Fall 2008’ SI 658 [Information Architecture]
Clint Newsom | Jennifer Faber | Ning Wang | Yesook Im
Why Filter Rabbit? 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.
Target Audience:
financiers local and global customers
A&D firms students
Designers
high-end dealers and alliance partners
showroom sales people consultants
healthcare professionals
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Brand Context Discovery & Analysis
The website is an attempt to give the customer "a set of integrated tools to 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 Analysis 1. STEELCASE
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Competitor Analysis 2. 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? 9
Persona
User1
User2
User3
PROFILE
NEEDS
Catherine Ribiero Interior Designer Showroom 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 visual stimuli. 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 to clients for her inability to track products down quickly on the HM site
• Interior Designer
• Wants to quickly find images of the products for clients • Uses the site to gives clients more information and visual stimuli. ATTITUDE TOWARD • WantsHMaSITE search
ETC. to be more visually stimulating • Thinks the HM site is too complicated What doesn’t she need from the HM site • Thinks the front page is too overwhelming • Wants a uniform display for HMʼs products with less jargon and • She never looks at research more useful information • Thinks that the HM search engine resembles Googleʼs and wants a search thatʼs more visually stimulating • Thinks the front page is too overwhelming
• Has never seemed to notice how placing a search within a certain category will land her in a different HM website
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Persona
User1
User2
User3
PROFILE
NEEDS
Sara Blakely Artist, 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 field of 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 technologies being researched (is HM going green/sustainable), and definitely promotions and prices
• Designer
• Wants information about new products, technologies, and promotions and prices
ATTITUDE • TOWARD SITE ThinksHMthe HM
ETC. site is a good representation on the brand • Thinks the HM site is a good representation of the brand Relationship with Herman Miller Observes it ofisthe very hardEames to find the• price of an item and - thinks it was• great that the photo trademark Very familiar and admiring of the annoyed Herman Miller brand chair was onthat front page - the Eames molded plywood chair is one of her favorites clicking on pricing in the nav menu led to a pdf • 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
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Persona
User1
User2
User3
PROFILE
NEEDS
Michelle Karell Salesperson 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 custom service 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 the measurements of furniture and components
• Salesperson for full-service office furniture dealer
• If I can get what I need faster from HM site, my customers will be happier ATTITUDE TOWARD HM SITE
ETC. • Likes the style of the HM site but feels it is too complicated • Likes the style of the HM site but feels it is too complicated What doesn’t she need from the HM site • on Wants easier access to furniture she suggest, wishes search to do business • Shecan has never looked at the Home section of the Herman • Wants easier access to furniture she can suggest or office Miller site was categorized places that are concerned about ergonomics, wishes search • Doesnʼt understand why multiple sites are needed. Makes was categorized
sense to have sites for different languages
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Persona Analytics What are personas telling us?
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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 • 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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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 Notes We 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 logo 1. An image of HM’s prominent product such as Eames chair 2. Tools’ icons with text 3. Company logo 4. Search box 5. Global navigation 6. Worldwide menu to find the HM dealer or office nearest to users 7. 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 HM 10. Connections to specific information such as design link or online stores 11. HM copyright 12. Terms of use and site map
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Wireframe: Search Results Notes The 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 search 2. Meaningful retrieval statistics 3. Formatted results for recognition 4. Returns images for every result 5. Dynamic Accordion with related links 6. Pagination based on relevant results
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Conclusion
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