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Information Classification in the Workplace. Joseph A. Busch. Agenda. Why information classification is needed What the research says Agricultural economics case study. Information access issues, problems, and concerns. Enormous volumes of information within organizations
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Information Classification in the Workplace Joseph A. Busch
Agenda • Why information classification is needed • What the research says • Agricultural economics case study
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 • …
Wine shopping by facets http://www.tesco.com/winestore
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Frequency Organization Audience Content Type Facets on FirstGov.gov site
Agenda • Why information classification is needed • What the research says • Agricultural economics case study
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
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
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
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
User interface survey — Results (1) Source: Yee, Swearingen, Li, & Hearst
Google-like Baseline Faceted Category User interface survey — Results (2) Source: Yee, Swearingen, Li, & Hearst
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
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
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)
Agenda • Why information classification is needed • What the research says • Agricultural economics case study
* 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
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?
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
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.
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.”
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
User satisfaction survey: Results More Difficult Easier
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?
QuestionsJoseph A. Busch+ 415-377-7912jbusch@taxonomystrategies.comhttp://ww.taxonomystrategies.com