Design – Prototypes
I created prototypes of the proposed navigation to demonstrate and test the proposed menu design for each of the key areas, across a number of the critical business intranets.
Design – Approval of Architecture
I presented the proposed architecture and navigation to all the key stakeholders to gain their approval.
I outlined:
- the approach I took,
- the evidence I gathered to inform and test the design.
I walked through:
- the expected performance improvements based on the existing and new architecture and navigation.
Key learnings from the project
I learned from my research that:
- Much of the critical content that a large number of key users relied upon, was buried many layers down within the existing site architecture and was difficult to access.
- It was frequently needed whilst customer service agents were engaged in conversations directly with customers.
- They needed to reference it to check on processes and look up critical competitive pricing information.
- I was aware that a second of time saved on the average call handling time of these agents would save the company £1 million across the entire user base. Consequently, performance and efficiency gains for these users was extremely valuable. I knew this thanks to another project I was heavily involved in.
The user base thought there was a clear distinction between content that had been previously located together.
- The content grouping had previously been based on the departments that owned them. The existing keywords used for the main sections related to the departments which again did not resonate with end users. Users found it very difficult to find information. They often clicked through sections with little expectation that they would find their target content. They often gave up or assumed it didn’t exist.
Surprising Findings
The most surprising insight I gathered related to the fact that in some instances the users had set up their own servers. They shared links to this critical information on these servers, as it was quicker to find and access it there than on the official intranet.
This was a significant risk to the business as the information was kept up to date unofficially.
Significant Challenges on the Project
The biggest challenges on this project related to:
- overcoming the discrepancy between some of the stakeholder priorities and those of their users (who they were responsible for supporting).
There were stakeholders who reacted positively to the findings and the proposals to address user issues and concerns.
Ammo Virk and Sunni Harrar (British Gas – stakeholders for the largest user group) listened to users concerns that were conveyed and actively engaged with the process. In many ways, their users were the biggest beneficiaries of this positive engagement.
How I tested to ensure effective performance
I completed user testing, using prototypes of the proposed navigation. I demonstrated that the most important content was much easier and quicker to access with the new site structures.
Working collaboratively in a tight-knit team
Working alongside an exceptional core project team of JJ Van As and Leena Lakhani was a highlight of the project for me.
We developed a close-knit supporting network on the project. There was a lot of contradictions and stakeholders with competing visions and priorities.
I have become friends with a large number of former colleagues but I think there is something special about the friends you make whilst facing significant adversity.
Both JJ and Leena (Project Manager and Business Analyst) respectively were not simply outstanding colleagues at the time, they remain firm friends of mine to this day.
Testimonial
I had the greatest pleasure to work with Will. He is incredibly enthusiastic and definitely one of the first people I would pick on a winning team. I would recommend Will to any company who really wants clear advice on how to improve their user experience.
Amandeep Virk