We typically use mental models when we’re starting to brainstorm a design, but why stop there? We can also use them to inform story mapping, content planning, and long-term governance of digital systems over time. This talk presents an alternative (or extension) to the traditional mental model by focusing on different aspects of the digital experience.

1. DANIEL EIZANS MENTAL MODELLING
CONFAB LONDON | 25.3.2013 FOR CONTENT WORK
@danieleizans | #ConfabUK
Monday, March 25, 2013

2. Let’s talk about patterns
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ryanprince1974/7417131586/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ryanprince1974/7417131586/ @danieleizans | #ConfabUK
Monday, March 25, 2013

3. Let’s talk about patterns
http://www.flickr.com/photos/taylar/3629890327/ @danieleizans | #ConfabUK
Monday, March 25, 2013

4. For people, it gets tricky
@danieleizans | #ConfabUK
Monday, March 25, 2013

5. Fragmentation and distraction are
the new reality
@danieleizans | #ConfabUK
Monday, March 25, 2013

6. Foundational workflows and
patterns are failing us
@danieleizans | #ConfabUK
Monday, March 25, 2013

7. @danieleizans | #ConfabUK
Monday, March 25, 2013

8. These are problems we
can solve
@danieleizans | #ConfabUK
Monday, March 25, 2013

9. http://www.rexfeatures.com/search/?kw=lego+italy&iso=GBR&lkw=lego&viah=Y&stk=N&sft=&search_action=# @danieleizans | #ConfabUK
Monday, March 25, 2013

10. We can find clarity in patterns
=
@danieleizans | #ConfabUK
Monday, March 25, 2013

11. We can model mental processes
can I apply for how often do I
how do I apply? admittance have to apply for who has to pay if I
without aid? aid? die?
are there different how does private what is a what happens what happens if i
kinds of federal aid differ from will I still be able to who has to pay if I
scholarship? after I apply? miss a payment?
aid? federal aid? work? die?
what education do can i postpone can you go back to what are my
am I eligible? am I eligible? what is a loan? what colleges how long will it
I need to apply? repayment? school and still be application
should I apply to? take?
a good parent? options?
what are the aren't most
what are my what are my what forms do I what tests do I when do I start how soon do I
what is a grant? payment students in their
financial impacts? financial impacts? need? need to take? repaying? need to apply?
schedules? 20s?
understand federal understand private understand understand apply for financial
apply for aid self assesment identify with others get answers
aid aid student aid repayment aid/pin
EXPLORE OPTIONS PLAN & IMMERSE OVERCOME FEAR TAKE ACTION
chat with a repayment checklists and adult student
overview content overview content online application outreach services contact forms create account
counsellor calculators overview testimonials
decision tree new student chat with a read/create forum testimonials and
plan examples online application
process checklists counsellor topics timelines
'getting started' account adult student connect to
overview content
materials management testimonials
@danieleizans | #ConfabUK
representative
Monday, March 25, 2013

12. The model vs. the map
Diagrams: Copyright Rosenfeld Media (CC BY-SA 2.0) @danieleizans | #ConfabUK
Monday, March 25, 2013

13. These are bad
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Spiral_aloe.jpg @danieleizans | #ConfabUK
Monday, March 25, 2013

14. These are bad
Information Architect
(mental modelling)
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Spiral_aloe.jpg @danieleizans | #ConfabUK
Monday, March 25, 2013

15. These are bad
Content Mapping
Information Architect
(mental modelling)
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Spiral_aloe.jpg @danieleizans | #ConfabUK
Monday, March 25, 2013

16. Start with contextual inquiry
Interview Contextual Inquiry Observation
(Influenced by Designer/ (Influenced by designer, (Influenced by end user)
Strategist) user and strategist)
@danieleizans | #ConfabUK
Monday, March 25, 2013

17. Elements of context
@danieleizans | #ConfabUK
Monday, March 25, 2013

18. Elements of context
BEHAVIOR
@danieleizans | #ConfabUK
Monday, March 25, 2013

19. Elements of context
BEHAVIOR SITUATION
@danieleizans | #ConfabUK
Monday, March 25, 2013

20. Elements of context
BEHAVIOR SITUATION
ENVIRONMENT
@danieleizans | #ConfabUK
Monday, March 25, 2013

21. Personal-Behavioral context
DOING
environmental factors,
Physical Emotional FEELING
physical activity, psychological state, stress
habits, disabilities, level, desires, wants, needs
preferences, sensory stimuli
Cognitive
LEARNING
cognitive assumptions,
learning ability, education
}
CONTEXT DRIVEN PERSONAS @danieleizans | #ConfabUK
Monday, March 25, 2013

22. Personal-Situational context
Task Need Task
Task Situation Task
Need
Need Task
Task Task
Task
@danieleizans | #ConfabUK
Monday, March 25, 2013

23. Situational-Behavioral context
Task Need Task
Physical Emotional
Task Situation Task
Need
Need Cognitive Task
Task Task
Task
CONTEXTUAL CONTENT STRATEGY
@danieleizans | #ConfabUK
Monday, March 25, 2013

24. Start with a hypothesis
EXPLORE OPTIONS
(Browse options and understand
qualifications
OVERCOME FEAR
PLAN AND IMMERSE
(Via testimonial, Use Cases, Financial
(Browse an expert, Understand Tools)
Examples)
TAKE ACTION
(Apply for pin, Download Forms,
Contact Advisor)
@danieleizans | #ConfabUK
Monday, March 25, 2013

