Theresa Putkey

Usability Testing Offers Insight into Website Problems

Many aspects of usability testing are under your control. Set your goals and your dates, create your test plan and execute. Analyze the results and put together themes from the feedback. Participants can tell you about their habits, how your website fits into their work/life, and how they would ideally use your site. Taken all together, you'll be able to uncover many issues with your website as well as gather valuable insight into your users' behaviours.

3 Options for Usability Testing [Infographic]

With every usability testing project I do, there are a couple of standard choices we need to explore and make. Here's a quick overview of the options.

What to Expect from User Research

User research allows us to improve our websites, intranets, products, and services. Sometimes I work with clients who are new to user research and they need to know what the process of user research is like and what to expect as an outcome of user research. Before we assume that user research will answer all our questions and fully illuminate a dark abyss, it's important to set expectations for what user research can do for us. If you're thinking about tackling a project with research in it, here are a few things to be prepared for.

User Research and IA for Government

Faced with a design mandate, this government organization needed to do research before designing the solution to ensure the solution was appropriate for its audiences. We helped this organization go through interviews, analysis, journey mapping, and information architecture work.

Website Navigation by Audience: 3 Reasons Not to Use It

On the surface, audience based navigation seems to make sense. In user-centred design, we design for the user. If we group information based on the different users we've identified, then the user will know where to look on the website. In my early days, I did once try my hand at audience based navigation and quickly learned a few things (and felt an immense amount of frustration).

Use Taxonomy and Information Architecture to Improve SEO

You've probably heard that better user experience on a website is good for SEO, but what does that actually mean? There are a few specific ways information architecture and taxonomy improve SEO.

Improving Content Findability with Better Website Information Architecture

Maybe the website isn't well organized. Maybe users don't take the time to look through the website. Maybe users have had bad experiences in the past and can't be bothered to look on the website. Rest assured there are you can improve content findability with better website information architecture.

Heuristic Review and User Testing for Government

This client with two content heavy websites of over 2000 pages each needed an expert review and user testing for these sites. Because the sites were so large, we set specific investigation goals to specifically focus on information architecture, content quality, and search.

Information Architecture for Purdys Chocolates

Purdys contacted Key Pointe because sections of their website weren’t delivering needed results for their fundraising and group purchase programs. We reviewed these areas and provided recommendations to Purdys.

Diagnosing and Solving Content Problems

Here's a roundup of the articles and presentation for Diagnosing and Solving Content Problems from the 2014 Intelligent Content Conference.

Information Architecture Review to Improve Findability

When looking to improve the findability on your website or intranet or in your CMS or DAM, there are a few areas where you can look to diagnose and solve findability problems. To find these problems, you can do an expert review and user testing. This second part in a two-part series focuses on solving findability problems.

Information Architecture Review to Diagnose Findability Problems

When looking to improve the findability on your website or intranet or in your CMS or DAM, there are a few areas where you can look to diagnose and solve findability problems. To find these problems, you can do an expert review and user testing. This first part in a two-part series focuses on diagnosing findability problems.

Using Card Sorting to Increase Content Findability

When improving a website or intranet (or any content product), you can focus on findability with an IA review and assessment and with card sorting and task testing. This article focuses on how to improve findability through card sorting.

The Basics of Taxonomy Use and Maintenance

Keeping a taxonomy up-to-date will be very useful in re-purposing content on the site, tagging content properly so you can find it again, and allowing visitors to filter the content. Learn about why and how to use a taxonomy.

When to Use A Hierarchical or A Faceted Taxonomy

Hierarchical taxonomies are best suited to things where the relationship is well known. You can use a faceted taxonomy when multiple, similar values can be applied to dissimilar items.

Web Content Strategy for a Credit Union

This credit union client wanted to update its website by improving the navigation and structure and incorporating the new brand messaging.

Information Architecture for Rocky View County

Working with a content strategist, we took Rocky View through a user-centred design process, then created a new information architecture and content strategy. During our research, it became clear that Rocky View served a diverse and geographically dispersed community which needed geographically appropriate information.

Taxonomy for a Financial Services Company

A large, U.S. based financial services company was moving to a new enterprise content management system (eCMS) and needed a taxonomy to better find information. We collaborated with attorneys and financial services experts to create a taxonomy for the client.

Information Architecture Deliverable Examples

In information architecture, there are a few deliverables meant to communicate the information design to all the stakeholders. Here's a brief overview of what can be delivered on an IA project and why these things are important.

Technology Standards Website Redesign

This portfolio item details the work done for a technology standards client.

Theresa Putkey

About Theresa Putkey