User requirements research for the national vocational education and training portal
Client: Australian National Training Authority
Subject: Vocational education and training
Major achievement: Research based on an information needs life stages model into what users require of a national vocational education and training portal, leading to the specification of business requirements for the portal.
The project: In partnership with KPMG Consulting Australia, we developed a 'life stages' model of business information needs, progressing from 'no knowledge / motivation', through 'benefits' to 'action' and 'behaviour maintenance'.
We then hypothesised key information needs at each stage of the cycle, and refined the hypotheses through focus group testing and key informant interviews with small, medium and large business owners, managers and representatives in various locations across Australia. The emphasis was on putting users' information requirements first, respecting the users' choice of medium for information and working in close cooperation with business organisation representatives.
The user requirements research was then used to develop an information architecture and business requirements for the portal.
Services provided