the reader as a
stand-alone piece.
Content can be reused in different information groups. If you author topics to
make sense independently (by search), they could also make sense when
included in different product deliverables. Modularity allows repurposing
information as needed. This saves a lot of overhead for the writers, and

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Information Architecture and User /Task Analysis

ensures that important information thats there in one section is not missed
by a reader reading another section.
Enables you to organize content differently for online and print purposes. You
can create task flows and concept hierarchy for online orientation and print
friendly combined hierarchy for users looking for organized reading flow.

Classifying topics (Creating a taxonomy)

Taxonomy is a controlled set of terms used to describe things in a consistent way. It


is a classification system of topics or subject categories. This classification or
organization means that if you find one thing within a category, you will easily find
other related things in that category. Classification schemes are usually based on
grouping information sets that have similar attributes, functional proximity, causal
relationships and relationships embedded in organizational structures.
A Facet is a category of Subjects that describe an attribute of a particular piece of
content. For example the category Task would contain the set of tasks useful in
describing the information.
Technical architects use established taxonomy to classify their information into
Facets and deliver it via faceted browsing or searching interface.
Subjects of installing and troubleshooting could be part of a Task.

Subject is simply a word that describes what the piece of information is about.

Although it can be tempting to create a separate subject for everything your


content covers, remember these subjects will become part of the faceted browsing
interface. An overly complex taxonomy results in an overly complex user
experience.

Creating topic sets


In faceted browsing users have two entry points to content; Topics and Topic sets.

A topic addresses a single issue in a single topic, while a topic set addresses a
single, usually larger issue, in an organized group of topics or other topic sets.

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Information Architecture and User /Task Analysis

A topic set is used when the goal in question is complex and requires a group of
task to address it.

Topic sets can be created from Topics meeting the following criteria:

o Topic stands on its own as a complete unit of content


o Addresses a single concept and can be reused as a topic
o Contains and can be contained by other topic sets
o Used to define a task or goal that requires multiple topics
o Provides the user with a point of reference when navigating through
content and strongly increases the user experience.

To create topic sets in an existing navigation, you need to

1. Determine which topics should be included in the topic set


Be sure you have read each topic fully when considering whether it is
appropriate for inclusion in a topic set
Use a topic set only when the group of topics addresses a single issue
Identify topics that are not appropriate for inclusion in a topic set. They
might be stub topics that provide no real content themselves

2. Identify which of the topic should be the main topic of the topic set. This
topic will be the parent topic and its short description should give a clear
indication of what the topic set is about. Short description is text that briefly
introduces and describes a topic. They appear in popup link text when you
hover over a link to that topic.
3. For each topic set, think specifically about the user goal that the information
supports. Keeping the user goal in mind you might find it helpful to ask
yourself the following questions about topic set and related information:
Does this set of information contain all the content that is required to
complete this goal?
What information is related to this topic set? For example, are there
prerequisite tasks or concepts, supporting examples, or follow-up
tasks? If so, ensure that there are links to this information.
Can this information be restructured so that it is easier to filter or
reuse? For e example, is the set about a mixture of platforms,
products, goals or task types? If so, you might consider ensuring that

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the parent topic applies equally to the entire topic set or to a filtered
subset of a topic.

Developing Information for Faceted Browsing


As a content developer /writer you need to be cognizant about

- Optimizing the content for faceted browsing


- Classifying Content

Optimizing the Content for Faceted Browsing


In addition to classifying content, it is import the content is Optimized for use in a
faceted browsing interface. In a faceted browsing interface users make decisions on
what content to read based on titles and short descriptions. Optimizing your content
includes reviewing and updating the titles and short descriptions. Titles must be
accurate in order to be useful in a faceted browsing interface. Users scan titles in
the result list to determine which topics they want to read. Ensure Titles and Short
description provides the information users need to make a decision.

This decision is analogous to reading a newspaper. When people look at a


newspaper, they look at the headlines first. If the story is interesting and relevant to
them, they start reading the rest of the article. The same holds true for modular
documentation.

DITA
By organizing information around goals that users are trying to accomplish, you can
provide task-based information that truly addresses user needs. For example, if a

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Information Architecture and User /Task Analysis

user the user is a developer who needs to develop Java application, then all the
information focuses around the tasks the developer must perform to develop the
application.

