Taxonomy Design for the Short on Time

© 2012 by ContextualAnalysis 1

Presented by Fred Leise

SLA 2012

July 16

Taxonomy Designfor the Short on Time


About Me

Owner and principal, ContextualAnalysis, providing taxonomy and user experience consulting services since 1995.

Back-of-book indexer and indexing instructor (UC Berkeley Extension Online)

Past-president, American Society for Indexing

Manager, taxonomy team, Sears Holdings Corporation

Bio available at: www.contextualanalysis.com


Overview

This session will not cover the details of creating the taxonomy itself, but focuses on the organizational structures and processes needed to establish a taxonomy program.


Overview

For an optimized taxonomy design project you need to know:

What your goals are

What tasks you are performing

Why you are doing them

Who is working with you and what they are responsible for

When you need to be finished


Overview

The clearer you are on these, the faster you can work without the need to redo work you have already completed.

You will also be able to delegate more work and keep the project on track.


Overview

Planning/proof of concept/buy-in

Taxonomy design process

Change management

Project documentation

Standards and other resources

Feel free to ask questions at any time


Overview

Work smarter

Do your most unpleasant task first

Do your most important tasks after that

Make progress on the big project every day

Don’t try to multitask; it doesn’t work

Plan the project; work the checklist


Planning/Proof of Concept/Buy-In



Sponsorship

Ownership

Stakeholders

Scope

Context



Cost

Benefits

Proof of concept

Building the case

Getting buy-in


Sponsorship

An executive who will:

put his or her active support behind the project

actively recommend the project to other executives

obtain necessary budget and other resources

provide appropriate visibility for the project to executive leadership


Sponsorship

Strong sponsorship helps you navigate the political waters and ensures success


Sponsorship: Action Steps

Identify potential sponsors; meet with them to discuss project.

Identify the single best individual to champion your project and get their agreement to be the sponsor.


Ownership

The individual responsible for actively managing or overseeing the project. You?

Helps plan project

Helps manage resources

Keeps project on track

Supports individuals working on the project

Enlists help from sponsor when necessary to remove barriers


Ownership: Action Steps

With help of sponsor, identify the individual with the passion and the drive necessary to ensure successful completion of the project.


Stakeholders

Anyone impacted by the project or who needs to be consulted or informed about the project

Content creators

Content users

IT

Customers/Members/Public


Stakeholders: Action Steps

Identify all project stakeholders. Involve them as necessary/appropriate.

Establish appropriate communication plan for stakeholders.


Scope

Failure to properly determine project scope is one of the major reasons for failure

Agree to scope before the project starts

Beware of scope creep

Do not be afraid of calling a request “out of scope for phase 1”


Scope

Elements of scope

Divisions/departments to be included (enterprise taxonomy?)

Number and types of taxonomies required

Use of taxonomies: across enterprise or within individual departments/units? Which departments?


Scope

Elements of scope

Content types that will be covered by taxonomy: documents? images? video?


Scope

Elements of scope

Documents: reports, white papers, research papers, product manuals, contracts, material safety data sheets, user-generated content (UGC)


Scope

Elements of scope

Images: product images, employees, museum collections

Videos: educational, training, product use

Extent of metadata (depends on how content will be stored/used)

Phased approach


Scope

Factors affecting scope

Desired implementation date

Available resources


Scope: Action Steps

Work with sponsor, owner, and stakeholders to establish and commit to project scope


Context

The milieu in which the project will be conducted: items outside of the project itself that will have significant impact on it.

Understanding the context mitigates against surprises

Purpose

Project drivers/pain points

Desired project outcome

Technical limitations


Context

Tools used to build and maintain the taxonomy: existing/new; internally/externally sourced

Format for taxonomy: Excel? XML?

Related technology and its metadata capabilities, e.g., DAM, CMS

Users of the taxonomy (internal/external)


Context

Does content exist or does it need to be created/acquired as part of the project?

Sources of content: users, 3rd party content providers, internally generated

Taxonomy sources: existing internal, new internal, free, purchased

Existing internal taxonomy capabilities, e.g., existing, need to be expanded, or need to engage external resources?


Context: Action Steps

Be sure you understand and document the context of your taxonomy project so there are no surprises as you move forward.

Better to know things now than to have to spend time redoing parts of the project.


Costs

Time: How long will the project take?

