Spark the future.

May 4 – 8, 2015Chicago, IL

Designing and Applying Information Architecture for Microsoft SharePoint and Office 365Scott JamisonCEO, BlueMetalscottj@bluemetal.com

BRK3190

Want to get the most out of your SharePoint investment and maximize adoption?

CEO

Meet Scott Jamison

What must people do?

What should people do?

1. Provide clear guidance

“I need to understand why and how I should do this.”

“It should be easy for me to do my job.”

2. Make it easy

3. Keep It Simple (Stupid).

What might help us?

Information Architecture.(backed by proper governance, of course)

In this session…Achieve success by employing Information Architecture best practices for content.

Metadata Columns

SharePoint Libraries

Search

Folders

OneDrive for Business

Web Pages and Sites

What is Information Architecture?

The art and science of organizing content…

DocumentsWeb SitesBlog PostsList Entries

…to support ease of use and findability.

What is Taxonomy?

System of classification

In other words: a way to organize things.

A content management system.

What is SharePoint?

For SharePoint solutions, two key content areas:Web Content Typically part of a Publishing Solution (aka the Intranet)

Site MapPage LayoutsWireframesNavigation

Document ContentTypically part of a Collaboration Solution

Document LibrariesColumns/MetadataFoldersOneDrive for Business

Getting your IA right: Four Key Steps

Define

Design

Implement

Govern

Putting our process to work: A solution for your forks

“I want to be able to find a fork when I need one.”

DefineWhat am I trying to do? What is my goal?

“Select an easy-to-reach drawer and then segment it into compartments for each type of utensil.”

DesignIn what manner to I accomplish my goal?

“I picked a drawer. I went to the store and got one of those divider thingies. I put the forks in one slot and the spoons in another.”

ImplementJust do it.

“I defined rules about where things go. I trained my husband and kids about the drawer. I enforce the system through smiley face stickers and stern reprimands.”

GovernMaking sure your hard work sticks.

Putting our process to work: A solution for your content

“Enable users to locate personnel forms quickly.”

“Educate new employees on policies.” “Provide company-relevant news.” “Enable users to locate the correct

document easily.”

DefineWhat am I trying to do? What is my goal?

“We used a card sorting exercise to put our content into logical categories.”

“Define a site map, page layout, and navigation taxonomy.”

“Define a tagging taxonomy, a folder structure, and a set of retention policies.”

DesignIn what manner to I accomplish my goal?

“I used out-of-the-box components in Office 365 and implemented my design.”

“I created a custom CSS and some client-side JavaScript to configure my custom site.”

“I used folders, columns, and document library settings to implement my design.”

ImplementJust do it.

“We provide both guidance and policies on how to use the system properly.”

“We held company-wide trainings and reinforce the message every year.”

“We hold employees accountable by making adherence of the policies part of their review.”

GovernMaking sure your hard work sticks.

For SharePoint solutions, two key content areas:Part 1: Web Content Typically part of a Publishing Solution (aka the Intranet)

Site MapPage LayoutsWireframesNavigation

Part 2: Document ContentTypically part of a Collaboration Solution

Document LibrariesColumns/MetadataFoldersOneDrive for Business

Part 1: Web Content

where things go vs. how things are labeled

Where content livesIn this siteOn that page

How content is labeledArticle HeadlineArticle Date

How content can be accessed

There’s a link to that article in several places or from multiple menus

Where content lives – in aisle 12

Labels

If we know where content lives, why do we need labels?

If we have labels, why care about the physical location?

Logical location With good navigation to get you there

Proper labeling To review details on the item regardless of location

Virtual access methods Technology can eliminate some of the need for physical location (but

not all)

Ideal Combination

Site Architecture

Site Architecture – the physical structure of the portal and the pages within the portal [The grocery store layout]

Page Architecture – the position of web parts and content on each page. Layout consistency helps users quickly find what they need. [How an aisle is laid out]

Navigation Taxonomy – the structure of the navigation for the portal. [How you enable folks to meander through the store, including signage]

Search Taxonomy – a way to jump directly to content [An item lookup that points to an aisle, or perhaps a teleporter]

