Presentation for Taxonomy Bootcamp 2015 by Naomi Oorbeck & Jessica DuVerneay. Covers how taxonomy improved digital products, when to use a lightweight approach, planning & scoping lightweight work, and an overview of key skills and approaches to taxonomy development.

1. LIGHTWEIGHT TAXONOMYAPPROACHES
FOR DIGITAL PRACTITIONERS
Jessica DuVerneay & Naomi Oorbeck
Taxonomy Bootcamp
November 2, 2015

2. I’m
Naomi!
I’m
Jessie!
@jduverneay @naomid
@undrstndng

3. • Why taxonomy improves digital projects
• When to use a lightweight approach
• Planning & scoping lightweight taxonomy work
• Quick approaches for maximum impact
WE WILL
COVER

4. 1. TAXONOMY IS FOR EVERYONE

5. YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE A TAXONOMIST TO
USE TAXONOMY
TAXONOMY DOES NOT BELONG TO LIBRARIANS OR TAXONOMISTS
UX people are thinking of themselves as taxonomists
http://life.smartlogic.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/ORT_note-fields.jpg

6. choreography
ontology
taxonomy
arrangement of the parts
particular meaning
rules for interaction among the parts
PLACES MADE OF INFORMATION HAVE A
TAXONOMIC BACKBONE
words are the
essential building
blocks of places
made of
information

7. TAXONOMY TOUCHES EVERYTHING
AND HOLDS IT ALL TOGETHER
Sitemap
Navigation
Content Management
Wireframes
Node Tagging & Metadata
Content Categories
Search Filters
Search Results
URL Structures
Glossary
Content Creation
Roadmap

11. 2. A LITTLE GOES A LONG WAY

12. Sometimes, taxonomy is not spelled out as part of your project…
Other times, teams believe all we need is taxonomy to solve all our problems…
TAXONOMY CAN BE A HARD SELL
It’s important to sell (and explain the value of) taxonomy
to your team, your clients, right up front.
We’re going to help you understand how to approach taxonomy in well-scoped projects.

13. SOMETIMES YOU
HAVE TO GO
GORILLA
GUERRILLA
http://assets.worldwildlife.org/photos/1030/images/story_full_width/western-lowland-gorilla-circle-HI_105193.jpg?1345535931

14. WHEN LEAN TAXONOMY MAKES SENSE
:)
Do it!
Negotiate,
Advocate
Proceed
cautiously
Proceed
cautiously
Large /
complex info
Small /
Simple Info
Whole Site
Targeted Section

15. 3. LIFECYCLE

16. WHO

17. Strategic
Alignment Tools
Competitive
Analysis
The Understanding Group - 2015
RESEARCH
Audit Internal
Taxonomies
Stakeholder &
SME Interviews
PROGRAMMING
WE UNDERSTAND YOUR ORGANIZATION
Search Log &
Analytics Analysis
TAXONOMY
DEVELOPMENT
Final
Taxonomy
Governance
Plan
SYNTHESIS
WE CREATE YOUR TAXONOMY
SPECIFICATION
WE SUPPORT YOUR DEPLOYMENT
PLANNING &
SUPPORT
Population of
Taxonomy Tool
Implementation
Support
USER
RESEARCH
ANALYSIS
WE UNDERSTAND YOUR USERS
Open Card
Sort
Closed Card
Sort
Reverse Card
Sort

18. 4. BUILD YOUR TAXONOMY TOOLKIT

19. • Strategic Alignment Tools
• Content Inventory
• Search Log Analysis & Analytics
• SME & SEO Conversation
• Competitive Analysis
• Card Sorting - Open & Closed
• Reverse Card Sorting / Tree Testing
LIGHTWEIGHT
TAXONOMY
METHODS

20. WHAT: Understand organization’s needs and goals
WHY: Helps team create a strategically aligned
taxonomy, clears up misalignment in stakeholders
WHEN: Programming phase
TIME: 1-2 weeks
WHO: Key Stakeholders, SMEs
HOW: Common tools used include intention modeling
and strategic worksheets
GET THAT SKILL: TUG has blog posts on intention
models (Dan Klyn) and purpose-driven taxonomies
(Jessie DuVerneay)
STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT TOOLS