Darwin Information Typing Architecture (DITA) is an XML framework for production


of topic-oriented technical documentation.

Darwin: DITA topics correspond to information types that inherit characteristics from
other information types and can be specialized.

Information Typing: In DITA you develop topics based on types of content, such as
concept, task and reference information.

Architecture: DITA is intended to be architecture for designing information that


encapsulates best practices and extensible design

DITA specification includes language reference that provides explanation of each


element in the base DITA information type.

Topic Types

- Concept
- Task
- References

Concept Topics
Concept Topics explain and teach. They help end users build their experience and
knowledge. They are read before using the product or completing a task

A concept Topic
- Introduces a system , solution, process, product, tool , feature, technology, or
characteristic
- Provides background information that users must know before working with a
product or before starting a task
- Describes the benefit of, the relationship between, and the restrictions of, the
product and its features
- Defines terms in more detail than a glossary.

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Information Architecture and User /Task Analysis

- For example, heres a look at the Virtual Interfaces concept topic from the
Cisco documentation site:

Title guidelines
- DITA element<title>
- Use a noun or noun phrase, NOT a gerund for a title

Incorrect: Working Online or Offline

Correct: Advantages of working Online or Offline

- Concept topics often start with the word About

Concept Topic Short Descriptions


- DITA Element <short Desc>
- Include an opening paragraph to briefly introduce the concept and provide a
concise answer to the question What is this? Begin with a definition and
then expand upon it
- Do not use the short description to lead in or build up to a topic. It should
contain the main point of the conceptual topic
- Are 1-3 sentences long. No more than 50 words

Example: Short description from Crawlers topic:

Crawlers are programs that search for information on the web, in databases,
or in other data sources. The information that crawlers gather is added to the
search engine index. Crawlers must run regularly to ensure that the search
engine index is up to date.

Content
- User paragraphs for the majority of the information
- Address the questions, why , when where , what, and how
- Consider cause and effect
- Address only one complete idea. Keep the topic short and concise , but
describe the concept completely

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Information Architecture and User /Task Analysis

- If the topic is longer than two screens , use subheading to break it into
sections

Task Topics
Task Topic tells the user how to accomplish a goal.

A Task topic

Provides procedural details


Provides context ( where or when to perform tasks) and examples
Sometimes lists choices rather than steps
Can have links to subtasks, each of which can be part of multiple high-level
tasks

Task Guidelines
- DITA Element <title>
- Use a Verb phrase
- Describe the users task, not the function or the menu option the user uses.

Incorrect: Using the Print Function

Correct: Printing Files

Short Description
- DITA element <shortDesc>
- Include an opening paragraph to briefly introduce the task and explain what the
task information helps users accomplish , the benefits of the task , or the
purpose of the task
- Length :1-3 sentences, no more than 50 words

Example; Short description from the changing Data Types topic

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Information Architecture and User /Task Analysis

You can change the data type of a column so your data types are consistent
across tables. Use the alter NICKNAME statement to change the data type of a
column.

Prerequisite
- DITA element <prereq>
- Include information (steps or tasks) that user s need to complete before they
can successfully start steps in a task
- Use links to existing task topics if necessary

Context
- DITA element <context>
- Include additional information users need to be successful such as limitations or
environment requirements that are not tasks

Content
- DITA elements: <step><steps><steps-unordered>
- Use numbered list for steps users perform in order
- Include only one set of step per task topic
- Write steps as brief imperative sentences
- Write one step for each significant user action. Keep logical user actions
together. For example, click a>b>c, or Type AAA and click Ok.
- Set the context for the step first, then provide the imperative statement. For
example, In the XYZ window, do ABC, or To overwrite the file, click Replace.
- If a task has more than nine steps, try to divide it into two or more separate
task topics- NOT two separate tasks in the same topic, but two separate task
topics
- Consider designing and creating a super task topic that links to smaller tasks.
For example, create a task topic (akin to the task topic set discussed earlier)
and include task topics to describe the different tasks.

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Information Architecture and User /Task Analysis

Reference Topics
Reference topics provide quick access to facts.

