> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.dovetail.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Taxonomy Workshop Guide 

## Overview

This resource is for teams working on building out their new workspace from the ground-up and aiding them in the creation of their global taxonomy (aka data classification).

***

## Pre-Workshop Preparation

### Send out a pre-workshop survey

This helps participants get their minds in the right place + gives you some additional details ahead of time.

### **Survey Questions:**

* *What types of research will you upload to Dovetail? (interviews, surveys, support tickets, etc.)*
* *How do you plan to use Dovetail's features? (real-time note-taking, bulk uploads, video analysis, repository of past research)*
* *What insights do you need to surface regularly?*
* *Who will consume your Dovetail insights?*
* *What tools do they currently use?*
* *How do you and your team currently organize your data and work?*

***

## **Sample Workshop Structure**

You can amend the below based on your team's individual needs, but these are components we have seen utilized in the past by our customers.

### Opening

* Review Dovetail structure/set-up (recommend a quick demo here)
* Define relationships between data, fields, tags, highlights, insights, folders (recommend an emphasis on fields vs tags)

### Research Workflow Analysis

<Columns cols={2}>
  <Card title="Individual Work">
    *Map current research workflow*

    * What data do you need to import? Where is it from?
    * What system of tagging/organization/synthesis do you use today?
    * What tags do you use on a regular basis?
    * How do you share your findings?
  </Card>

  <Card title="Group Share">
    *Each person shares their workflow*

    * Identify common tagging needs
    * Discuss project structure requirements (and access)
    * Determine how reports will be stored/shared in Dovetail
  </Card>
</Columns>

### Building the Global Taxonomy

**Individual Brainstorm**: Have participants think about what information/tags they would need/want to accomplish their work. Here are some category groups to get you started:

<Columns cols={2}>
  <Card title="Metadata Categories (aka Fields)">
    * Data type (interview, survey, etc.)
    * Date/timeframe
    * User segments/ personas
    * Demographics
    * Product
  </Card>

  <Card title="Content Analysis Categories (aka Tags)">
    * Features
    * Problem spaces
    * User needs
    * Sentiment
    * Feedback Type
  </Card>
</Columns>

**Group Collaboration**

* **Step 1**: Group similar tags and define scope
  * Group similar tags together
  * Define what is needed on a global level (ie. many/most projects) vs a project level
  * Establish naming conventions
* **Step 2**: Determine workspace structure based on your organization\_
  * Use these examples to guide your decisions on single vs. multiple workspace elements

***

## Post-Workshop

Review findings from workshop and finalize game plan based on learnings

**Dovetail Setup**

* Create workspace tag board(s) based on your organization's structure and needs
* Create workspace fields
* Configure project templates w/ both to make it easy for team’s to get started on new projects
* Set user permissions (if there are team requirements to do so )

**Documentation**

* Tag definitions and usage guidelines
* Project naming conventions
* Workspace structure rationale and usage guide

