Information Classification in the Workplace

1. Information Classification in the Workplace Joseph A. Busch

2. Agenda • Why information classification is needed • What the research says • Agricultural economics case study

3. Information access issues, problems, and concerns • Enormous volumes of information within organizations • Diversity of assets • Content and technology • Complex and IT-oriented standards • .NET, SOAP, WSDL, etc. • Limited (if any) integration with applications: • Search engines • Information management applications • Back office transaction-based systems • Analytical systems • …

4. Finding information should not be about “Feeling Lucky”

5. Finding information requires multiple approaches

6. Wine shopping by facets http://www.tesco.com/winestore

7. http://www.towerrecords.com

8. Powered by http://www.fortunoff.com

9. Frequency Organization Audience Content Type Facets on FirstGov.gov site

10. about 3,890,000 results

11. 2,199 results

12. More than 1,000 relevant results

16. Agenda • Why information classification is needed • What the research says • Agricultural economics case study

17. Usability research— Taxonomy compared to search results lists • “We found that users preferred a browsing oriented interface for a browsing task, and a direct search interface when they knew precisely what they wanted.” Marti Hearst (and others) • “The category interface is superior to the list interface in both subjective and objective measures.” Hao Chen & Susan Dumais

18. In top 20 results Not in top 20 results Taxonomy compared to search result lists Category is 36% faster Category is 48% faster Median Search Time in Seconds Source: Chen & Dumais

19. Time saved—Taxonomy compared to search result lists • 1 hour per day searching x 36% faster = 22 minutes each day • 22 minutes x 250 working days per year = 5500 minutes or 92 hours per year

20. User interface survey— Which search UI is ‘better’? • Criteria • User satisfaction • Success completing tasks • Confidence in results • Fewer dead ends • Methodology • Design tasks from specific to general • Time performance • Calculate success rates • Survey subjective criteria • Pay attention to survey hygiene: • Participant selection • Counterbalancing • T-scores Source: Yee, Swearingen, Li, & Hearst

21. User interface survey — Results (1) Source: Yee, Swearingen, Li, & Hearst

22. Google-like Baseline Faceted Category User interface survey — Results (2) Source: Yee, Swearingen, Li, & Hearst

23. Trusted advisers—Taxonomy avoids costs • “The amount of time wasted in futile searching for vital information is enormous, leading to staggering costs …” Sue Feldman, • Poor classification costs a 10,000 user organization $10M each year—about $1,000 per employee. Jakob Nielsen, useit.com

24. Knowledge workers spend up to 2.5 hours each day looking for information … … But find what they are looking for only 40% of the time. Source: Kit Sims Taylor

25. Knowledge workers spend more time re-creating existing content than creating new content 8% 25% Source: Kit Sims Taylor (cited by Sue Feldman in her original article)

26. Agenda • Why information classification is needed • What the research says • Agricultural economics case study

27. * Based on Donna Maurer’s usability work with the Australian government Task-based test* • 15 representative questions were selected • Perspective of various organizational units • Most frequent website searches • Most frequently accessed website content • Correct answers to the questions were agreed in advance by team. • 15 users were tested • Did not work for the organization • Represented target audiences • Testers were asked “where would you look for …” • “under which facet… Topic, Commodity, or Geography?” • Then, “… under which category?” • Then, “…under which sub-category?” • Tester choices were recorded • Testers were asked to “think aloud” • Notes were taken on what they said • Pre- and post questions were asked • Tester answers were recorded

28. Task-based testing: Representative questions • How much cotton is imported from China? • What are the impacts of “mad cow" disease on U.S. meat production, sales? • What is the average farm income level in your state? • How much of our diet comes from fast food? • How many people receive WIC benefits (Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children)? • How much acreage is planted to genetically engineered corn? • What is the cost of foodborne illness in the United States? • What part of food costs go to farmers, retailers? • Which States produce the most tobacco? • What percentage of farms in the United States are small farms? • What are the costs and benefits associated with providing more traceability in the U.S. food supply? • How many people in America don’t get enough to eat? • What is behind the trade balance (surplus or deficit) in agricultural goods? • What is the extent of conservation compliance? How does that impact farmer's decisions? • What are the impacts of foreign trade restrictions on U.S. farmers, U.S. food prices?

29. Task-based testing: Closed card sorting 3. What is the average farm income level in your state? • Topics • Commodities • 3. Geographic Coverage 1. Topics 1.1 Agricultural Economy 1.2 Agriculture-Related Policy 1.3 Diet, Health & Safety 1.4 Farm Financial Conditions 1.5 Farm Practices & Management 1.6 Food & Agricultural Industries 1.7 Food & Nutrition Assistance 1.8 Natural Resources & Environment 1.9 Rural Economy 1.10 Trade & International Markets 1.4 Farm Financial Conditions 1.4.1 Costs of Production 1.4.2 Commodity Outlook 1.4.3 Farm Financial Management & Performance 1.4.4 Farm Income 1.4.5 Farm Household Financial Well-being 1.4.6 Lenders & Financial Markets 1.4.7 Taxes

30. Task based testing: Card sort analysis

31. Task based testing: Card sort results • In 80% of the trials users looked for information under the categories that we expected them to look for it. • Breaking-up topics into facets makes it easier to find information, especially information related to commodities.

32. Task based testing: Card sort results Possible change required. Change required. Policy of “Traceability” needs to be clarified. Use quasi-synonyms. On these trials, only 50% looked in the right category, & only 27-36% agreed on the category. Possible error in categorization of this question because 64% thought the answer should be “Commodity Trade.”

33. Task-based testing: User satisfaction survey • Was it easy, medium or difficult to choose the appropriate Topic? • Easy • Medium • Difficult • Was it easy, medium or difficult to choose the appropriate Commodity? • Easy • Medium • Difficult • Was it easy, medium or difficult to choose the appropriate Geographic Coverage? • Easy • Medium • Difficult

34. User satisfaction survey: Results More Difficult Easier

35. Summary • Classifications and classification-like schemes are being used to facilitate information seeking in the workplace. • Users take advantage (and prefer) this type of scheme (faceted navigation) when it is made available in the user interface. • Hierarchical navigation is guided by the UI. • It is best combined with keyword searching. E.g., keyword search followed by faceted navigation of results. • What are the challenges they face in navigating classificatory structures? • What are the differences between their use of traditional classification schemes such as the Dewey Decimal Classification and navigation of newly developed online directories?

36. QuestionsJoseph A. Busch+ 415-377-7912jbusch@taxonomystrategies.comhttp://ww.taxonomystrategies.com