Taxonomy Bootcamp: User Research for Better Information Modeling

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At Factor, all of the information modeling work we do is grounded in the  alignment of business and user goals. In my talk at Taxonomy Boot Camp 2013, I will focus on the user side of this equation, especially how users create mental models of an information space.

How do we get inside the heads of users to expose these mental models? This can be difficult when most humans aren’t logicians, and most people don’t think in well-ordered lists. In short, how do you ensure your beautiful, elegant taxonomy won’t seem obscure to ordinary people, with all their messy conflation, free-association and illogic? You find the information modelling connection by studying their behavior.

In my Taxonomy Boot Camp session on Wednesday, November 6 at 2:45 PM, attendees will learn about user research tools, techniques and methodologies to expose user mental models:

  • Open Card Sorting
  • Closed Card Sorting
  • Tree Testing
  • Moderated vs. Unmoderated methods
  • Using Findings to inform and validate information models.

After the talk, we’ll also post the slideshare presentation on the Factor blog.  We hope to see you there!

Follow Taxonomy Boot Camp along with us at @factorfirm.com,  @bramwessel and @gc_taxonomy.

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