***

## **Guiding Questions for Workshop Facilitation**

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="Research Input & Methods">
    1. **"What types of research do you conduct regularly?"**
       * Follow-up: "How frequently do you conduct each type?"
       * Probe for: User interviews, surveys, usability tests, support tickets, etc.
    2. **"How do you currently document your research?"**
       * Follow-up: "What information do you always need to capture?"
       * Probe for: Note-taking methods, recording preferences, data formats
    3. **"What research metadata is crucial for your work?"**
       * Follow-up: "What do you need to know about each research session?"
       * Probe for: Participant details, session context, project association
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Folder Structure">
    1. **"How is your organization currently structured, and how do teams naturally collaborate?"**
       * Follow-up: "Do people primarily work within their functional teams or across product lines?"
       * Probe for: Team boundaries, cross-functional collaboration patterns
    2. **"What's the primary way stakeholders think about and request research insights?"**
       * Follow-up: "Do they ask by team, by product, by customer segment, or by geography?"
       * Probe for: Executive reporting needs, common filter requests
    3. **"How do you currently control access to sensitive research or data?"**
       * Follow-up: "Are there natural boundaries where certain teams shouldn't see certain research?"
       * Probe for: Geographic restrictions, competitive intel, customer confidentiality
    4. **"What's your primary unit of analysis - do you mostly analyze within teams, across product lines, or by customer segments?"**
       * Follow-up: "When you're looking for patterns, what groupings make the most sense?"
       * Probe for: Cross-team insights, product comparisons, regional differences
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="User Segmentation & Personas">
    1. **"How do you currently segment your users?"**
       * Follow-up: "What characteristics define each segment?"
       * Probe for: Role-based, behavior-based, or demographic segments
    2. **"What user attributes are most important to track?"**
       * Follow-up: "Which attributes do you filter by most often?"
       * Probe for: Experience level, use case, industry, company size
    3. **"How do different teams refer to user segments?"**
       * Follow-up: "Are there any conflicts in how teams classify users?"
       * Probe for: Terminology differences, classification conflicts
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Feedback Classification">
    1. **"What patterns do you look for in user feedback?"**
       * Follow-up: "How do you group similar feedback?"
       * Probe for: Feature requests, pain points, use cases
    2. **"How do you prioritize different types of feedback?"**
       * Follow-up: "What makes certain feedback more actionable?"
       * Probe for: Severity levels, frequency, business impact
    3. **"What contextual information helps validate feedback?"**
       * Follow-up: "How do you verify if feedback represents a broader trend?"
       * Probe for: Usage data, customer characteristics, frequency
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Finding Consumption & Reporting">
    1. **"Who are the primary consumers of your research insights?"**
       * Follow-up: "What decisions do they make with this information?"
       * Probe for: Product teams, designers, executives, marketing
    2. **"What questions do stakeholders ask most often?"**
       * Follow-up: "How quickly can you answer these questions today?"
       * Probe for: Common queries, recurring requests, data needs
    3. **"What format do different teams prefer for consuming insights?"**
       * Follow-up: "How do they use these insights in their work?"
       * Probe for: Report preferences, data visualization needs
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Cross-team Collaboration">
    1. **"How do different teams contribute to research?"**
       * Follow-up: "What's their role in the research process?"
       * Probe for: Note-taking, analysis, reporting responsibilities
    2. **"What research information needs to be shared across teams?"**
       * Follow-up: "How do teams currently share research findings?"
       * Probe for: Collaboration points, handoff processes
    3. **"What consistency challenges do you face in research?"**
       * Follow-up: "How do you maintain quality across different researchers?"
       * Probe for: Documentation standards, terminology alignment
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

***

## Real-World Examples

### Tips & Tricks

**Use Shared Workspace Elements When:**

* Teams work on the same product/customers
* Cross-organizational filtering is important
* You want consistent analysis across the organization

**Use distinct workspace elements when:**

* Business lines are truly distinct in what they analyze
* Teams have minimal cross-functional analysis needs
* Tag boards would become too large and unwieldy with everything combined

**Consider Adding workspace field groups and tag boards when:**

* Teams need more granular project-level filtering
* Specific domains require specialized terminology
* Regional differences create distinct analytical needs

***

### Software Company

*Single product, distinct teams*

<Columns cols={1}>
  <Card title="Top Level Folders" icon="folder">
    * Product
    * Research
    * Design
    * Sales
    * Customer Success
    * Marketing
  </Card>

  <Card title="Shared Workspace Fields" icon="table-of-contents">
    * **Customer Segment:** Enterprise, Mid-Market, SMB
    * **User Role:** Admin, End User, Decision Maker
    * **Data Type**: Interview, Survey, Usability Test, Support Ticket
  </Card>
</Columns>

<Card title="Shared Workspace Tags" icon="tags">
  * **Feedback Type:** Feature Request, Bug Report, Usability Issue, Performance, Recommendations, Best Practice
  * **Sentiment:** Positive, Negative, Neutral
  * **Product Areas/ Feature:** Navigation, Dashboard, Reporting, User Management
  * **User Journey:** Onboarding, Daily Use, Advanced Features, Integration Setup
  * **Purchasing Habits**: In-store, Online, One-Time, Returnee, Subscription
</Card>

***

### Financial Services

*Distinct business units with different customers*

<Columns cols={1}>
  <Card title="Top Level Folders" icon="folder">
    * Personal Banking
    * Commercial Banking
    * Investment Services
    * Insurance Products
  </Card>

  <Card title="Shared Workspace Fields" icon="table-of-contents">
    *Optional: Additional workspace field groups for each product line if teams need more granular filtering*

    * **Customer Type:** Individual, Small Business, Corporate, Institutional
    * **Geographic Region:** Northeast, Southeast, West, Midwest, International
    * **Data Type:** Interview, Survey, Focus Group
    * **Customer Lifecycle:** Prospect, New Customer, Existing, At-Risk, Former
    * **Compliance:** GDPR, SEC
  </Card>
</Columns>

<Card title="Unique Workspace Tags Per Business Unit" icon="tags">
  *Personal Banking Tag Board:*

  * **Account Types:** Checking, Savings, Credit Card, Mortgage, Personal Loan
  * **Life Events:** First Job, Home Purchase, Retirement Planning, Debt Management
  * **Channel Preferences:** Branch, ATM, Mobile App, Online, Phone
  * **Pain Points:** Fees, Wait Times, Digital Experience, In-Person Experience, Product Complexity, Customer Support, Security

