The principles of Information Architecture in the design of remote and hybrid organisations. Full transcript of the talk available here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WypW6mqUesMq-VEqql9Zz7OQ3EwQSbw4VSNmSdt0xyw/edit?usp=sharing

1. Far-away but connected:
the principles of IA in
full-remote and hybrid organisations

2. How can we meaningfully connect
people in a remote and hybrid
environment?
◆

3. Why we are talking about it
Silvia Podestà
I ‘m UX strategist
@
Flowing, a full remote tech company, led and
inspired by the principles of collaboration and research-led
innovation

4. Why this feels important
Most
companies
are still
unprepared
From a logistical,
strategic and
managerial
standpoint
70
-
80%
of firms
are going
to hybrid
With the other
30%
-
20% is still
in the process
of deciding
This
process will
be very
challenging
Either lacking the
infrastructure and
most importantly a
right culture
SOURCE: MICHAEL BLOOM, STANFORD UNIVERSITY

6. Remote working:
dissecting the narrative
I

7. “
#1. Wellbeing
Titolo Testo
a person with a one-hour commute to work has to earn 40% more
money to be as satisfied as someone who walks. At the same time,
shifting from a long commute to a short walk would make a single
person as happy as if he or she had found a new love.”
From the Report: Cities Alive, Arup, 2016

8. “
#2. Autonomy
Titolo Testo
Total workplace flexibility comes
at a social cost. For some people,
complete autonomy over time is
paralysing and isolating.”
Rachel Botsman

9. “
#3. Trial & error
Titolo Testo
Designing a hybrid workplace that
furthers your business goals while
staying true to your culture
requires balancing
experimentation with rigorous
planning.
HBR

10. “
#4. Proximity Bias
Titolo Testo
Leaders need to focus on
developing team cohesion, on
understanding how to hold
meetings that are very inclusive,
so that people don’t feel left our
or FOMO.
Otherwise virtuality becomes an
issue of inclusion.
Tsedaal Neeley

11. “
#5. Trust
Remote teams must work extra
hard to develop connections and
trust.Connections, trust and work
performance are related to each
other”
R.Sinha

12. #6. Meaning
Titolo Testo
“
happiness is about feeling good in
the moment, feeling a state of
comfort and ease. Meaning is
about belonging to. It’s about
believing that your life matters
and that it makes sense.
Job is one of the four pillars of
meaning.
Emily Esfahani Smith

13. #7. Purpose
Titolo Testo
“
Nearly 7 out of 10 employees say
their sense of purpose is defined
by work. Those employees who
say that they live their purpose at
work are six and a half times more
likely to report higher resilience.“
Naina Dhingra, Bill Schaninger

14. #8. Transparency
Titolo Testo
“
To instigate a culture of
transparency, open up the books
to your employees. Teach them
how to read the P&L. Share
sensitive financial and strategic
information with everyone in the
company.
Reed Hastings, Erin Meyer

15. Remote working dictionary
Remote
Working
Flexibility
Experimentation
{
Meaning &
Purpose
Autonomy
Better agency
Resilience
Tech exhaustion
Belonging
Isolation
Out-of-sync
Out-of-sight
Social Cost
Trial&Error
Rigorous Planning
WELL
-
BEING CONNECTION CORPORATE CULTURE
Paralysis
Rituals
FOMO
Trust
Inclusivity
Happiness Transparency
VALUES APPROACHES

16. In companies that do foster
a connected culture
Connectedness
& productivity
34% 15%
In companies that don’t
foster a connected culture
EMPLOYEES REPORTING TO BE MORE PRODUCTIVE WORKING FROM HOME

17. 1.There is no one-size-fits all
2.It is messy
3.It is a trial & error process
Remote working
An all-too familiar situation!

18. Can we bring the principles of information
architecture into the design of remote working?
And how can this contribute to a better connected workplace?
◆

19. Thinking workplaces
like an information architect
II

20. What is IA all about
Titolo Testo
Creating a structure. Helping users find what they are looking for.

21. What are employees looking for?
Some
common
needs
Flexibility
{ Meaning
Autonomy
Control
Well-being Resilience Belonging
Inclusiveness
Skills
Networking Purpose
Work-life balance Professional growth Meaning
Continuous learning Autonomy

22. Work-life balance Professional growth Human growth
• Flexible schedules
• Autonomy
• Location Independence
• Holidays
• Continuous Learning
• Equal Opportunities
• Access to information
• Participation
• Balancing individual and shared
purpose
• Create meaningful interactions
• Fostering community-building
Addressing the needs
Rituals>>
<<Processes
Activities >>

23. Activities
Teams
Culture
Processes
Methods
Approaches
Collaboration
Skills
Organisation
Culture
Processes
Values
Mission
Goals
Individual
Attributes
Location
Skills
Expectations Needs
Constraints
Family Background
Habits
Way of working
Pains
Rituals
Processes
Rituals
Rituals
Activities
Processes
Drafting your own 3-level structure

24. Rituals
Titolo Testo
Rituals are symbolic shared experiences that strengthen connections,
communication, and a sense of belonging.

26. Rituals can be just about
sharing experiences
#REMOTEWALKS
#REMOTEGAMES

27. Make space for the
social connection
into the IA of your
hybrid company

28. Building a team culture is much more than team
meetings, is what happens in between those
meetings
(
Alison Coward)
◆

29. Ways to put
connections at
the centre of
remote IAs
๏Letting people speak up without being afraid of getting any kind of
push back
๏Making sure everyone is able to give their contribution
๏Making people informed and accountable
๏Having people participate to decision-making (when appropriate)

30. On what matters to the whole organisation
Promote everyone’s contribution

31. 5 principles of IA
(
For dispersed workplaces)
◆

32. D. Brown
-
Eight Principles of Information Architecture

33. 1. The
employee
principle
Always think about employees as living, breathing entities,
with attributes, behaviours and a lifecycle.
๏As a leader practice active listening.
๏Enable employees to live their purpose within
the company.

34. 2. The choice
principle
The greater the number of options increase cognitive
load and makes it more difficult for people to make
decision.
๏ Set priorities for employees to confidently focus
on what has the most impact for them and the
organisation
๏ Make employees adhere to communal social rituals

35. 3. The
feedback
principle
Feedback and constructive criticism are necessary for
growth and the sense of belonging.
๏Make space in your structure for structured
feedback processes and “praise” rituals.

36. Feedback cycle process/
Praise rituals
Two formats which are not just about
checking in and self-promoting, but
mostly about goal-setting and bonding
in the remote space.
#PARISE

37. 4. The focused
career path
principle
When users can’t find what they are looking for right from
the start, there’s a huge possibility they will abandon your
product or website.
๏Give remote workers a clear picture of how
their career path may unfold
๏Solve the me/we tension to generate mutual
benefit

38. Getting the me/we
tension right
Individual and collective purpose align
when organisations’ objectives are
pursued through employees’ personal,
professional and human growth.
ME
WE

39. 5. The
principle of
multiple
approaches
Just as users have different ways to classify information,
workers may have diverse approaches to how jobs should
be done.
๏Teams need to align upfront on the methods,
tools and processes to stick to together and
deliver to clients.

40. Designing for
connection in
hybrid and remote
workplaces
๏Think like an information architect
๏Research into the needs of people and accommodate them
into your structure
๏Make rituals and processes all about your employees.
๏Help people find their purpose and live it through your org.
๏Keep it like an ongoing experiment

41. Thank you!