Resources: Who will be working on the project and creating the taxonomy? What is the cost of those resources?

Software: Will software development/ purchase costs be included?

Don’t forget to include integration costs if purchasing new taxonomy software.


Benefits

Who benefits and how?

Find information faster = Time savings = cost savings

Reduced duplication of effort = greater efficiency = cost savings

Get customers to content/products faster = increased revenue

Quantify benefits for building the case.


Costs/Benefits: Action Steps

Prepare a cost/benefit analysis to help make the case for your project.


Proof of Concept

A demonstration or smaller scope project proving the benefits of your taxonomy project

Consider completing a proof of concept project to help promote buy-in if your taxonomy project is large, expensive, or involves multiple resources


Proof of Concept

Consider using a limited set of documents, those from a single department, or within a single general subject area

Perform relevant user testing to establish benefits of using the taxonomy


Building the Case

Costs/benefits

Stakeholder needs

Pain points


Getting Buy-In

With proof of concept and cost/benefit information in hand, it should be easy to get executive buy-in for the taxonomy program.

Schedule a meeting with the executive sponsor. Get their buy-in and let that individual set meetings with additional decision-makers.


Getting Buy-In

Present the facts in a logical, concise manner.

Help those unfamiliar with your project understand how it can benefit their department/division/unit.


Taxonomy Design Process



Operational requirements

Processes

Parallelism

Project Management

Communication


Processes

Define in detail exactly what steps you will take in what order to create your taxonomy.

See “Process Documentation” later

Knowing what you will be doing when helps ensure there are no surprises along the way that cause delays in development


Parallelism

Whenever possible, use multiple teams to work parts of the taxonomy development process in parallel, shortening overall development time.


Project Management

If available, engage a project manager to move the process forward, making sure teams stay on track.

This saves your time to focus on the taxonomy development.


Communication

Because teams will be working in parallel and no one individual will have all of the knowledge gathered, good communication among the teams is important


Communication: Action Steps

Establish weekly meetings at which all teams report on progress, identify possible barriers, and share findings and knowledge gained.



Understand stakeholder needs

Understand users

Comparative analysis

Build/buy

Validate/Modify



Implement

Maintain


Understand Stakeholder Needs

What content areas are of primary importance? (Helps identify scope, implementation phases)

Are there new content/product areas planned?

Current content/product areas that will no longer be supported?


Understand Stakeholder Needs

What are their pain points?

For taxonomy revisions: what do they like/not like about the current taxonomy? What can you change? What can you not change?


Understand Users

Are your users heterogeneous or homogenous? (Multiple audiences or single audience)

What are the different audiences?

How do their information needs differ?


Understand Users

Explore mental models: how do users understand your information space?



Understand Users

Methods: user interviews, surveys, card sorting, task analysis (in person/remote)

Reflecting users’ mental models in your taxonomy means users will find information or products faster


Understand Users

If you have multiple audiences, be sure users you interview or test represent those different audiences

Challenge: identifying and scheduling users.

Consider using a recruiting company with experience in your field.


Comparative Analysis

What do other similar organizations/ competitors use for their taxonomies?

Check publicly available websites, trade/professional associations

What are the commonalities?

What do you like about the taxonomies?

What do you not like?


Build/Buy

Do you build your own taxonomy or buy/license an existing one?

Are there any existing taxonomies that would serve you needs with little or only minor modifications?

For example the taxonomy the covers most of your content except for one top-level subject category. Buy that, build the missing piece.


Build/Buy

Or, the taxonomy covers most of your subject areas, but you need a deeper vocabulary in a specific area. Again, you can modify the original to meet your needs.


Build/Buy

Other considerations:

What is the cost to buy/license?

One-time fee?

Annual updates?

Subscription basis?


Build/Buy

Sources

Taxonomywarehouse.com

Thesauri on-line (http://www.fbi.fh-koeln.de/institut/labor/Bir/thesauri_new/thesen.htm#AG)

Thesauri A-Z (http://hilt.cdlr.strath.ac.uk/hilt2web/Sources/thesauri.html)

Willpower Information (http://www.willpowerinfo.co.uk/thesbibl.htm#taxonomies


Build/Buy

Does your organization have the internal expertise/resources available to create your own taxonomy?

Will you need to engage a taxonomy consultant?


