creating taxonomies: methods and processes

© 2013 by ContextualAnalysis 1

Creating Taxonomies

Presented by Fred LeiseContextualAnalysis

ASI Upper Midwest Chapter Fall MeetingSeptember 14, 2013

© 2013 by ContextualAnalysis 2 © 2013 by ContextualAnalysis 2

Presentation Overview1. Working Example:

GoToEuropeTravelPlanner.com2. Methodology Overview3. Business Context4. User Context 5. Content Analysis6. Facet Development7. CV Creation


GoToEuropeTravelPlanner.com

[This doesn’t exist, but we’ll use it for exercise purposes throughout the workshop.]Purpose: a new website to help U.S. travelers plan trips to Europe


Methodology: Overview1. Context: stakeholder interviews;

comparative/competitive analysis2. Context: user demographics3. Context: user mental models


Methodology: Overview4. Context: content audit/review5. Facet creation (and testing)6. Vocabulary development and

testing


CV Development MethodologyIdentify patternsin content

Determine how target audience(s) search for and use information

Determine how stakeholders want to organize and present their information

Explore what other, similar organizations/ businesses do


In every decision, always consider the user first. Can real users actually use what we are constructing?CVs must reflect users’ terminology, mental model.

CV Development Methodology


Methodology: ContextStakeholder Interviews5–10 individuals: project sponsors,

project owners, project leaders, project team members

GoalsUnderstand business perspective behind taxonomy development


Methodology: ContextStakeholder Interviews: Methods

One-on-one interviewsIn-person or via phoneNo longer than one hourUse open-ended questionsPrepare interview script/validate with client, project team


Methodology: ContextStakeholder Interviews: Content

What is the larger project that taxonomy development is part of?What are the “pain points” that are driving taxonomy development at this time?


Methodology: ContextStakeholder Interviews: Content

Challenges in/to project?Other relevant projects?Purpose for taxonomy?


Methodology: ContextStakeholder InterviewsAnalysis using spreadsheet

Trends and commonalitiesAreas of agreement/disagreement



Stakeholder InterviewsContent: will not include cruises or river barge trips; will focus on non-hotel accommodationsEducational activities, e.g., museums not Disneyland Paris


Methodology: ContextUser Demographics

Audience segments/roles (important for later user interviews)

AgeExperts/lay individuals

(affects terminology)Computer experience


Methodology: ContextUser Demographics

Location: local/globalNumber of site visitorsReturning vs. new site visitors



Target audiencesingles, groups, familiesexperienced travelersage: 25–65household income > $50K


User ResearchImportanceYou do not

See things like they doKnow what they knowWant what they wantWork how they work


User Research: InterviewsPotential IntervieweesRepresentative sample of all users, including demographics5–8 users from each audience segmentUsers (potential users) of websiteCurrent or potential customers or clients


User Research: InterviewsRecruiting Screener1. Self-completed questionnaire or2. Phone questionnaireWeed out individuals not meeting the

qualifications for participationObtain demographic informationGet agreement to participate in research


User Research: ScreenerGoToEuropeTravelPlanner.com will be conducting

user research into how people think about European vacations. If you would like to participate in these individual, one-hour calls, please complete the questions below.

Because we are looking for a mix of people with different demographics, you may or may not hear anything further from us about your participation.

Please check answers to questions as appropriate.


User Research: Screener1. How old are you?

17 or younger [Disqualification] 18–25 [No more than 2] 26–35 [No more than 5] 36–45 [No more than 5] 46–55 [No more than 5] 56–65 [No more than 5] 66 or older [No more than 3]

2. Are you: Male [No more than 6] Female [No more than 6]

3. Do you have any children under the age of 18 living in your home? Yes. If so, how many? __________ No [No more than 6]


User Research: Screener4. In the last 12 months, have you booked a European vacation

(including flight and accommodations)? Yes What was your destination? _________________ No [Disqualification]

5. How would you rate your own travel expertise? [Recruit mix] Beginner Intermediate Expert

6. Do you usually travel: By yourself? [No more than 2] With a spouse or partner (no kids)? [No more than 4] With your family? [No more than 4] With friends? [No more than 4]


User Research: Screener7. What is your household income?

Less than $50,000/year [No more than 2] Between $50,000 and $100,000/year [No more than 5] Over $100,000/year [No more than 5]

8. What is your highest educational level? Did not graduate high school [No more than 2] Graduated high school [No more than 2]

Some college [No more than 5] Graduated college [No more than 6]


User Research: Screener9. Where do you live?

East Coast [No more than 4] South [No more than 4] Midwest [No more than 4] Southwest [No more than 4] West Coast [No more than 4]

10 How often do you buy items Amazon.com or eBay? Never [No more than 4] Sometimes [No more than 4] Frequently [No more than 4]

11. Do you or anyone in your family work in the travel industry? Yes [Disqualification] No


User Research: Screener12. Do you or anyone in your family work in marketing or public

relations? Yes [Disqualification] No

13. Have you participated in any user research, including focus groups, in the last 12 months? Yes [Disqualification] No


User Research: InterviewsMethodology

One-on-one interviewsIn-person or via phoneNo longer than one hourUse open-ended questionsPrepare interview discussion

guide/validate with client, project team


User Research: InterviewsMethodology

Compensation for participation ~$100/hour

Paid at end of sessionRecruit on own or using recruiting

company


User Research: InterviewsUse “ethnographic inquiry” techniques

Encourage open answers, rather than to lead the interviewee in any preconceived directionUse predefined questions as prompts in a conversation, not a verbatim scriptAllow the interviewee to direct the flow of conversation


What is a Mental Model?Grocery Shopping

Prepare shopping list

Look in fridgeTalk to spouse

Walk the store aisles

Does the car need gas?How much time do I have?

