information architecture

Platform: Software - Desktop Application | Industry: Healthcare (audiology) | My Role: UX Design Lead

Summary

External user studies and internal research revealed several areas in the software that needed improvement. As Information Architecture touches every aspect of a design it was our first priority.

Pain Points to Address:

  • Oversimplification left users lost

  • Navigational flow & user flow not aligned

  • Terminology did not give context to feature functionality

  • Hierarchy promoted unused features while hiding valuable ones

  • Duplicate naming between the navigation layers caused difficulties for not only external users but internal users

  • Lack of consistency across individual pages

Project kick off

I started the project with a multi-day workshop, gathering participants from Product Management, Audiology, and Development to brainstorm solutions. By the end, we drafted a new information architecture to be implemented in phases: phase one to fix the current structure & phase two allowing features not requiring a connected device to be accessed.

My role as workshop facilitator:

  • plan activities to spark conversation

  • create an open & welcoming environment

  • engage participants in productive conversation

  • progress conversations forward

  • make sure everyone feel respected and heard

  • capture & present workshop outcomes

  • plan follow up workshops if necessary

  • gather workshop feedback to improve on future workshops

 

User Testing

Three rounds of testing were preformed utilizing both internal and external users in the United States.

Round 1 - Internal Users

Goal: during this round we focused on gathering initial feedback from internal users along with perfecting the interview script and note taking documents.

Round 2 - External Users

Goal: gather feedback from external users on how preforming critical tasks compare using the new IA vs the original IA.

Round 3 - External Users

Goal: confirm the results of the second round of testing

 

My Responsibilities:

  • oversee the creation of a low fidelity, brand agnostic prototype in Axure of both the current information architecture and the proposed information architecture so they could be blindly tested against one another in an A/B Test.

  • contact users & schedule testing sessions

  • create the interview script & note capture documents

  • facilitate the interviews

  • lead the analyzing of test results.

Handoff to Development

After we concluded user testing and mapped out all of the changes that would be made to the navigation we needed to make sure we throughly communicated all of those changes to Developers and Product Owners prior to PI Planning. We accomplished this by:

  • creating architecture maps highlighting new pages & removed pages

  • providing developers with the low fidelity Axure prototype so they could click around on their own

  • multiple meetings where we walked through all the changes and answered any and all questions

Post development Box Build Testing

Upon the development of the navigation I coordinated with Product Management to identify key markets outside the US (Germany, Switzerland, and Austria) where the navigation should be tested with users. Due to COVID restrictions interviews had to be conducted remotely by local representatives. To prepare for this I created testing materials, trained local managers, and collaborated in the interpretion of results due to translations. We also released the Box Build to Product Management and Tech Support teams within the selected markets.

Phase 1 Follow Up

Quantitative Follow Up:

  • An invisible layer to this project was the implementation of analytics with this we can verify the user flow through the software and see if we can see patterns by Market/Country and start customizing by market need



Qualitative Follow Up:

  • Contacting sales representatives in the field who have daily contact with our users to hear what feedback they have received

  • Preforming user interviews ourself to see how our users are finding the new information architecture

  • Sending out a satisfaction survey to Hearing Care Professionals in key markets

Beginning Phase 2

Allowing features not requiring a connected device to be accessed. Like Phase 1, I began with a multi-day workshop, bringing together Product Management, Audiology, and Development for brainstorming, ideation, visualization, competitive analysis, and review of prior research. I facilitated all workshops, managing all responsibilities as listed above.

Competitive analysis post it session - reviewing other the good / neutral / bad of competitors pre connection options.

Alignment reached from all key stakeholders on what functionality is essential, competitive & unnecessary. (Essential functionality listed above.

Common Visual Themes

  • Highly Visual

  • Use of Icons

  • Dominant Connect Button

  • Clearly Defined Sections

Low Fidelity Mock Ups & Internal Review

Following initial whiteboard sessions with various visualizations, I led the UX team in creating low-fidelity mockups. These were reviewed by key stakeholders to assess pros, cons, and potential for connecting elements in the GN ecosystem. Based on feedback, we combined the best aspects into an ideal mockup, which became the foundation for our testing prototype.

User Testing

After a quick round of internal user testing to gather initial feedback and make any last minute tweaks to the prototype we began our three rounds of testing. After the first two rounds of testing a few changes were made from the test results, those changes were then confirmed in the third round of testing. View the final Figma Prototype Here.

Three testing rounds were conducted:

  • Denver, CO USA

  • Chicago, IL USA

  • Paris, France

My responsibilities:

  • Creation of the Test Script

  • Creation of Note Capture Documents

  • Contribute to Prototype

  • Interview Facilitation

  • Post Interview Data

Before & After

Before (Left) & Initial Prototype Home Page (Right)