About Client
The product division within a Fortune 500 technology firm sought expert support for a substantial update to its consumer-focused taxonomy for technical training. Derive One was the trusted strategic partner, conducting comprehensive research and delivering targeted insights to steer this pivotal upgrade in information architecture.
Study Impact
The research provided both data-driven and qualitative insights into the existing technical taxonomy structure, enabling the team to identify areas of potential confusion and opportunities for refinement in category grouping and naming conventions.
Objectives
This study aimed to align technical taxonomy labels with customer expectations and refine category naming conventions. Participants worked individually to develop new ideas for primary categories. Through an open card-sorting exercise of 50 subcategories, insights emerged on natural groupings, label clarity, and any additional categories needed.
Key Strategies Implemented
Open Card Sorting
In an open card sorting exercise, participants grouped a set of 50 cards, each representing a specific topic or skill area. They were asked to form intuitive groups, assign labels, and provide feedback on any items that were difficult to categorize or that they felt were missing. Conducted across multiple sessions, this study captured diverse perspectives on categorization and labeling preferences.
Crosstab, Correlation Matrix, and Dendrogram Analysis
With analysis using crosstab, correlation matrix and dendrogram, clear trends in user-driven categorization, highlighting consistent groupings, natural clustering of related topics, and key associations among items were revealed. These insights clarified how participants intuitively organized the content.
Impact
Enhanced Domain Category Structure
The study provided valuable insights that significantly improved the organization and alignment of product categories with user expectations in technical training.
Improved User Experience
The findings helped create a more intuitive and user-friendly interface for skill categorization, enhancing overall user satisfaction. It also increased the exposure of the client’s product through search engine due to optimized keyword and categorization.