Plan meals

Look for discountsClip coupons

Illustration by Adaptive Path



User InterviewsNeed a volunteer to be user for a 15-minute interview about planning travel to EuropeYou can be as creative as you’d like in your answers.


Methodology: ContextContent AnalysisDiscussion with content authors

Size of content (number of pages/documents to be analyzed)

Content stable or constantly changingROT (redundant, outdated, trivial) New content or content areas


Methodology: ContextContent Audit/ReviewGoal: Become familiar with current contentMethod: Visit every piece of content (or a representative sample) by following site links in order


Methodology: ContextContent Audit/ReviewInformation to capture

URLPage/document titleDocument typeDescription of document contentKeyword extraction


Methodology: ContextContent Review (Content Sampling)Be sure to include breadth of contentVisit different content typesVisit as many sections of the site as

possibleAsk about important content


TechnologyTaxonomy interface with TechnologyCapability for handling hierarchies or flat lists only?Number of hierarchy levels?Indication of related terms?Can system handle CV maintenance?


Facet CreationFacet AnalysisDetailed analysis of user interview transcripts to determine the kinds of information users look for

Compile list of every type of information mentioned, including examplesArrange like types together


Facet CreationDetermine facets based on groupings of information typesAssign preliminary labels to facetsFollow principles of facet creation


Principles of Facet CreationPrinciple of DifferentiationWhen dividing an entity into its component parts, it is important to use facets that will distinguish clearly among these component parts. Good: height, width, weight, colorBad: dimensions, height, color


Principles of Facet CreationPrinciple of RelevanceFacets should be chosen for their relevance to the purpose, subject, and scope of the particular context. Facets must be relevant to the tasks users will be completing.


Principles of Facet CreationPrinciple of AscertainabilityIt is important to choose facets that are definite and that can be ascertained.


Principles of Facet CreationPrinciple of PermanenceUse facets that reflect permanent qualities of the entity in question.


Principles of Facet CreationPrinciple of Mutual ExclusivityThe values in any two facets should not overlap.


Principles of Facet CreationPrinciple of Fundamental CategoriesThere exist no categories that are fundamental to all subjects; categories should be derived based upon the nature of the subject being classified. “There are no rules, there are only contexts.”

Fred Leise’s Rule #1 of Indexing



Exercise: Facet CreationWhat are some of the facets that should be created for GoToEuropeTravelPlanner.com, based on what you heard in the interview?What are some other facets that logically should also be created?


CV CreationContent Analysis/Term ExtractionUsing content audit results, revisit representative sample of contentIdentify potential vocabulary terms based on preliminary facets, e.g., doc type, products, services, etc.


CV CreationUser InterviewsAnalyze user interviews for specific search or content terms mentioned


CV CreationSearch Log Analysis

What terms to do users use when they are searching?With what frequency are terms used?Are there groups of related/alternate terms (including common misspellings)?


CV CreationPublicly Available Taxonomies

www.TaxoBank.orgTaxonomywarehouse.com Thesauri on-line

(www.fbi.fh-koeln.de/institut/labor/Bir/thesauri_new/thesen.htm)

competitor sites (view source)


CV CreationPublicly Available TaxonomiesGetty vocabularies

Art and Architecture ThesaurusUnion List of Artist NamesGetty Thesaurus of Geographic Names


Free ListingPurpose

Identify user terms, core conceptsUnderstand structure of a domainMay be used to explore differences in audience segments

CV Creation


Free ListingMethodology

Start by interviewing 5-6 users“Name all the [X] you know.”

CV Creation


Free ListingAnalysis

Note early occurrences of a termList items by frequency mentioned; more frequent = more central to domainNote co-occurrences of terms; may indicate logical term grouping

CV Creation


Free ListingAnalysis

Note any differences by audience segment

CV Creation


ReferenceRashmi Sinha. “Beyond cardsorting: Free-listing methods to explore user categorizations” BoxesandArrows.com, 24 February 2003http://www.boxesandarrows.com/beyond-cardsorting-free-listing-methods-to-explore-user-categorizations



Free Listing ExerciseTake about two minutes to list all the types of accommodations you know in Europe that are not hotelsWrite them down first, then we’ll go around the room and compare the lists.


CV OrganizationGiven the vocabulary terms identified, what type of CV is necessary for this facet?Is the facet required or optional when tagging content?Who needs to review the CV before finalization?

CV Creation


CV OrganizationIs this facet for administrative purposes only, or will it be visible to users?How will the facet be used? browsing? filtering search results?

CV Creation


CV Creation: Spreadsheet


ResourcesDatabases

Michael J. Hernandez, Database Design for Mere Mortals, 3d ed.


Contact Information

Fred Leise6530 N. Greenview Ave., #2Chicago, IL 60626773.764.2588

[email protected]