Mapping and the Real Problems with Information
Problems with information mean problems with operations, with compliance, with customer service, and with just about every other area within any organization. These problems and how Information Mapping can resolve them are examined below:
- Looking at the problems
- Looking at the causes
- Analyzing information needs
- Organizing the content
- Presenting the content
- How we can help you
Looking at the problems
'Information overload' sounds so last century. But it's still with us:
- Most content is unstructured and difficult to use.
- Too often, it's hard to understand why we should even read most information.
- Most writers just don't have the time to write something in a form their readers can use.
Looking at the causes
That information is a problem because it's unstructured and difficult to use merely confirms the symptoms. We need to address the underlying causes and that brings us back to the three basic areas of information usability:
- analyzing information needs
- organizing the content for the task, and
- presenting the content for ease of use.
Analyzing information needs
This table suggests
- some of the symptoms, causes, and impacts that arise when information is not properly analyzed to meet user needs, and
- some solutions on how to analyze readers' information needs so you are sure that the content you write is relevant.
| Symptom | Cause | Impacts | Solution |
|---|---|---|---|
| "We are too slow in responding to our customers' enquiries or complaints." | The information is badly organized so that even when your processes are defined they are not clear to users. |
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| "The same complaints and issues come up again and again."
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Your documentation is repetitive or inconsistent and contains information that is irrelevant or inadequate. |
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Organizing the content
This table suggests
- some of the symptoms, causes, and impacts that arise when information is not properly organized to meet user needs, and
- some solutions
for organizing content into structures that help users easily
- find the information they need now, and
- skip over information that may not need until later.
| Symptom | Cause | Impacts | Solution |
|---|---|---|---|
| "It can take such a long time to get a new product to market." | Your instructions and task descriptions are unclear and confusing. | Errors occur between the Definition of Requirements and Product Validation. |
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| "Staff spend so much time looking for information they have no time left to do their jobs." | Key messages are lost in paragraphs full of non-critical information. | Readers waste time reading everything, searching for the important details. |
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| "We make so many mistakes in production or service delivery that we always have to scrap products and redo work." |
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Your people
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Presenting the content
This table suggests
- some of the symptoms, causes, and impacts that arise when information is not properly presented to meet user needs, and
- some solutions for presenting content that is clear, consistent, and at the appropriate level of detail.
| Symptom | Cause | Impacts | Solution |
|---|---|---|---|
| “We have the busiest help desk. Our customers sit in phone queues for ages.� | Your instructions and task descriptions are unclear and confusing. |
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| Content is flat with paragraphs that roll on and on. | Readers question whether the content applies to them or whether it's important. |
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| "No one ever replies to my e-mails the way I expect them to.� | Your e-mails are vague with actions that aren't clear. | Readers aren't sure what you want them to do. | Present information using a set of guidelines designed to clarify the purpose and meaning for the user. |
How we can help you
Information Mapping Canada can help you Information Map your typical business communications, by either
- training you in the method, or
- providing expert Mapping services.
