RAHC Information Architecture & Content Strategy
The challenge with this project was to incorporate “inspiration” in the site architecture, augmenting multi-media and interactive content. How does the overall paradigm of this subject matter evoke the manner in which people discover, explore, research and return this site?
Discovery & Definition
In my first iteration:
I identified the research phase to be of the greatest interest to audiences
Defined the main goal for the site to be establishment of credibility, trust and organization’s authority; with scientific sources and a useful tool to retain visitors.
I positioned usage of secondary information for inspiration.
I created 2 options, with one being more content heavy for greater inspiration scope (Site Map B).
I also kept in mind that there could be technical/budget constraints suggesting roadmapping features on Site Map B to scale the product.
Personas & (assumed) customer journey
I was provided research outcomes prepared by Neil Newhouse, co-founder of “Public Opinion Strategies”. The research included work with a focus group (renovators, architects, designers and contractors), national survey of renovators and observations from online bulletin boards for Millennial home renovators & architects and designers nationwide.
The digital strategist at Canvas United used this information to define 2 primary personas.
Userflow / Taskflow: I thought of the questions they would ask when arriving to the site in order to create the site map.
I also thought of the site’s goals, and what would benefit RAHC. This drew concern to the interests of those people who were unable convert, and I defined 3 edge cases.
Project Gallery: while this was the obvious eye-candy section to mesmerize people with beautiful case studies of important examples incorporating wood, I could see the opportunity to drill further into finding wood industry members by region with experience building what is displayed. Example, structural systems that are seismic and fire resistant.
I emphasized the importance of scannability and iconography to help the user absorb the mostly education content. I further developed the wireframe concepts that the team had already presented to the client, in the context of content strategy.
Utilities & features: Reviewed enterprise sites for tools, guides and resources. The DIY project guide was useful secondary information to have in proximity to successful casestudies.
User Flow & Edge Cases
Site Map A
Site Map B
Feedback
I had missed the way inspiration should play out.
A huge part of wood is its beauty.
Where was this? Where was it supposed to live?
Key concept discoveries
Reforestation/forest management & biodiversity
Wood Characteristics
I wanted to create a concept for wood that was analogous to the 4Cs in diamonds or how wine is evaluated by acidity, sugars, alcohol, terroir etc.
There are precisely such characteristics for wood species/varieties.
“American Hardwood Information Center” has several resources on how to understand wood and I noticed that these could range from fun (for beginners) to vital (for renovators):
smell, color, hardness, porosity, region
Psychological-emotional wellbeing benefits
6 important insights from Sally Augustin:
Research consistently shows that seeing wood grain (responsibly harvested, of course) in our homes and offices boosts our mental well-being and performance; using wood with visible grain in interiors can be a good idea, a very good idea . . .
When we see wood grain our stress levels fall, it's a particularly good design choice when relaxation is the goal—whether that’s a dentist’s waiting area or a family room where the whole family, with their varying entertainment preferences, plans to spend time together . . .
The benefits flow to our brains when we look at wood on furniture, walls, or floors . . . This is consistent with the research on stress levels and visible wood grain, as well as the links in our world between hardwood floors and middle (or upper) class living situations . . .
The wood grain pattern itself seems to be the root of the positive implications of using wood. Therefore, artificial wood can lead to the same sorts of psychological benefits as real wood—as long as those artificial wood patterns truly look like real wood. Also, if artificial wood is used it’s important that there is enough variety in the flooring—used in any space so that there are not unnatural appearing duplicates, for instance . . .
To reap the benefits of wood grain, that grain has to be visible; ebony finishes don’t have the same psychological power as oak finishes . . .
There is a sweet spot for the amount of wood used in a room, and that is around 45 percent of surfaces.
Concepts to make the content exploratory and page flow to support discovery via exploration. The key concept was to customize the space with wood.
Site Map C: “Place Design”
Site Map D: Bringing the outdoors in
Biophilia
I repositioned the idea of "elemental appeal" and, "wood brings the outside-in" in the context of finding a well known term, biophilia (cited in Thinkwood).
Referring to the innate human attraction to nature, this term allows language and concept to make the important connection between value, health and durability - and sustainable practice
