Personas, Taxonomies and Ontologies Mapping People To Their Work and Work to Their Systems (Date)

Overview Introduction Personas Taxonomies Ontologies Integration into It Modernization Efforts CONCLUSION References

Introduction Letting the goal, user and task define the system rather than the other way around giving a voice to the end user in service, system and technology choice and development Develop systems and processes that are mission focused but service enterprise goals

Personas What they are: What they are not: a narrative relating to a desired user or customer's daily behavior patterns, using specific details, not generalities Specific Individuals AnecdotaL / Hypothetical Overly Broad and Unbounded representations of a group of customers so that the company can focus its efforts Unsourced Structured and focused Archetypes (Models) Atypical biased EMpirical & Data-Driven Conceptual

PERSONAS How can we use them in IT Modernization Efforts? Develop a fact-based model of target users, their work environments, and the tasks they perform to support the mission Capture concrete real-world examples of user activity and cross-initiative interaction between services and technologies

TAXONOMIES What they are: WHat they Are Not: a taxonomy, or taxonomic scheme, is a particular classification, arranged in a hierarchical structure or classification scheme. Lists of attributes non-structured un-Constrained a classification of things or concepts, as well as to the principles underlying such a classification. Un-linked / Disconnected organized by hierarchical and contextual parent-child relationships

Taxonomies How can we use them in IT Modernization Efforts? Structure various job roles and mission support roles into classifications that can be mapped to service development activities Collect bureau staff operations and task data based on job roles and location within the Department and geographic location Create a common classification structure that can be re-used for multiple activities and initiatives

OntoLogies What they are: WHat they Are Not: formally represents knowledge as a set of concepts within a domain, and the relationships between those concepts. It can be used to reason about the entities within that domain, and may be used to describe the domain non-restricted non-semantic Components that lack meaning an expectation that there be a close resemblance between the real world and the features of the model Disconnected Unstructured describe individuals (instances), classes (concepts), attributes, and relations Uses set languages to Specify and encode component interactions

Ontologies How can we use them in IT Modernization Efforts? THey can be used to create a model of the tasks performed by staff and their interaction with resources and technology standardize how we describe and model technology that can be easily understood by all levels of the IT support chain CLearly and easily identify interrelationships of resources, staff, and activity among previously disparate appearing individuals

OVERVIEW Personas Model people and environments Taxonomies Model organizations and systems Ontologies Model Activities and concepts

OVERVIEW Why should we use these techniques? Where can we use this? What can be modeled? WHo can use this? How can we use this methodology? When do you use this approach?

Integration Into IT Transformation The “Why”? Standardization of “goal-seeking” COncepts anybody can pick it up and “run” with the model Speak with a common lexicon and language (UML) Visual versus verbal Requires developer of model to translate concepts

Integration Into IT Transformation The “Where”? Modeling user behaviors, patterns and interaction with resources useful for designing complex IT systems outputs can be used in development workflow on multi-disciplinary teams Captures items not caught in brainstorming or stories

Integration Into IT Transformation The “What”? Map process activity to reach a goal capture resources required to perform task See interactions, develop verbs reflects reality versus hypothetical requires rigor to develop model

Integration Into IT Transformation The “Who”? multi-disciplinary Project teamS Information designed to be used and shared at all levels of a process Team members not required to learn the other members specialities Model can be shared with user to “check” the process

Integration Into IT Transformation The “How”? Integration of modeling to service and technology development and implementation Use it at the start to ensure requirements are properly acquired Identify target users identify activity/resource overlaps (complimentary or interference) process Cycles around through regression and refinement (from Evaluation back to AnaLysis, from users back to users)

Integration Into IT Transformation The “When”? Utilization at the start of project scoping identifies who and what is involved shapes what is delivered helps build deliverable timelines based on reality Completing models at start helps reduce resource expenditures due to poor hypothesis

Persona Example BIologist focus: Ornithology [Birds] lab Equipment Field Scientific sampling equipment 60% Field Work / 25% Lab / 15% Office Communication Regular Activities Management, Other biologists, and Academics Field counts Shoots Photos VOice and Emails collects specimens online systems to update field data Technology used Geographic Location - Northwest CONUS Cell phone (no data service) issues Laptop connectivity (voice and data) DSLR Camera Outdated and heavy equipment for field use

This is Where the sample Persona Resides in the Taxonomy Taxonomy Example This is Where the sample Persona Resides in the Taxonomy

Taxonomy Example Group by Biology Speciality Group by Ornithology

operating Environment Ontology Example Sends Data To uses Maintains State Of Accesses Placed Call Sends Data To Allows / Provides operating Environment

Conclusion Integrating all three (3) techniques can create a fine- grained and comprehensive model of goal-centric work Captures realistic activity versus hypotheticals Allows for visual mapping of elements in the system for easy reference by disparate groups Captures elements that may have not been identified through other system development means Private sector adoption of methodology with proven results

Conclusion Creates re-usable library of research and data, lowering cost over time Low barrier to translation of ideas across multiple disciplines (CRM vs. Engineering vs. management) Simple and concise, however upfront effort required to collect base data can be used to massage relationships with staff - data observation sessions produce results through Customer input Reduces possible mistakes and re-engineering

References User Experience - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User_experience User-Centric Design - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User-centered_design Contextual Design - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contextual_design Personas - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persona_(marketing) Taxonomies - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taxonomy Ontologies in IT/IS - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ontology_(information_science) Ontologies (Classical) - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ontology

References W3C Persona Examples - http://www.w3.org/WAI/redesign/personas Just Ask: Integrating Accessibility Throughout Design - http://uiaccess.com/accessucd/personas.html Creating User-Centered Taxonomies - http://web.fumsi.com/go/article/manage/3126 A Taxonomy of Stakeholders : Human Roles in System Development - http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/iany/consultancy/stakeholder_taxonomy/sta keholder_taxonomy.htm Ontology-Based Software Development Techniques - http://www.ercim.eu/publication/Ercim_News/enw58/saeki.html Using Ontologies for Knowledge Management: An Information Systems Perspective - http://www.cs.toronto.edu/pub/eric/asis99.pdf