Project Goal:

Support user assistance while on eBay.com. The scope of the project included all content currently on the eBay site, excluding imbedded content (in pop-ups within user experience flows). This includes "help' related content as well as other content which currently lives outside the "help" section on eBay.

Problem:

The current culture in eBay supports different departments and groups to generate content to support their own projects and initiatives. This content is posted within the eBay domain within the "Help" section of the site as well as within different topic-related content "islands", referred to as "hubs". There were over 17 different hubs when the project started, with no central framework, repository or digital location for all content. The resulting user experience was a maze of content when viewed as a whole, disorganized, heterogeneous, not supporting the eBay brand and not support users in providing assistance. Data showed that page usage was extremely low.

Solution:

Lead a comprehensive research project to construct a mental model of typical eBay users and how they use content to help them navigate the eBay.com buying and selling experience. Articulated a clear information architecture to include all content within a single framework. Mapped current content onto the existing framework. Also developed page level architecture which supports users in easily finding the nugget of content they need quickly and easily. Present information in an easily digestible format that can be scanned and browsed, then read in-depth to answer specific questions. The overall architecture and design was sucessfully rolled out across eBay in a number of global markets.