21. WHAT: Create an inventory of all the content and terms
on a website.
WHY: To understand existing content a classification
scheme will have to accommodate, nomenclature being
used, and content gaps.
WHEN: Analysis phase
TIME: 1 day
WHO: SME on the team
HOW: Small sites are easily tracked in spreadsheets.
Tools such as PowerMapper can help with larger sites.
GET THAT SKILL: Just do it. Also see: “The Accidental
Taxonomist” by Heather Hedden
CONTENT & TERMS INVENTORY

22. WHAT: Gather user generated terms through public
and on-site search
WHY: Generative research that shows terms naturally
used by target user groups
WHEN: Programming & Analysis Phase
TIME: 10-20 Hours
WHO: Analysts, Web Manager
HOW: Request and review site search logs and
keywords in analytics tools
GET THAT SKILL: Book: “Search Analytics for Your
Site” by Lou Rosenfeld
SEARCH LOG ANALYSIS
& ANALYTICS

23. WHAT: Review as-is & proposed taxonomy with SME’s
WHY: Leverages domain specific knowledge; helps
refine preferred terms and arrangements; builds
relationship with team
WHEN: Analysis Phase
TIME: 1-10 hours, depending on how many SME / SEO
experts are available
WHO: SME’s, SEO experts on the team
HOW: informal calls or back and forth emails
GET THAT SKILL: Just do it
SME & SEO CONVERSATION
OPTIONS:
•Rhinoplasty, Nose Job, Nose
Surgery, Nasal Enhancement
•Chin Lift, Neck Lift, Jowl Lift,
Saggy Neck Surgery
•Phalloplasty, Penile Implant,
Penis Enlargement, Penile
Surgery
WINNERS:
•Rhinoplasty
•Neck Lift
•Penis Enlargement

24. WHAT: A comparison of best-in-class websites
related to yours to identify patterns.
WHY: Identify informal standards you can leverage
for your taxonomy.
WHEN: Analysis phase
TIME: 1 day
WHO: SME on the team, Existing Licensed
Taxonomies, Librarians
HOW: Annotate screenshots in a slide deck
GET THAT SKILL: Just do it
COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS

25. CARD SORTING

26. WHAT: Quickly organize a large amount of content and
identify user-friendly labels.
WHY: To improve the organization and labeling of information
WHEN: Analysis phase
TIME: 1-2 days
WHO: Target users OR Yourself OR Both
HOW: Index cards and markers. Place each concept on a
card. Have users organize cards into logical groups. Ask users
to label each group. Or use online tools such as google docs.
GET THAT SKILL: “Card Sorting”, Donna Spencer and
“Information Architecture: For the Web and Beyond”,
Rosenfeld, Morville, Arango
OPEN CARD SORT
blank
blank
blank
blank
blank
TBD
term
term
term
term
term
term
term
term
category
term
term
term
term
term
term

27. WHAT: Test the grouping and labels from your analysis of
the open card sort.
WHY: Validate and fine tune your taxonomy.
WHEN: Analysis phase
TIME: 1-2 days
WHO: Target users
HOW: Place each concept on a card. Provide cards with
category labels. Have users place concepts into the
categories.
GET THAT SKILL: “Card Sorting”, Donna Spencer and
“Information Architecture: For the Web and Beyond”,
Rosenfeld, Morville, Arango
CLOSED CARD SORT
category category
category category category
term
term
term
term
term
term
term
term
term
term
term
term
term
term
term

28. WHAT: Test a proposed taxonomy with users
WHY: Points out errors in preferred terms or
arrangement of terms from user’s perspective
WHEN: Synthesis phase
TIME: 1-2 weeks
WHO: Target users - 6-10 needed
HOW: Common tool is Optimal Workshop’s
Treejack
GET THAT SKILL: Alberta Soranzo & Dave
Cooksey’s IAS15 Talk Podcast, Treejack Blog
REVERSE CARD SORTING /
TREE TESTING

29. THANK YOU
Let’s talk!
1. Please find us here for questions and conversation
2. Submit your questions to the AMA event happening on Tuesday
3. understandinggroup.com @undrstndng