Create/Buy the Taxonomy

See Jean Aitchison, Thesaurus Construction and Use: A Practical Manual


Create/Buy the Taxonomy

Be sure your taxonomy meets relevant standards, e.g., Dublin Core.

Dublin Core Metadata Element Set (dublincore3.org/documents/dces/)

Are there other metadata standards for your organization that you need to meet?


Validate/Modify

With you taxonomy in place, validate it with the appropriate stakeholders and modify as appropriate based on their input.

Test with content creators: can they appropriately tag content?

Test with users: can they browse to relevant content or products based on the taxonomy


Implement

The complete, revised taxonomy is now implemented in the various systems in which it will be used.

You have consulted with IT about their format needs, right? So you know if they can handle and Excel file or need XML.


Maintain

No taxonomy is every “complete” or “final.”

There will always be a need to change or update the vocabulary.

Establish triggers for taxonomy review:

Mergers

Acquisitions

Change in mission

New audiences


Maintain

Be sure you have a maintenance process in place.

Who can suggest new terms?

How do they do that?

Who has the authority to modify the vocabulary?

How are stakeholders notified of changes?


Change Management


Change Management

What processes and workflows will the new taxonomy affect and how will they be affected?

Who are all of the individuals impacted by the changes?


Change Management

Communicate early and often to constituents (internal and external)

Project updates

What changes are coming

When the changes will happen

What will it mean for them


Change Management

Provide training in new processes/ workflows/methodologies

In-person or online workshops

Asynchronous training materials (podcasts)

Training documentation


Project Documentation



Creating and following two documents ensures that your project can be completed in the shortest amount of time:

Process flow (what happens in what order)

Work plan (who does what when)



Possible optional documentation:

RACI chart


Process Flow

Linear, sequential list of all tasks in the project

May include time period/dates

Names of individuals responsible for task

Importance (H, M, L)


Process FlowTaxonomy Development Process

ItemIndividual

Responsible DurationStart Date H, M, L Notes

1. Identify potential sponsors

1.1. Contact potential sponsors and discuss project 2 days

1.2. Review discussions and identify project sponsor 1 day

2. Identify project owner 1 day

3. Establish project scope (meet with sponsor/owner) 1 hr

4. Identify stakeholders 2 days

5. Identify project team 3 days

5.1. Hold project kickoff meeting 2 hrs

5.2. Establish roles/responsibilities 1 hr

6. Interview stakeholders

6.1. Create questionnaire 8 hrs

6.2. Schedule interviews 2 hrs

6.3. Perform interviews 10 hrs

6.4. Analyze interviews 10 hrs


Work Plan: Swim Lane Document

Graphical display of:

What teams/individuals are involved

What tasks each performs

Order of tasks

Dependencies/timing

(same tasks as process flow)


Work Plan: Swim Lane DocumentTaxonomy Process


RACI Chart

Responsible for completing that step in the process

Accountable for ensuring step is completed/decision authority

Consulted prior to completion of step

Informed of results once step is completed


RACI Chart


Resources


Resources

Dublin Core Metadata Element Set

dublincore3.org/documents/dces/

Organising Knowledge: Taxonomies, Knowledge and Organisational Effectiveness, Patrick Lambe (organizingknowledge.com)


Resources

Metadata for Still Images

http://www.niso.org/apps/group_public/project/details.php?project_id=69 (ANSI/NISO standards for digital still images)


Resources

Spencer, Donna, Card Sorting, Rosenfeld Media, 2009

Taxonomies and Other Resources

www.taxonomywarehouse.com (owned by Dow Jones)


Resources

Taxonomy Software

www.willpowerinfo.co.uk/thessoft.htm (list of thesaurus software)

Thesaurus Standards

http://www.niso.org/apps/group_public/project/details.php?project_id=46 (ANSI/NISO guidelines for monolingual thesauri)


Resources

Young, Indi, Mental Models: Aligning Design Strategy with Human Behavior, Rosenfeld Media, 2008


Resources

Wax, Dustin “50 Tricks to Get Things Done Faster, Better, and More Easily.” Available at:

http://www.lifehack.org/articles/productivity/50-tricks-to-get-things-done-faster-better-and-more-easily.html


Contact Information

Fred Leise

www.contextualanalysis.com

[email protected]

773.764.2588

@ChicagoIndexer

Technology

Taxonomy Design for the Short on Time