Key Levels of IA for Web Content

Think about how content can be separated into major groups. Examples: News vs. reference info vs. project data Product categories By business role

The Site Architecture should allow people to quickly find the information they need to do their jobs, effectively improving operational efficiency

Site Architecture

Use Visio (or Balsamiq Mockups) to create a visual site map that lays out the skeleton structure of the SharePoint solution

Important to review structure to all interested parties to ensure completeness of solution and ability to grow over time

Site Map

Site Map

Information Architecture is closely related to Logical Design

IA & Logical Design

http://my/personal/<user>

http://my

Application pool

HR

Http://woodgrove/

Application pool

Facilities Purchasing

Team 1

http://team

Team 2 Team 3

Web application—Published Intranet Content Web application—My Sites Web application—Team Sites

Application pool

User ProfileManaged Metadata

SearchSecure Store Service

Access Services

I I S Web Site—“SharePoint Web Services”

Excel Calculation Services

Business Data Connectivity

Get used to single web application Multiple site collections

Categorize by workload (Intranet, document management, social, etc.) Consider hybrid scenario: team sites and OneDrive in the cloud, Intranet on-premises

(for now)

Site Collections Define: Navigation (top navigation bar, breadcrumbs) Content types Workflows Permissions Quotas Administration Content Query Web Part boundaries (use Content Search to break boundary)

Logical Design: Ready for the Cloud

Page Architecture

For the main page on each portal and top-level site, create a wireframe

Use PDF or Visio stencils

Or, a tool like Microsoft Expression Design or Balsamiq Mockups

Wireframes

For publishing pages, it may be useful to use the wireframes to define your page layouts

Page Layouts

Page Types

Home

Summary of Summaries

Summaries

DetailContent rollups of

information or rollups of rollups

Detailed content page

Most likely not edited, just summarized from

content below

Site TypesSite TemplatesDetermine basic behaviorProvide basic starting pointCan NO LONGER be customized (Office 365)Use client-side scripting and CSOM

See patterns & practices for guidance

ExamplesTeam SitesPublishing SitesBlog

Navigation Taxonomy

Navigation Concepts In SharePointLogicalGlobal Navigation – Top level places to goSecondary Navigation – PeersCurrent – Where I amRecent – Where I have beenBreadcrumb – Navigation path to here

PhysicalStructuralManagedSuite barQuick linksBreadcrumb *RibbonCustom

What About Branding?

Branding isn’t part of IA That said, determine whether there are special

requirements that will influence branding, such as: Logos and images Color requirements Header treatments Fonts Existing portal or websites Corporate Guidelines

Be careful to not over-brand Don’t use custom master pages with O365 You can do a lot with CSS and JavaScript

What about branding?

Part 2: Document Content

Typical ways to set up SharePoint for Document ContentOption 1: Like a file share (folders and default view)1. Folders – lots of clicking, single dimension for viewing2. No metadata – no navigation, no search

Great for contributors, a nightmare for consumers

Typical ways to set up SharePoint for Document ContentOption 2: Metadata instead of folders1. Unfamiliar to users2. Forces users to add metadata (they’re lazy and will pick the 1st choice)3. No good drag & drop & tag4. No good offline experience

Great for consumers, a nightmare for contributors

How Do We Fix This?

Step Away From the Keyboard: Part 1 Treat your content contributors differently than your content consumers

Step Away From the Keyboard: Part 2 1. Design columns, not folders

2. Then create folders

You want me to create folders?

I was told to avoid the ‘F’ word!

Three valid reasons for folders:1. Security2. Location-based default

values3. SharePoint Library Sync

& OneDrive for Business

IA for Document Content: The PlaybookStep 1: Fix Contribution & Offline UsageUse Folders and default properties

Different views (UX) for contributors and consumers

Step 2: Fix Consumption #1 (Browsing and Navigation)Different views (UX) for contributors and consumers

Configure navigation

Folders for Offline use

Step 3: Fix Consumption #2 (Search)Encourage better Titles

Map your crawled properties into managed properties

Step 4: Align TaxonomySeven places to configure things (you don’t have to do them all)

IA for Document Content: The PlaybookStep 1: Fix ContributionUse the best of folders (1-2 levels max) and columns (reasonable number)

