collective 2016 – from analysis to synthesis: tools and techniques for discovery work

Tools and Techniques for Discovery WorkFrom Analysis to Synthesis

Kerry-Anne Gilowey Collective · Atlanta GA · 8 June 2016

@kerry_anne

Workshop overview

Image credit: www.flickr.com/photos/vegard

So many unknowns. Where do we even begin?

A toolbox, not a methodology.

Basic principles

1. DISCOVERY IS NOT A PHASE.

Uncomfortable with uncertainty? • Listen to Schrödinger’s IA: Learning to Love Ambiguity – tinyurl.com/ambiguity2013

• Slides: tinyurl.com/ambiguity-slides

RESOURCES

2. KNOW YOUR CONSTRAINTS.

3. BE CAREFUL WITH ASSUMPTIONS.

4. KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE AND YOUR ORGANISATION.

5. ALWAYS BE TAKING NOTES.

Recording apps • Easy Voice Recorder (Android – free) • Recorder Pro (iOS – $1.99)

RESOURCES

6. DON’T BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU’RE TOLD.

Image credit: www.flickr.com/photos/audiolucistore

7. LOOK FOR PATTERNS.

8. BORROW TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES.

What can you learn from…

… systems analysts? … authors? … archaeologists? … talk show hosts?

Getting started

Our new project

Traditional publisher Creating a digital product Need our help with

content planning interaction design project steps a little bit of strategy

Discovery techniques

CHOOSEyour tools carefully

PRIORITISEyour discovery efforts

3 main activity types

3 main activity types

Workshops

3 main activity types

Workshops

Audit and analysis

3 main activity types

Workshops

Fieldwork

Audit and analysis

1. WORKSHOPS

Workshops are great for…

Workshops are great for…

Gathering a lot of info in a short period

of time

Workshops are great for…

Gathering a lot of info in a short period

of timePicking up on political issues

Workshops are great for…

Gathering a lot of info in a short period

of timePicking up on political issues

Checking that objectives and intentions are

shared

Workshops are great for…

Gathering a lot of info in a short period

of timePicking up on political issues

Checking that objectives and intentions are

shared Making sure you’re getting

the correct info

Business/ product

discovery

Core strategy

Business/ product

discovery

Core strategy

Business/ product

discovery

Governance

Core strategy

Business/ product

discovery

Governance

Terminology

Core strategy

Business/ product

discovery

Governance

Terminology

Challenges and

opportunities

Customer insights

Audience identification

Customer insights

Audience identification

Customer insights

Persona creation

Audience identification

Customer insights

Persona creation

Task identification and

prioritisation

Voice and messaging

Mad Libs

Voice and messaging

Content Mad Libs

RESOURCES

Get more info at content-workshops.com/toolbox/2015/3/content-mad-libs

Image credit: Sara Wachter-Boettcher

Mad Libs

Voice and messaging

Mad Libs

Voice and messaging

Messaging cardsort

Messaging card-sort

Messaging card-sort

1. Sort all the cards into two groups

Messaging card-sort

1. Sort all the cards into two groups2. Note and discard cards in the

“WE’RE NOT” pile

Messaging card-sort

1. Sort all the cards into two groups2. Note and discard cards in the

“WE’RE NOT” pile3. Loosely group the remaining

attributes

Messaging card-sort

1. Sort all the cards into two groups2. Note and discard cards in the

“WE’RE NOT” pile3. Loosely group the remaining

attributes4. Prioritise: choose your top 10

Mad Libs

Voice and messaging

Messaging cardsort

Mad Libs

Voice and messaging

Messaging cardsort

Live content audit

2. AUDIT AND ANALYSIS

Content inventory and audit

Some help from Content Insight • Audit tips: http://tinyurl.com/audit-tips • Content Audits and Inventories: A Handbook by Paula Ladenburg Land • Sign up at content-insight.com using the workshop promo code given to you, and get a free 5000-page block

RESOURCES

Analytics and site search logs

About analytics and site search • Google’s free Analytics Academy – analyticsacademy.withgoogle.com/ • Search Analytics For Your Site by Louis Rosenfeld – tinyurl.com/search-analytics

RESOURCES

Competitor analysis

MESSA

GIN

G

AN

ALYSIS

INDUSTRY

RESEARCH

SITE AND APP COMPARISONS

3. FIELDWORK

Audience surveys

Audience surveys • Survey software – surveymonkey.com • Coursera course on questionnaire design for surveys, by the University of Michigan – tinyurl.com/questionnaire-course

