This document summarizes a presentation about the Core Model approach to information architecture and website design. The Core Model prioritizes identifying core pages that meet key user tasks and business goals. It involves workshops to map inward paths, core content, and forward paths for core pages. The approach aims to focus design on solving users' most important tasks as directly as possible rather than relying on site hierarchies or home pages. Case studies showed the approach increased key metrics like donations, mobile subscriptions, and bank traffic.
5. Martha Lyngnes
@marthaifarta
Interaction Designer
Audun Rundberg
@audunru
Content Strategist
#ias15
How come our
annual report isn’t on
the home page?
Why isn’t my
department in the
main menu?
We need a button
on the home page
that takes you to our
Facebook profile.
I need a banner
for our latest
product launch.
Somebody called
me last week and
couldn’t find vacant
positions!
Our competitors
have videos on their
website. We should
too.
You should
make more
room for news.
I don’t like
purple!!
My son could
have made a
better website.
17. Home page
All that matters
is to meet that
need as quickly as
possible
People come to
your website with a
need
18. Home page
All that matters
is to meet that
need as quickly as
possible
99% of the pages
are irrelevant to
that need
People come to
your website with a
need
19. Home page
All that matters
is to meet that
need as quickly as
possible
99% of the pages
are irrelevant to
that need
The other
pages are
making it more
difficult for the
user
People come to
your website with a
need
20. Home page
We have to start
with the page where
the answer can be
found - the core
27. The Core Model
• The core is where your users solve
their tasks and you reach your
objectives
• Paths, not hierarchy
• No dead ends
• Stakeholders can get involved
@AreGH
30. Core workshop
People work in pairs,
and present their work
after each step
1. Identify core pages
2. Inward paths
3. Core content
4. Forward paths
5. Prioritizing core elements
31. 6–14 participants
No web, design or content skills necessary!
• facilitator (you!)
• your team: design, UX, content, etc
• people with expert knowledge
• content owners
• people who should be collaborating, but aren’t
• people with strong opinions about the website
32. Inward paths Forward pathsCore content
Core page:
Business goals (achieve at least one) User tasks
35. Step #1
Identify your core pages
This is done by matching business goals
and user needs
36. Top task survey
«If you’re visiting The Cancer Society’s website,
which five tasks are the most important to you?»
37. Treatment of cancer
Symptoms of cancer
Preventing cancer
Cancer types
Latest research
Choosing a hospital
Patient rights
Next of kin advice
Waiting times
Dietary prevention
0 % 1 % 2 % 3 % 4 % 5 % 6 %
Top 25%
6 out of
79 tasks got
25% of the
votes
38. Inward paths Forward pathsCore content
Core page:
Business goals (achieve at least one) User tasks
39. Inward paths Forward pathsCore content
Core page:
Business goals (achieve at least one) User tasks
41. Inward paths Forward pathsCore content
Core page:
Business goals (achieve at least one) User tasks
How will the
user find their
way to this core
page?
42. Inward paths Forward pathsCore content
Core page:
Business goals (achieve at least one) User tasks
How will the
user find their
way to this core
page?
43. Inward paths Forward pathsCore content
Core page:
Business goals (achieve at least one) User tasks
How will the
user find their
way to this core
page?
44. Step #3
Core content
What content elements do we need to
make sure the user solves their task
(while respecting our objectives)
45. Inward paths Forward pathsCore content
Core page:
Business goals (achieve at least one) User tasks
What’s the
optimal
solution, for the
user and for
us?
46. Inward paths Forward pathsCore content
Core page:
Business goals (achieve at least one) User tasks
What’s the
optimal
solution, for the
user and for
us?
47. Inward paths Forward pathsCore content
Core page:
Business goals (achieve at least one) User tasks
49. Inward paths Forward pathsCore content
Core page:
Business goals (achieve at least one) User tasks
Where should we
send the user, after
they’ve solved their
primary task?
50. Inward paths Forward pathsCore content
Core page:
Business goals (achieve at least one) User tasks
Where should we
send the user, after
they’ve solved their
primary task?
51. Inward paths Forward pathsCore content
Core page:
Business goals (achieve at least one) User tasks
Where should we
send the user, after
they’ve solved their
primary task?
