Go to page: 1 2   Printer Friendly Version

Cox Enterprises' corporate headquarters needed to find a way to communicate with its diverse employee base and instill a sense of community throughout its broad range of subsidiaries. Usography's user-research approach enabled Cox to gain a clear understanding of the different user types who would be accessing the Enterprise Channel, and to create a design strategy that would accommodate the highest priority user segments. Usography is an Intranet design strategy firm based near Atlanta.

The approach involved extensive collaboration between Cox staff members and Usography consultants. As a result of the research, Cox has established a user interface design direction for a new web-based communication channel that specifically addresses the information needs of its employees in its disparate locations, within the Cox Enterprises' family of companies.

Upon entering the Cox Headquarters in Atlanta, one of the first things that a visitor notices is the Cox Heritage Center. Using state-of-the-art media and technology, this exhibition portrays the story of how Cox Enterprises evolved from the vision of one man into a vibrant, flourishing family of businesses. The values of community, diversity, compassion, opportunity, and cutting-edge technology reflected in the Heritage Center are the themes that define Cox Enterprises.

Today, Cox Enterprises encompasses six related but independent subsidiaries: Cox Newspapers, Cox Communications, Cox Radio, Cox Television, Manheim Auto Auctions, and AutoTrader.com. These companies employ approximately 75,000 nationwide. Cox's broad range of businesses and diverse group of employees demonstrate its embrace of diversity, but also present its greatest challenge: effective communications that are relevant to people working in a variety of work environments and businesses.

While developing a web communications strategy for Cox's Human Resources Communications department, Usography realized that Cox lacked a single online communication channel that represented a single source of information for all of its employees. There were many sources of vital internal information, each with their own look and feel and content rules. In some cases, information from different sources was redundant but varied in key aspects. Governance was not feasible, because of the lack of a single communications channel. Two excellent physical publications were available that covered enterprise-wide topics, but universal distribution wasn't possible, so some employees had access to the information they provided, but many didn't.

The enterprise portal was a first attempt to provide universal distribution of information to all employees, but when asked about it, many employees said they thought that it was relevant to corporate headquarters and executives, but not to employees' needs and interests who worked for subsidiary companies. Many also said they found the many links and topics confusing, to the point that they wouldn't use it.

Usography's unique methodology offered the solution. With experience in portal design strategy for companies like Home Depot, Mirant, and Philips, and its focus on user research and user-guided design, Usography was the perfect partner to help create the blueprint for the Enterprise Channel, a name coined by Usography in its earlier strategy recommendations.

The first step was to bring together a cross-functional team that represented corporate communications, human resources communications, and IT. This cross-functional team was very involved with the project, from hands-on field research to draft wireframe designs -- giving them an opportunity to learn user research best practices. Usography's staff augmentation approach not only helped Cox Enterprises staff gain new skills, it also meant a significantly reduced overall price tag in comparison with a typical outsourced project of similar scope.

The process began with a team workshop, during which the Usography user research and design methodology was explained, and project objectives were defined. The kickoff workshop was followed by individual interviews with Enterprise Channel stakeholders and department leads, giving them a chance to express their business needs and preferences. The interview participants provided their thoughts about designing an Enterprise Channel that is inviting and easy to use, bringing relevant information to the surface, empowering employees to realize their potential, and instilling a sense of community among employees throughout the Cox family of businesses.

Go to page: 1 2   Printer Friendly Version