{
    "version" : "https://jsonfeed.org/version/1",
    "content" : "news",
    "type" : "single",
    "title" : "Digging Deep Using the Core Model |Digital.gov",
    "description": "Digging Deep Using the Core Model",
    "home_page_url" : "/preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/cm-topics-button-component/","feed_url" : "/preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/cm-topics-button-component/2016/11/18/digging-deep-using-the-core-model/index.json","item" : [
    {"title" :"Digging Deep Using the Core Model","summary" : "The core model is a thinking tool that can be used to get team members from different perspectives (stakeholders, developers, editors, etc.) to start thinking collaboratively. The end goal is that the group will have a common understanding of user needs, business goals, and how different pages should be connected.","date" : "2016-11-18T10:00:34-04:00","date_modified" : "2024-04-02T09:45:13-04:00","authors" : {"christen-geiler" : "Christen Geiler"},"topics" : {
        
            "analytics" : "Analytics",
            "content-strategy" : "Content Strategy",
            "product-and-project-management" : "Product and project management"
            },"branch" : "cm-topics-button-component",
      "filename" :"2016-11-18-digging-deep-using-the-core-model.md",
      
      "filepath" :"news/2016/11/2016-11-18-digging-deep-using-the-core-model.md",
      "filepathURL" :"https://github.com/GSA/digitalgov.gov/blob/cm-topics-button-component/content/news/2016/11/2016-11-18-digging-deep-using-the-core-model.md",
      "editpathURL" :"https://github.com/GSA/digitalgov.gov/edit/cm-topics-button-component/content/news/2016/11/2016-11-18-digging-deep-using-the-core-model.md","slug" : "digging-deep-using-the-core-model","url" : "/preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/cm-topics-button-component/2016/11/18/digging-deep-using-the-core-model/","content" :"\u003cp\u003eRecently, \u003ca href=\"/preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/cm-topics-button-component/2016/10/25/expert-insight-on-content-strategy-and-structure-for-future-ready-content/\"\u003ewe interviewed Sara Wachter-Boettcher\u003c/a\u003e, author of \u003cem\u003eContent Everywhere: Strategy and Structure for Future-Ready Content\u003c/em\u003e. She discussed the concept of using the Core Model to design and structure web content and applications. The Core Model allows an organization to design from the inside out, with the primary focus on the on the core tasks its users need to accomplish.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"core-model-basics\"\u003eCore Model Basics\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe \u003ca href=\"http://www.slideshare.net/aregh/core-model-workshop\"\u003eCore Model\u003c/a\u003e was created by information architect, Are Halland in 2007. The core model is a thinking tool that can be used to get all different disciplines (stakeholders, developers, editors, etc.) to start thinking collaboratively. The end goal is that the group will have a common understanding of user needs, business goals, and how different pages should be connected.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"getting-started\"\u003eGetting Started\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo use the core model, you need:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBusiness objectives\u003c/strong\u003e: Prioritized, measurable objectives and sub-objectives can answer what the organization wants to achieve\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUser tasks\u003c/strong\u003e: Actual, researched, prioritized user tasks. What is it that people want to get done?\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eConduct Top Task Surveys\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eConduct a good web site house cleaning\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"workshop\"\u003eWorkshop\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe core model workshop outlined here is the first stage of \u003ca href=\"http://alistapart.com/article/the-core-model-designing-inside-out-for-better-results\"\u003ea bigger design process\u003c/a\u003e, but it an essential first step:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHandouts summarizing researched user tasks and identified business objectives\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://iallenkelhet.no/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2014/05/Ida-Aalen-Core-page-handouts.pdf\"\u003eHandouts\u003c/a\u003e (PDF, 506 KB, 2 pages) with the core model (to fill out)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMarkers and Post-Its\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRoom with a projector\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e3-4 hours per workshop\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e1-3 participants from your team (e.g., designers, UX, content, developers, and so forth)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e6-14 stakeholders from relevant fields or departments in the organization\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"image\"\u003e\n  \u003cimg\n    src=\"https://s3.amazonaws.com/digitalgov/_legacy-img/2016/11/600-x-425-Core-Model-workshop-sheet.jpg\"\n    alt=\"Screen capture of the Core Model Workshop sheet.\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\n\u003ch2 id=\"the-process\"\u003eThe Process\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"1-identify-cores\"\u003e1) Identify Cores\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is done by evaluating the business objectives and user tasks.  Participants should have reviewed and identified these prior to the workshop.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"image\"\u003e\n  \u003cimg\n    src=\"https://s3.amazonaws.com/digitalgov/_legacy-img/2016/11/600-x-400-geiler_Core-Model_user-tasks-venn-diagram.jpg\"\n    alt=\"A Venn diagram indicates that by evaluating the business goals and user tasks, you can identify the core pages.\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\n\u003ch3 id=\"2-determine-inward-paths\"\u003e2) Determine Inward Paths\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHow are people getting to your site? Use data to support assumptions. This \u003ca href=\"/preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/cm-topics-button-component/topics/analytics/\"\u003emetrics\u003c/a\u003e data should be pulled and evaluated prior to the workshop.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"3-determine-core-content\"\u003e3) Determine Core Content\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhat content do we need on this page for it to achieve the goals of both the organization and the users? For this item, the participants are using all the information they have on their worksheets: the user tasks, the business objectives, and the inward paths.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"4-set-forward-paths\"\u003e4) Set Forward Paths\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThink about business goals in a general sense. Where do we want to send the user next?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"5-think-mobile-to-prioritize\"\u003e5) Think Mobile to Prioritize\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGive the participants a new sheet and ask them: if you had just a small screen available, in which order would you place the elements you’ve identified throughout the workshop? They’ll also need to place those forward paths they’ve written down in the context of the main content.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAssessing your content and data is never easy, but the \u003ca href=\"http://alistapart.com/article/the-core-model-designing-inside-out-for-better-results\"\u003eCore Model\u003c/a\u003e is a simple assessment tool that will help you better define your web content and web products.\u003c/p\u003e\n"}
  ]
}