Different views for contributors and consumers

Contributors: folders with default metadata & permissionsDefault metadata is like magic for OneDrive for Business & SharePoint Library Sync

Consumers: views without folders

Use Managed Metadata (Term Sets)

Provides type-ahead and centrally managed terms

IA for Document Content: The PlaybookStep 2: Fix Browsing and NavigationDifferent views for contributors and consumers

Contributors: folders with default metadata

Consumers: views without folders

Use Managed MetadataEnables metadata-based navigation and filtering

Align with FoldersFor Offline use with SharePoint Library Sync & OneDrive for Business

IA for Document Content: The PlaybookStep 3: Fix SearchEducate users on the Title property and how it’s used

Educate users on how relevance works

Configure facets

Configure managed properties

Book Giveaway!

Book Signing!

We’re giving away 3 more copies at the bookstore at 1:00 today.

Making Search Results BetterThe #1 & 2 Things you can do?

1. Make metadata easy2. Get the title property corrected!

It’s pretty simple:Explain this to users. Yes – train them!By default, show the Title property in the default viewTie the Title property to an actual field in the document

Better Adoption: The PlaybookStep 4: Make Sure Taxonomy-Related Items Align

SharePoint Gives You SEVEN Places to Configure Things!Site columns

Term Store (Lookup Values)

Folders (Default values & One Drive for Business & Library Sync navigation)

Search: Managed Properties

Search: Keywords (Definitions and Best Bets)

Global Navigation

Local Navigation: Use Metadata (Library) Navigation

Putting It All Together

Demo

Document libraries, folders, metadata, OneDrive for Business

Once You Get This Right… Only Then:Content TypesReusable collection of metadata (columns), workflow, behavior, and other settings

Document SetsSimilar documents, single work product

Content OrganizerRoute content based on tags and other criteria

Example Content Types

Legal Document

Item/Document

Company Document

SalesDocument

FinanceDocument

Never Modify!!

Content Disposition

Core Metadata

Where do files go?My work files Team/Project docs Corporate

DocumentsCorporate Records

OneDrive for Business

SharePoint (Team Site)

SharePoint(Document Center)

SharePoint (Records Center)

Secure online storage for employees

Secure storage for teams

Secure storage for enterprises

Secure storage for enterprises

Low governance Medium governance High governance High governance

Information Lifecycle

ContextContent

Ready to publish,sign off & approve

Create Edit /Review ArchivePublish

Information Architecture

Metadata

Related Topics In addition to Document Content IA, you should

explore: Role based access controls for SharePoint Online Applying consistent document deletion and preservation policies across

SharePoint Online Performing eDiscovery searches across all content Enforcing Data Loss Prevention throughout SharePoint Online Protecting and restricting content downloads on devices Auditing content usage, downloads, and sharing

SharePoint Online and OneDrive for Business Management and Control – Wednesday at 3:15 PM (Chris Bortlik)

Learn more: aka.ms/BortlikBlog

OneDrive for Business tips• Only sync the libraries that make sense.• Limit folders to 1-2 levels max.• You can sync up to 20,000 items in your OneDrive for Business library, including

folders and files.• You can sync up to 5,000 items in site libraries, including folders and files.• In any library, you can download files up to 2 GB.

OneDrive for Business tips

Personal OneDrive

OneDrive at your company (still ‘yours’)

All of the SharePoint Libraries that you’ve sync’d

Anywhere access

80

Documents stored in OneDrive for Business can be access from almost any device You can also stay connected via apps and browser.

Recap

Define

Design

Implement

Govern

Logical location With good navigation to

get you there

Proper labeling To review details on the

item regardless of location

Virtual access methods Technology can

eliminate some of the need for physical location (but not all)

Information management and governance in SharePoint 2013

https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc262900.aspx

Information Architecture 101 http://sixrevisions.com/usabilityaccessibility/information-architecture-1

01-techniques-and-best-practices/

Nielsen Norman Group Report: 2015’s Best Intranets http://www.nngroup.com/articles/intranet-design/

Resources

Thank you!

Scott Jamisonscottj@bluemetal.com@sjam

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