RESOURCES

Contextual discovery

CALL CEN

TRE

STUD

Y

CUSTOMER

OBSERVATIONSHADOWING

One-on-one interviews

STAKEHOLDERS

Interview both your

STAKEHOLDERS

and yourCUSTOMERS

Interview both your

Interview customers to…

Interview customers to…

Find out what information they need

Interview customers to…

Find out what information they need

Gain insight into their

worldview

Interview customers to…

Find out what information they need

Gain insight into their

worldview

Understand their context

Interview customers to…

Find out what information they need

Gain insight into their

worldview

Understand their context

Map their journey with your product

Interview stakeholders to…

Interview stakeholders to…

Understand workflow and

processes

Interview stakeholders to…

Understand workflow and

processes

Identify challenges

Interview stakeholders to…

Understand workflow and

processes

Identify challenges

Understand political and

cultural issues

Interview stakeholders to…

Understand workflow and

processes

Identify challenges

Understand political and

cultural issues

Build relationships

and trust

On to synthesis

Discovery artifacts

TERM LISTS, GLOSSARIES,

SHARED DEFINITIONS

Discovery artifacts

OWNERSHIP AND

AUTHORSHIP TABLES

TERM LISTS, GLOSSARIES,

SHARED DEFINITIONS

Discovery artifacts

WORKFLOW DIAGRAMSOWNERSHIP

AND AUTHORSHIP

TABLES

TERM LISTS, GLOSSARIES,

SHARED DEFINITIONS

Discovery artifacts

ORG CHARTS

WORKFLOW DIAGRAMSOWNERSHIP

AND AUTHORSHIP

TABLES

TERM LISTS, GLOSSARIES,

SHARED DEFINITIONS

Discovery artifacts

ORG CHARTS

WORKFLOW DIAGRAMSOWNERSHIP

AND AUTHORSHIP

TABLES MATRIX OF CONTENT

TYPES

TERM LISTS, GLOSSARIES,

SHARED DEFINITIONS

Discovery artifacts

ORG CHARTS

WORKFLOW DIAGRAMS

SIMPLE PERSONAS

OWNERSHIP AND

AUTHORSHIP TABLES MATRIX OF

CONTENT TYPES

TERM LISTS, GLOSSARIES,

SHARED DEFINITIONS

Discovery artifacts

ORG CHARTS

WORKFLOW DIAGRAMS

SIMPLE PERSONAS

OWNERSHIP AND

AUTHORSHIP TABLES MATRIX OF

CONTENT TYPES

TERM LISTS, GLOSSARIES,

SHARED DEFINITIONS

CUSTOMER JOURNEYS

Discovery artifacts

ORG CHARTS

WORKFLOW DIAGRAMS

SIMPLE PERSONAS

OWNERSHIP AND

AUTHORSHIP TABLES MATRIX OF

CONTENT TYPES

TERM LISTS, GLOSSARIES,

SHARED DEFINITIONS

MESSAGING SPREADSHEET

CUSTOMER JOURNEYS

Discovery artifacts

There is no “one right

way”.

Shared definitions

Workflow diagrams

From documentation.magnolia-cms.com/display/DOCS45/Workflow

Content type matrix

Simple personas

Customer journeys

Image credit: http://engagingplaces.net/2013/10/15/hbr-the-truth-about-the-customer-experience/

Messaging spreadsheet

Image credit: http://engagingplaces.net/2013/10/15/hbr-the-truth-about-the-customer-experience/

Analysing your notes

Analysing your notes

1. Highlight key issues and patterns

Analysing your notes

1. Highlight key issues and patterns2. Group related issues

Analysing your notes

1. Highlight key issues and patterns2. Group related issues3. Make connections explicit

Analysing your notes

1. Highlight key issues and patterns2. Group related issues3. Make connections explicit4. Consider priorities, choose artifacts

ORG CHARTS

WORKFLOW DIAGRAMS

SIMPLE PERSONAS

OWNERSHIP AND

AUTHORSHIP TABLES MATRIX OF

CONTENT TYPES

TERM LISTS, GLOSSARIES,

SHARED DEFINITIONS

MESSAGING SPREADSHEET

CUSTOMER JOURNEYS

Discovery artifacts

Analysing your notes

1. Highlight key issues and patterns 2. Group related issues 3. Make connections explicit 4. Consider priorities, choose artifacts 5. Write up a roadmap

Roadmap headings

• Stakeholders • Objectives • Current situation • Key challenges • Short-term strategy • Long-term strategy • Open questions

Analysing your notes

1. Highlight key issues and patterns 2. Group related issues 3. Make connections explicit 4. Consider priorities, choose artifacts 5. Write up a roadmap 6. Give your partner feedback

Thanks for taking part!

Kerry-Anne Gilowey kerryanne@augustsun.co.za http://augustsun.co.za

@kerry_anne