information architecture for a service dog website
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Overview
This project was carried out as a semester-long assignment for my information architecture class during my master’s program. The goal of this project was to capture information architecture requirements for an information-rich domain, design the information architecture for a website relating to the domain based on user research, and evaluate the design from an information architecture perspective.
The information domain chosen for this project was service dogs, inspired by my own work as a volunteer puppy raiser for a non-profit service dog organization. From my work, I was aware of the frustrations experienced by people looking for a service dog, which stemmed from being unsure of (1) where to start, and (2) not knowing if they qualified for a service dog.
After developing a domain model, interviewing 3 domain experts, and tree testing with end users, I created wireframes for a website idea that optimized the user journey of finding a service dog organization, using information architecture design.
PROJECT PROCESS & DETAILS
USER RESEARCH
The project kicked off with three domain expert interviews and an assessment of similar information environments to create a domain model that established the important entities and relationships necessary for the service dog domain.
The Insight
Tasks performed and types of disabilities served were important factors in a user's search for service dog information. However, this information was difficult to find.
DOMAIN MODEL
From this research, a domain model was created that focused on providing this important information that users had found lacking in their searches. The resulting model includes the main entities of Dogs and Organizations, with the Disabilities category encompassing the people entity. It also includes Tasks, because it is both an information-rich entity and one that users often start with to find an organization that meets their needs.
SITE MAP
Once the domain model was created, a site map was developed to define an information architecture that reflected the domain. The site map relies on a database that uses faceted navigation to provide narrowed results for users. These faceted results appear in various capacities throughout the site, with the most obvious being the Organization Directory. The other instances are on-page results filtered by page topic and a quiz that filters based on a user’s answers.
IDEATION & JOURNEY MAPPING
The overarching goal of the website is for a user to be able to identify an organization that meets their needs. Once an organization has been identified—meaning the tasks of discovery and vetting have been successfully completed—a user will leave this site and interact directly with an organization to actually progress towards getting a service dog, for example, filling out an application.
The user journey of the site reflects the ability for a user to discover an organization and evaluate whether it meets their needs, no matter where they are in their personal research process at the time of their visit.
The website supports the user through multiple paths of exploration and discovery:
Path 1: User has just started out and is seeking information.
Path 2: User has an idea of what kind of service dog they need and wants to find an organization.
Path 3: User is overwhelmed and needs an easy-to-digest interaction, like the quiz, to help them quickly identify organizations that match their search criteria presented in a contextual setting.
WIREFRAMING & TESTING
The user journeys resulted in 4 wireframes, illustrating sample pages of the design of the site, focusing on the important pages from the user journeys. In order to test and evaluate the findability of information in the wireframes, I combined tree test findings on the hierarchical structure with usability testing for the content and layout of the pages, recruiting three target end-users of the website.
1. Global Navigation—testing revealed these topics to be a logical place for a user to begin their search.
2. Breadcrumbs—users felt the breadcrumbs helped them understand how categories related to each other.
3. Content—this was seen as crucial information for users who were new in their search.
4. Relevant Listings—users liked the idea of seeing related organizations early in their search.
5. Directory Link
1. Directory Filters
2. Results—users pointed out that filters may be difficult to use if the definitions of some of the filters are unknown.
3. Search
1. Profile
2. Organization Summary
3. Return to Results Link
The Insight
While overall feedback on the site was positive, users still needed more information when it came to knowing how to filter through organizations and define their needs.
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1. Quiz—users felt that presenting information in context (in the form of a question) helped them better understand their needs and search criteria
2. Progress Bar
Future Steps
More testing and research would be conducted to determine how to define search criteria earlier o in a search for a service dog organization and provide an easy way for users to learn about the various facets of organizations available to them.