25. Interview, inquire and understand
@danieleizans | #ConfabUK
Monday, March 25, 2013

26. Create hierarchy. Create systems.
can I apply for how often do I
how do I apply? admittance have to apply for who has to pay if I
without aid? aid? die?
are there different how does private what is a what happens what happens if i
kinds of federal aid differ from will I still be able to who has to pay if I
scholarship? after I apply? miss a payment?
aid? federal aid? work? die?
what education do can i postpone can you go back to what are my
am I eligible? am I eligible? what is a loan? what colleges how long will it
I need to apply? repayment? school and still be application
should I apply to? take?
a good parent? options?
what are the aren't most
what are my what are my what forms do I what tests do I when do I start how soon do I
what is a grant? payment students in their
financial impacts? financial impacts? need? need to take? repaying? need to apply?
schedules? 20s?
understand federal understand private understand understand apply for financial
apply for aid self assesment identify with others get answers
aid aid student aid repayment aid/pin
EXPLORE OPTIONS PLAN & IMMERSE OVERCOME FEAR TAKE ACTION
chat with a repayment checklists and adult student
overview content overview content online application outreach services contact forms create account
counsellor calculators overview testimonials
decision tree new student chat with a read/create forum testimonials and
plan examples online application
process checklists counsellor topics timelines
'getting started' account adult student connect to
overview content
materials management testimonials
@danieleizans | #ConfabUK
representative
Monday, March 25, 2013

27. Focus on parts.
@danieleizans | #ConfabUK
Monday, March 25, 2013

28. Focus on parts.
Content Need
@danieleizans | #ConfabUK
Monday, March 25, 2013

29. Focus on parts.
Content Need
Existing Content
@danieleizans | #ConfabUK
Monday, March 25, 2013

30. We must look beyond the page.
@danieleizans | #ConfabUK
Monday, March 25, 2013

31. We must look beyond technology.
@danieleizans | #ConfabUK
Monday, March 25, 2013

32. We must look beyond the device.
@danieleizans | #ConfabUK
Monday, March 25, 2013

33. We must look beyond marketing.
@danieleizans | #ConfabUK
Monday, March 25, 2013

34. Prepare for new devices and contexts.
@danieleizans | #ConfabUK
Monday, March 25, 2013

35. Design from the content out!
A Call To Arms
@danieleizans | #ConfabUK
Monday, March 25, 2013

36. Design for Portability
@danieleizans | #ConfabUK
Monday, March 25, 2013

37. Content is messy.
• PURPOSE
What’s the content supposed to accomplish?
• MESSAGE
What’s it saying? How is it saying it?
• RELATIONSHIPS & STRUCTURE
What other content is conceptually
connected?
• PRIORITIES
How important is it for the business? The
user?
@danieleizans | #ConfabUK
Monday, March 25, 2013

38. Making sense of the mess
1. Content types (inventory)
2. Content wireframes
3. Content structure (data model)
4. CMS Plan
5. UX/Design
6. Prototype
@danieleizans | #ConfabUK
Monday, March 25, 2013

39. Content Inventory
1. Content Type / Persona
2. Production Source / Author / Owner
3. Original Intent (aka why was it made)
4. Content Quality / Score
5. Length / Word Count / Size
6. Rights
@danieleizans | #ConfabUK
Monday, March 25, 2013

40. Goal: Understand the whys
Content purpose
Content quality
Content reach
@danieleizans | #ConfabUK
Monday, March 25, 2013

41. Content Wireframe
1. Logo
2. Navigation
3. Headline
4. Author
5. Date
6. Related Assets
7. Related Badge
8. Comments
9. Related Articles
10. Social Links
@danieleizans | #ConfabUK
Monday, March 25, 2013

42. Content Wireframe
1
1. Logo
2
2. Navigation
4 3
3. Headline
4. Author 5 6 7
5. Date
6. Related Assets
7. Related Badge 10 8
8. Comments 9
9. Related Articles
10. Social Links
@danieleizans | #ConfabUK
Monday, March 25, 2013

43. Goal: Understand Hierarchy and
Relationships Links to
Related
Links to Feature Links to
Business Author Bio
Related Article Related
Tagged
by
Tagged
by
Landmark Tagged
by
City Links to
Related
Tagged Tagged Blog Post
by by
Links to
Related
Related
to
Deal Event
From Sara Wachter-Boettcher
“Building Bendable Content” @danieleizans | #ConfabUK
Monday, March 25, 2013

44. Focus on Structure
By focusing on parts instead of
pages, data is portable and able
to shift when needed or seen as
a competitive advantage.
@danieleizans | #ConfabUK
Monday, March 25, 2013

45. Goal: Create relationships in data
Chunking data appropriately
allows it to be nimble and
purposed quickly.
@danieleizans | #ConfabUK
Monday, March 25, 2013

46. CMS and Data Modeling
What you see may be
what you get, but what
you get isnʼt good for
content portability.
@danieleizans | #ConfabUK
Monday, March 25, 2013

47. CMS and Data Modeling
Fields are your friends.
They create relationships
in the data and allow for
scalability and meaning.
@danieleizans | #ConfabUK
Monday, March 25, 2013

48. So this will be
like wearing
handcuffs right?
@danieleizans | #ConfabUK
Monday, March 25, 2013

49. Models are like
rails for each
new experience
@danieleizans | #ConfabUK
Monday, March 25, 2013

50. Hug it out. Get to work.
@danieleizans | #ConfabUK
Monday, March 25, 2013

51. Thanks.
> Me (danieleizans.com)
> Work (Team Detroit)
> Passion (Contents Magazine)
> Microthoughts (@danieleizans)
@danieleizans | #ConfabUK
Monday, March 25, 2013