This is a BUS 2504 Winter 2024 project that will be used as a live case-study in class, in collaboration with CDS Press.

About CDS Press

CDS Press is an open-access publisher of books and the three journals: Interdisciplinary Journal of Student Success, Journal of Concurrent Disorders, and Journal of Gambling Issues.

It’s a free and open platform to academics and students, and is completely based on volunteer work. CDS Press has access to the web developer for future maintenance and updates of the website.

Facts about the website

• Target audience: academic users interested in publishing
• The website was designed in 2016 based on the initial content available as an information website (and it will continue to be an information website)
• Content continues to be added to the website in the form of PDF files: approximately 9 PDF documents are added annually (3 issues per journal once a year)
• The website also includes Events and a call to Volunteer / Collaborate

Problem

• The feedback CDS Press gets from users is that it’s hard to easily find what they’re looking for
• Continuously adding new content to the originally designed information architecture makes the initial navigation structure harder to navigate for new users (have you tried using the elevator in the B building? have you been to an old large hospital that has new “wings”?)

Our Task

• Analyze the current information architecture of the website, and make recommendations to revamp the navigation structure
• This will be completed through a variety of small in-class activities, carried out in class, over the semester, leading to the final deliverable specified below

Deliverables

• Findings & recommendations (PDF)
• Website prototype with your proposed navigation structure / information architecture to ensure easy navigation (Canva link)

Project Progress

• Week 3: We reviewed the case in class and developed a set of initial questions for our Discovery Call with the client
• Week 4: The Discovery Call meeting was conducted by two web development students, Kashish Shah & Jensi Patel, on behalf of the class. Watch the interview recording with CDS Press
• Week 5: We watched the recording in class, critiqued our initial set of questions (relevant, not relevant), and developed a new list of detailed follow-up questions to be shared with our client
• Week 6: Client provides answers to our questions, and includes comments (highlighted yellow) that need to be clarified by the web developers. Hanadi will meet with Masood to discuss and finalize this document on behalf of the class
• Week 7: final document ready for the class to be used as we work on a Card Sorting exercise to develop the new recommended navigation structure accordingly
• Week 9: Created the following navigation prototype in class based on our discussions with our client