A reference topic

- Documents facts for device support , APIs , messages, schemas, settings,


symbols, language elements and so on
- Briefly describes the facts , without background or explanatory detail
- Provides links to closely related reference topics

Titles
- DITA Element <Title>
- Use a noun, noun string
- Do not begin the heading with an article
- Consistence is an absolute must

Incorrect: The COUNT Command

Correct: COUNT Command

Short Description
- DITA element <short Desc>
- Briefly introduce the reference element and describe what the item does, what it
is, or what it is used for.

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For example: Short Description from the COUNT Command topic

The COUNT command displays the current number of rows in the table. The rows
are counted by the SQL SELECT COUNT (*) function.

Content
- DITA elements: many
- Use a consistent format (with standard subheadings) for reference topics about
parallel subject matter (message, help, API class description, data loads etc.)
- Make the topic easy to scan using lists and tables extensively
- Make the topic as long as it needs to be to cover the subject matter. Include the
purpose, restrictions, authority, examples and other important information.

The following table shows guidelines that short descriptions should adhere to for
each topic type

Topic Type Guidelines


All Types Use Complete Sentences
Avoid starting with phrases such as
this topic describes... or This
topic is about
Avoid repeating the title of the
topic
Be as brief as possible (50 words or
less)
Concept Introduce the concept and provide a
concise answer to the question
What is this?
Avoid using the short description as
a lead in or build up to a topic
Avoid turning the concept topic into
a task
Task Explain what the task information
helps users accomplish , the

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benefits of the task , or the purpose


of the task
Include information that will help
users understand when the task is
appropriate or why the task is
necessary
Avoid stating the obvious , such as
you can use XYZ to do A as the
only statement in the short
description for Task A
Reference Describe what the reference item
does, what it is , or what it is used
for

Classifying Content
Information developers can add metadata tags to existing information using
taxonomy. The classification data can be used by the interface to enhance the
users experience in a variety of ways, including faceted browsing, personalization
and search ranking.

Before classifying content you need to create a classification DITA map. A


classification DITA map is used to define relationships between subjects and topics
or topic sets in addition to defining the hierarchical and other relationships.

Classification is a mental task that involves understanding the definitions of


taxonomy subjects, understanding the content of the topic set, identifying a
combination of subjects that accurately describes the content and then inserting
the classification elements.

Steps involved in classifying content

1. Review the topic set to understand its content


2. Review the taxonomy subjects to identify all the subjects the content is about
3. Assign classification to the subject using topic or topic set

The following table lists factors you should and should not consider when classifying
content:

Do consider Do not consider


What is actually described in How that information is used. In other words,
the content who uses the content?
The main ideas of the content Subordinate of peripheral ideas
What the content is about Operating systems , hardware , or terms that are
supported or otherwise mentioned in the

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content, unless the content is actually about


them
Subjects for which the stated Subjects having alternative , unstated meanings
definition accurately describes that describe the content
the content
Combinations of subjects that Requesting a new subject to be added to the
accurately describe the content taxonomy if a combination of existing subjects
still work.
Not every topic should be
classified

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Information Architecture and User /Task Analysis

User /Task Analysis

Identifying who your users are and the tasks they perform

Task Analysis needs be performed based on SME/Engineering/Product


Management/Marketing inputs and after reviewing the FTS forms and the Functional
Specification forms.

To organize information around tasks users perform to achieve their goals, you must know
who the users are, how they use your information to be successful. In addition you need to
provide pathways through the information, both with a hierarchy such as a table of contents
and with relational links so that users can find and follow the information flow.

Information Development Process

1. Perform Audience Analysis

2. Identify goals for each role

3. Develop Scenarios for goals

4. Identify information for support goals

5. Identify and organize tasks

6. Identify and organize supporting information

7. Specify links within topics

8. Develop Multiple deliverables

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Information Architecture and User /Task Analysis

Perform Audience Analysis


The first step towards content development is to identify the information users. This
means that you determine what roles or users the product or information is
targeted. Uses should provide some basic user information. Other sources for
information about who will be using the product and supporting information are
members of the product management, support, development, marketing and sales
teams.

