Clint Newsom | Jennifer Faber | Ning Wang | Yesook Im

Fall 2008’ SI 658 [Information Architecture]

Why Filter Rabbit?

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Use Filters!

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Executive Summary

Herman Miller helps people create great places to work. We feel the place for great work should begin is online.

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Brand Context

An innovator in the field, Herman Miller uses research and design to remediate working, healing, learning and living environments.

local and global customers

high-end dealers and alliance partners

A&D firms Designershealthcare professionals

students

financiers

consultants

showroom sales people

Target Audience:

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Brand ContextDiscovery & Analysis

The website is an attempt to give the customer "a set of integrated toolsto help them envision, create, and sustain great places to work.”

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Brand Context

Our initial assumptions:

• There is an overabundance of text and textual links

• Much valuable information is located 'below the fold'

• It is hard to find products and information using current navigation and search

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Competitor Analysis1. STEELCASE

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Competitor Analysis2. HAWORTH

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Heuristics• Heuristics for Navigation and Search

• Visibility of system status

• Match between system and the real world

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Heuristics• User control and freedom

• Recognition rather than recall

• Aesthetic and minimalist design

• What next?

Persona User1 User2 User3

PROFILE NEEDS

ATTITUDE TOWARD HM SITE ETC.

Catherine RibieroInterior DesignerShowroom Salesperson Herman Miller Dealer• Ann Arbor, MI• Educated, Degree in Art/Design from U of M• Married• No Children

• She wants to quickly find images of the products for clients who might be interested in seeing versions of products not in her showroom• Uses the site to give clients more information and visualstimuli. Many times she uses it in the showroom with clients over her shoulder (much like a reference librarian)• During showroom visits, she finds herself apologizing toclients for her inability to track products down quickly on the HM site

• Thinks the HM site is too complicated• Wants a uniform display for HMʼs products with less jargon and more useful information• Thinks that the HM search engine resembles Googleʼsand wants a search thatʼs more visually stimulating• Thinks the front page is too overwhelming

What doesn’t she need from the HM site• She never looks at research• Has never seemed to notice how placing a search withina certain category will land her in a different HM website

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• Interior Designer

• Wants to quickly find images of the products for clients• Uses the site to gives clients more information and visual stimuli. • Wants a search to be more visually stimulating• Thinks the front page is too overwhelming

Persona

PROFILE NEEDS

ATTITUDE TOWARD HM SITE ETC.

Sara BlakelyArtist, Designer & Graduate Student• Ann Arbor, MI• Educated, Degree in Art/Design from U of M in progress• Not married• No Children• Interested in new approaches and innovations in the fieldof design• Design literature consulted; Blog/Websites; Design Observer, QBN, we make money not art, digital thread, behancemag Magazines; dot,dot,dot, Step Inside Design, ID, Eye, Sculpture

• Wants information about new products, new technologiesbeing researched (is HM going green/sustainable), anddefinitely promotions and prices

• Thinks the HM site is a good representation of the brand- thinks it was great that the photo of the trademark Eameschair was on front page• Observes it is very hard to find the price of an item and was annoyed that clicking on pricing in the nav menu led to a pdf• Is confident that the information on HM site is up to date• Really wants to see more prominent information about how HM is moving toward green technologies/sustainability - was surprised that HM was not promoting its own research/innovation

Relationship with Herman Miller• Very familiar and admiring of the Herman Miller brand- the Eames molded plywood chair is one of her favorites

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User1 User2 User3

• Designer

• Wants information about new products, technologies, and promotions and prices

• Thinks the HM site is a good representation on the brand• Observes it is very hard to find the price of an item and annoyed that clicking on pricing in the nav menu led to a pdf

Persona

PROFILE NEEDS

ATTITUDE TOWARD HM SITE ETC.

Michelle KarellSalesperson for full-service office furniture dealer• Ann Arbor, MI• Educated, undergraduate degree in Business from U of M• Married• two children

• Looks for information on ergonomics, environmental studies, and technology integration. Wishes Herman Millerʼs site had a more meaningful search results page when sheʼs looking for products to outfit a clients worksite• Doctorʼs and businessmen donʼt like their time wasted, if I can get what I need faster from HMʼs site faster, my customers will be happier• Her company has won awards from HM for the customservice they provide to the Healthcare industry. Wants more from the HM website in order to get her work done faster.• She needs more readily accessibly information on themeasurements of furniture and components

• Likes the style of the HM site but feels it is too complicatedto do business on• Wants easier access to furniture she can suggest or officeplaces that are concerned about ergonomics, wishes searchwas categorized

What doesn’t she need from the HM site• She has never looked at the Home section of the HermanMiller site• Doesnʼt understand why multiple sites are needed. Makessense to have sites for different languages

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User1 User2 User3

• Salesperson for full-service office furniture dealer

• If I can get what I need faster from HM site, my customers will be happier

• Likes the style of the HM site but feels it is too complicated • Wants easier access to furniture she can suggest, wishes search was categorized

Persona Analytics

• Need to browse product site quickly• Need to know new product/ new tech. & movement toward sustainability• Need less jargon, more useful info.• Front page is too overwhelming. Should be kept simple.• Search can be frustrating.- Need to represent search results in a more effective, organized and classified way• Hard to find price of an item, this should be prominently placed.

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• Representation of Eames chair at front page is good: aides in brand recognition• Information is kept up to date• Most seem to like the visual style

What are personas telling us?

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Visualization of Site Statistics

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Herman Miller Search

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Current SERP (Search Engine Results Page)

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Current Navigation Architecture

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Wireframe: Front Page

NotesWe have been attempting to simplify the navigation system by eliminating duplicity and seeking intuitive and consistent taxonomy and layout.

0. Home link: company name and logo1. An image of HM’s prominent product such as Eames chair2. Tools’ icons with text 3. Company logo4. Search box5. Global navigation6. Worldwide menu to find the HM dealer or office nearest to users7. Local navigation to choose different site 8. Two image with link to ‘At work’ and ‘At home’ 9. Summaries of up-to-date news of HM10. Connections to specific information such as design link or online stores11. HM copyright12. Terms of use and site map

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Wireframe: Search Results

NotesThe dynamic accordian provides a more structured search and also browsing capability. Search by Product Type allows the user to browse products, Search News/Research contains the search to textual documents and Search by Designer will list all products by given designer.

1. Basic keyword search2. Meaningful retrieval statistics3. Formatted results for recognition 4. Returns images for every result5. Dynamic Accordion with related links 6. Pagination based on relevant results

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Conclusion