[Sigia-l] Eliciting input on content chunks

[Jan Knight]

Hi:

I've been asked to facilitate a session in the early development of a web site in order to "elicit input" on the content of a web site.  It's a web site that will be providing various resources to the campus community but encompasses both products, services, labs etc.

A role I'm comfortable with is to organize the content, but in this case  I'm going to be holding a session with the key providers of the services, products etc. to determine what the content actually should be.  We need to determine what they each provide, to whom and what needs to be known by those audiences etc. 

What I'm looking for is help in creating a process that might fit into an hour or 90 minutes.

My first thoughts are to have the individuals (most of whom are responsible for or work in different areas) write on one side of an index card the "chunk/s" of information they know needs to be included from their perspective. One per card. e.g. Information on student computer labs.  Then on the back write "what" exactly needs to be included in that chunk. e.g in this case it might be Lab hours, contact information, computers available etc.

Then maybe hold discussion to see where there are overlaps and redundancies.  Then I would go away and either do a draft of the organization OR if more input is needed, have a few people perform a card sort.

p.s. I'm familiar with usability studies of web sites and do perform those and my main goal here is to get people to spend time on the content and its organization and not keep worrying about the "design" until later.  I will, however, still be asking for input on the "branding" and feel of the site etc. but I'm comfortable with that.

Ideas would be appreciated.
Thanks so much.
Jan
********************************
Jan Knight, MA
Senior Research Specialist
Learning Technologies Center
Computer Center (CCIT) Rm 337
1077 N. Highland Avenue
University of Arizona
Tucson, AZ 85721

Ph: 520-626-7761
Fax: 520-626-8220
mailto: jknight at u.arizona.edu
http://www.ltc.arizona.edu