Identify Goals
A user goal is what the user is trying to do not the individual steps required to do
it. For example the role of writers is to

- Efficiently author information


- Generate quality user deliverables

Develop scenarios for goals


Scenarios should be specific and realistic, and capture the requirements and
limitations as well as user goals. For example a scenario for a writer might include
the following requirements:

- Product information for screen capture application


- Information must be available as online help from the Help menu and via
printed soft copy from the company website
- Information must be sourced for reuse by marketing and training
- Information must meet section 508 accessibility requirements
- Information will be translated in 5 languages

Identify Information for Supporting Goals


What information users need in order to accomplish each identified goal. Here are
some questions to ask

- What skill does the user need to effectively use this product to meet their
goals?
- What information can we expect the user to get from other resources
- What information specific to this product do we need to provide?

For example, writers using the DITA tool kit with an XML editor to author information
need the following skills and knowledge

- Know basic XML and understand XML principles


- Understand how cascading style sheets affect generated topics
- Understand Topic based authoring
- Understand how DITA supports linking for navigation and relationship

Identify and Organize Tasks


It is recommended you use an iterative approach of identifying the top level tasks in
the first pass, then the subtask in the subsequent passes.

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For example in the first pass a writer can

- Create topics
- Author content
- Specify navigation
- Define relationship links

The second pass elaborates on specific tasks

- Add the appropriate elements in topic files


- Enter text
- Enter special characters
- Set appropriate attributes for elements
- Specify metadata for the topic

Third pass elaborates even further

- Enter the alternative text for accessibility


- Specify image width and height
- Specify an image source file

Organize Tasks
Based on the user goal organize the tasks to support the each goal. In some cases,
there are common tasks that every user needs to perform to achieve multiple goals.

In such situations you need to make strategic decisions:

- Can you provide role based navigation for each role or must you use one
navigation to meet the needs of multiple roles? This depends a great deal on
the product. If the product is standalone product and is targeted to a specific
role, create a single navigation.

Understanding personas is critical in getting this analysis right. A persona


refers to one user-role. User personas are classified based on the tasks that a
user performs in a specific role.

For example, heres an illustration of the tasks of a user with an admin role:

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Information Architecture and User /Task Analysis

- What is the information delivery medium? If it is online documentation, then


you can optimize your information for maximum reuse, search and index
technologies. If the information appears in a printed manual then the
navigation needs to support linear reading. Create navigation for each
deliverable to best support the user.
- For online information do you have to consider navigations from other
products that appear in the navigation pane with your information? If your
product is part of a suite or installs into a common environment, you need to
work with other content producers to make sure that the combined
navigation is useful to users.

If you need to support a significant number of user goals, one strategy is to


have the basic tasks in a Getting Started section. Another approach is to list
each of the user goals and include appropriate tasks in each section.

Identify and Organize Supporting Information


To successfully accomplish most tasks users need supporting information, including
conceptual or background information, reference information, samples and tutorials.
As with identifying the tasks, determining the necessary supporting information is
an iterative process.

In some cases the same information supports multiple tasks. This represents an
opportunity for reusing information.

Specify Links between Topics


Users need to quickly access information in different topics. The easiest way to
support this need is to have links between topics or references. DITA supports
linking using DITA maps and provides both hierarchical links and relations or peer-
to-peer links between topics. Each task can include a link to a parent and links to

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the next task when there is a sequence. When a task has subtasks, the parent task
can also include a generated summary of the subtasks.

Specify Relationship Links


Relationship links are links between topics that are not hierarchical. These links are
used by users to find information in other topics that pertain to the topics they are
currently viewing.

Develop Multiple Deliverables


Different users need information in different ways. For example, information that i
specific to a task in a user interface is primarily useful when the user is working on
the interface. However, information that outlines the overview of tasks to perform to
accomplish a goal, or background information necessary for the user to be
successful, may be useful both online ( html, PDF, video, or screencast )and printed.
You can create an online help system that contains all the product information, but
also organize a subset of basic information into a soft copy getting started guide.
Another option is to break the information down by role and generate targeted
deliverables.

Content Delivery: New and Traditional


o Screen casts
o Wiki
o Blogs
o Video
o Traditional Written Documents
o Podcasts
o Virtual classrooms (instead of instructor-led classrooms)
o ePub and Mobi

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Information Architecture and User /Task Analysis

o Simulators

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