Helping Blink employees easily find past examples of work.
The Blink findability project was an internal summer internship based study with a resulting set of recommendations to help solve for a very common problem in today’s digital workplaces.
As companies organically grow, it can become increasingly difficult to locate past projects needed for reference, particularly for newer employees.
Our human centered design process.
Collaborators
Dinah Coops: Research and design
Lea Martin: Research lead
Jonathan Evans and Darshana Tuladhar: Mentors
Challenge.
Blink employees struggle to find past work examples to inform current work.
Process.
Research and testing. Interview and survey Blink employees company wide; analyze results; comparative analysis of current and potential cloud storage solutions; information architecture card sort study; review and test AI add on tools and cloud platforms.
Design. Journey Maps of current and proposed user flows; click through prototype of information architecture for testing.
Reports. Top findings in 3 stages; easy wins; conclusions.
Outcome.
Set of recommendations for improved storage, search and user flows.
phase 1.
Qualitative interviews, survey, journey maps, key findings report.
Current user flow.*
*Newer researcher, recently hired
What we did.
The project began with my research partner spearheading a qualitative study design and survey design. Each of us conducted half of the 18 qualitative interviews while simultaneously, we administered the quantitative survey (n=34) across all Blink offices with a cross section of job types and levels of seniority to fully understand what was happening and why. Analyzing the results, we found that both studies were in large agreement, which allowed me to map out user flows for 3 key personas: a senior researcher/designer, a more recently hired researcher and a mid-level designer. From here, we jointly reported out our findings including the key barriers for Blinkers and an initial set of recommendations.
Key findings.
Discoverability.
Not all Blink employees have access to all files.
Information Architecture not conducive for search.
The search function is not effective.
Time on task.
Searching takes an inordinate amount of time for all employees.
Newer employees lean on others with tribal knowledge using even more of longer term employees time.
Barrier to entry.
Newer employees don’t know where to go or who to ask.
People often wonder if they’ve found the “best” examples.
Collaboration tools are seen as inconsistently effective.
phase 2.
Studies on information architecture (IA), finding “the best” work examples and comparing cloud storage platforms.
IA studies.
Hybrid card study for IA with 15 Blinkers
IA user testing.
Click through prototype for initial user testing
What we did.
After an early win of helping enable wider visibility of projects across a broader group of employees, we expanded on our findings and initial recommendations from phase 1. This included studies to inform a more effective information architecture, define what “best” work examples meant to different types of Blinkers, and to research and compare the capabilities of cloud storage platforms.
Study visualizations.
Comparative landscape study of cloud storage platforms.
We found that Google drive offers superior search and comparable security and syncing.
“Best” work examples survey.
There was a broad range for what Blinkers considered to be “best” work examples
phase 3.
Finalizing a set of recommendations for improved storage, search and user flow.
What we did.
Our final phase included recommendations for a multi-angled approach to findability —a simpler information architecture, migration to a cloud storage platform with better search and collaboration features and a slow rollout of an AI enhanced add on search tool that could also function as a best work examples repository. We also mapped out the options Blinkers would have for findability through new user flows.
01/
Allow Blink employees to easily access recent projects.
02/
Implement a more effective information architecture with fewer top level folders.
03/
Migrate cloud storage platform to Google for superior search and collaboration within a secure enterprise platform.
04/
Use the AI tool, Shelf, to democratically create a best work examples repository.
05/
On going education for best practices and consistency on information architecture and use of G drive and Shelf.
06/
Begin a controlled rollout of Shelf as an overall information management tool.
Future user flows.
Our final phase included recommendations for a multi-angled approach to findability —a simpler information architecture, migration to a cloud storage platform with better search and collaboration features and a slow rollout of an AI enhanced add on search tool that could also function as a best work examples repository. We also mapped out the options Blinkers would have for findability through new user flows.
A more intuitive information architecture.
Recommended information architecture with fewer top level folders for easier organic wayfinding.
Creating more paths for project reference seekers.
Steps and emotions for reference seekers.
Improvements include better options for searching with G Drive, Shelf and Slack integration, an improved IA and full access for all employees to Blink internal files.
Next steps and reflection.
Making it happen.
From here, ease of findability requires agreement and maintenance of file structures by all Blinkers. It also depends on ongoing learning sessions on best practices for Blinkers on how best to use the cloud storage platform and AI search tools, as well as participation in voting up and contributing to the best work examples.
If these actions can be maintained, the new user flows show that there will now be several different ways of more easily finding the example projects people need, with less stress and time expended.
The Shelf AI add-on tool.
We recommend a controlled rollout of the AI enhanced search capabilities of Shelf, starting by using it as a best work examples repository.
Reflection.
While findability is a problem that many companies encounter, the solutions aren’t simple, fast and easy because they touch every employee’s workflow.
Is there a way to help make this type of transition smoother, beyond recommending education?