1. Information Tasks CMPT 455/826 - Week 4, Day 2 (Various sources) Sept-Dec 2009 – w4d21

2. Information Interaction: Providing a Framework for Information Architecture Based on E.G. Toms Sept-Dec 2009 – w4d22

3. Tasks (From the CMPT 479 text, Putting Usability First) Tasks are specific accomplishments –of one or more individuals, in a group of users The degree of accomplishment of a task is generally more important than the method of achieving it. Thus each of the users should be allowed to select the methods which are most usable for them. Tasks are the basis for individuals becoming users. This analysis of tasks should not be limited to only those tasks that are currently considered to be part of what an application should accomplish. The analysis of tasks should be expanded to include similar tasks and other potential tasks that may not be currently performed. Sept-Dec 2009 – w4d23

4. Information Tasks How people interact –with information-rich digital environments –is directly influenced by –the environment’s information architecture The quest for information –is carried out through querying and browsing, but also –represents situated action, and –reflects the experiences that one has in interacting with an information system Sept-Dec 2009 – w4d24

5. Lack of Predictability In predictable task-driven systems –the user interacts with the system’s implementation of the task –e.g. making cash transactions, monitoring a power plant’s operations, and playing computer games –These tasks are easy to define in terms of a set of views In systems that support information seeking, –each action taken is the result of a set of intricate decision points –In these tasks, any data might be combined with any other data to get results Sept-Dec 2009 – w4d25

6. The unpredictability Users –initiate the process by formulating a goal, i.e., the traditional information seeking process, or simply by making a decision to examine a body of information –are likely to perform several iterations of the process before terminating the session The same set of items –could be presented to the user, but different choices might be selected at different times Sept-Dec 2009 – w4d26

7. IA and Information Tasks Information architecture includes a system of –classification, –labelling of concepts within that classificatory structure, –navigation, and –search/access systems for a defined body of information Sept-Dec 2009 – w4d27

8. IA Classifications In an ideal world, –each class represents a distinct concept with discriminating and unambiguous labels and with controlled lexical relations –e.g. synonymy, homonymy But, information may be organized in many different ways: by formal organizational structure, by function, by individual interest/ need, by task, by expertise, by chronology, by frequency of use, or by spatial orientation. Sept-Dec 2009 – w4d28

9. IA Labelling Information needs to be chunked –so that one or more chunks suits the need of each of the structures –so that each chunk can be readily identified unambiguously e.g. regardless of which structure it is being used for Sept-Dec 2009 – w4d29

10. IA and Navigation Each of type of organization –reflects a different pathway to the underlying content The framework may be physically represented –as hierarchical or tree structures; or –as cyclic/acyclic networks that provide multiple and pseudoparallel pathways to the same content Sept-Dec 2009 – w4d210

11. IA and Information Tools An information architecture –specifies navigation: how the structure is navigated and location for data within that structure –determines other types of access tools such as site maps search tools, and indices Sept-Dec 2009 – w4d211

12. A Knowledge-Centric Framework for Process Redesign K.J. Fadel & M. Tanniru Sept-Dec 2009 – w4d212

13. Background Early BPR gurus seemed to regard processes –as mutable business functions –that could be redefined and re-arranged –in a highly mechanical and analytic manner But, a high failure rates in reengineering efforts occurred Its underlying flaw seemed to be –its disregard of human issues Sept-Dec 2009 – w4d213

14. Knowledge and BPR Knowledge –can be treated as an object produced by business processes, rather than as an input or capability used to perform processes or both In process redesign, –the employee must reconcile her knowledge of the original process with the knowledge required to perform the new process –If very few knowledge elements are similar between contexts, there is little overlap and the knowledge gap is large Sept-Dec 2009 – w4d214