52. Inward paths Forward pathsCore content
Core page:
Business goals (achieve at least one) User tasks
53.
54. Step #5
Prioritizing core elements
How would you place these elements if
you only had a mobile screen
available?
55. Inward paths Core contents & forward paths
Core page:
Business goals (achieve at least one) User tasks
63. Rainforest Foundation
Norway supports
indigenous people and
traditional populations of
the world's rainforests in
their efforts to protect their
environment and secure
their customary land rights.
64. With our goal of preserving
the rainforest, we
advocate for the rights of
its indigenous inhabitants.
65. Our operations are funded
by public authorities, as
well as private donors and
sponsors.
66. Step #1
Identify your core pages
This is done by matching business goals
and user needs
67. Business goals (prioritized)
1. Increase financial support
2. Engage more people in the work to protect the rainforest
3. Increase the knowledge about the rainforest and about
our work
68. 12 top user tasks(random order)
• Find out how I as a consumer can
reduce the pressure on the rainforest
• Learn more about the work of the
Rainforest Foundation
• Results of the work of the Rainforest
foundation
• Learn more about the rainforest
(including animals, plants, climate
and indiginous people)
• Find out if a product contains palm
oil
• Supporting the work of the Rainforest
Foundation
• See what threats the rainforest is
facing
• What is the current state of the
rainforest?
• Find out what kind of woods that are
categorized as tropical timber
• Become a sponsor
• Contacting the Rainforest Foundation
• Read the latest news/current subjects
69. Core pages
1. Support the Rainforest Foundation
2. Threats to the rainforest
3. Palm oil
4. Tropical timber
70. Inward paths Forward pathsCore content
Core page:
Business goals (achieve at least one) User tasks
Write down the
goals and user
tasks for your core
page
Don’t fill out the rest
of the sheet
Work on
this for 15
minutes
73. Inward paths Forward pathsCore content
Core page:
Business goals (achieve at least one) User tasks
How will the user
find their way to this
core page?
Keep the user tasks
in mind
What do users
search for on
Google?
Other pages
that link to this
one
Offline sources
of traffic
How can social
media drive
traffic to this
page?
Work on
this for 10
minutes
74. Step #3
Core content
What content elements do we need to
make sure the user solves their task
(while respecting our objectives)
75. Inward paths Forward pathsCore content
Core page:
Business goals (achieve at least one) User tasks
What’s the
optimal solution,
for the user and for
us?
Keep in mind your
goals and the user
tasks
Work on
this for 15
minutes
89. Inward paths Forward pathsCore content
Core page:
Business goals (achieve at least one) User tasks
Where should we
send the user, after
they’ve solved their
primary task?
Keep your goals in
mind
Work on
this for 10
minutes
91. Treatment of cancer
Symptoms of cancer
Preventing cancer
Cancer types
Latest research
Choosing a hospital
Patient rights
Next of kin advice
Waiting times
Dietary prevention
0% 1% 2% 3% 4% 5% 6%
Top 25%
6 out of
79 tasks got
25% of the
votes
92. Treatment of cancer
Symptoms of cancer
Preventing cancer
Cancer types
Latest research
Choosing a hospital
Donate
Volunteer
Memory gift
Legacy gift
0% 1% 2% 3% 4% 5% 6%
Top 25%
Fundraising
-tasks were on
the bottom of
the list!
6 out of
79 tasks got
25% of the
votes
99. Treatment of cancer
Symptoms of cancer
Preventing cancer
Cancer types
Latest research
Choosing a hospital
Donate
Volunteer
Memory gift
Legacy gift
0% 1% 2% 3% 4% 5% 6%
Top 25%
But some
people are
actually
coming to
donate
117. The Core Model
You can use the model to:
• Get people thinking about the web
the way the web really works
• Let people with different
backgrounds communicate
• Prioritise and start working on
the most important pages first
122. – I like the focus on the core /
task rather than the format or
other high level elements. I
think it gets to the essence of
things from the customers
perspective. It’s about focus.
Gerry McGovern
123. Takeaways
• Objectives and user tasks first
• Start with the core
• Get rid of dead ends
• Be creative about your forward
paths
• Home page last, not first
Slides and resources:
bit.ly/ias15-core