  *Investment Services Tag Board:*

  * **Investment Types:** Stocks, Bonds, Mutual Funds, ETFs, Retirement Accounts
  * **Investor Profile:** Conservative, Moderate, Aggressive, Day Trader
  * **Research Needs:** Market Analysis, Portfolio Performance, Risk Assessment
  * **Service Channels:** Financial Advisor, Self-Service Platform, Research Tools

  *…..etc*
</Card>

***

### Automotive Company

*Different technical domains with distinct user needs*

<Columns cols={1}>
  <Card title="Top Level Folders" icon="folder">
    * Hardware Systems
    * Software Systems
  </Card>

  <Card title="Shared Workspace Fields" icon="table-of-contents">
    * **Vehicle Type:** Sedan, SUV, Truck, Electric, Hybrid
    * **User Type:** Owner, Dealer, Service Tech, Fleet Manager
    * **Research Phase:** Concept, Development, Testing, Post-Launch
    * **Geographic Market:** North America, Europe, Asia, Global
    * **Data Source:** Interview, Survey, Telemetry, Service Records
    * **Feature Release**: Launch Q1 2026, Next Gen Model, Software Update 3.0
  </Card>
</Columns>

<Card title="Domain Specific Workspace Tags" icon="tags">
  *Hardware Systems Tag Board:*

  * **Physical Features:** Interior Design, Exterior Styling, Storage, Comfort
  * **Performance:** Acceleration, Handling, Fuel Economy, Towing Capacity
  * **Safety:** Crash Protection, Visibility, Driver Assistance, Reliability
  * **Manufacturing:** Quality Issues, Assembly, Materials, Cost
  * **Competitor**: Ford, Toyota, Tesla, BMW

  *Software Systems Tag Board:*

  * **User Interface:** Infotainment, Navigation, Voice Commands, Mobile Integration
  * **Connectivity:** Bluetooth, WiFi, Cellular, Cloud Services
  * **Autonomous Features:** Adaptive Cruise, Lane Keeping, Parking Assist, Self-Driving
  * **Software Issues:** Bugs, Updates, Performance, Compatibility
  * **Competitor**: Ford, Toyota, Tesla, BMW
</Card>

***

### Health Services

*Multiple customer types and touch points with some shared and distinct needs*

<Columns cols={1}>
  <Card title="Top Level Folders" icon="folder">
    * Pharmacy
    * Patient Care
    * Provider Tools
    * iOS/Android Application
    * Online Services
  </Card>

  <Card title="Shared Workspace Fields" icon="table-of-contents">
    * **Customer Type**: Patient, Provider, Pharmacist, Administrator
    * **Service Line:** Pharmacy, Primary Care, Specialist, Emergency, Telehealth
    * **Research Method:** Interview, Survey, Observation, Claims Analysis
    * **Demographics:** Age Group, Insurance Type, Geographic Region
  </Card>
</Columns>

<Card title="Shared + Specialized Workspace Tag Boards " icon="tags">
  *Shared Workspace Tag Board:*

  * **Experience Quality:** Positive, Negative, Mixed, Neutral
  * **Access Issues:** Scheduling, Wait Times, Availability, Location
  * **Communication:** Clear, Confusing, Helpful, Insufficient
  * **Technology:** Easy to Use, Difficult, Helpful, Problematic

  *Pharmacy-Specific Tag Board:*

  * **Medication Topics:** Prescription Filling, Insurance Coverage, Side Effects, Adherence
  * **Service Types:** Drive-through, In-Store, Delivery, Consultation
  * **Pharmacy Operations:** Inventory, Staff Knowledge, Wait Times, Accuracy
  * **Billing:** Out of pocket, Insurance, Co-pay, Deductible

  *Patient Care Tag Board:*

  * **Care Types:** Preventive, Acute, Chronic, Emergency, Follow-up
  * **Provider Interactions:** Bedside Manner, Expertise, Availability, Coordination
  * **Patient Journey:** Scheduling, Check-In, Consultation, Treatment, Post-Care

  *Provider Tools Tag Board:*

  * **Clinical Workflows:** Documentation, Order Entry, Decision Support, Reporting
  * **System Integration:** EHR Compatibility, Data Sharing, Interoperability
  * **Efficiency:** Time Savings, Workflow Disruption, Learning Curve, Automation
</Card>

***

### Retail Company

*Same customers across different touch-points*

<Columns cols={1}>
  <Card title="Top Level Folders" icon="folder">
    * In-Store Experience
    * E-Commerce Website
    * Customer Service
    * Marketing & Branding
  </Card>

  <Card title="Shared Workspace Fields" icon="table-of-contents">
    * **Customer Segment:** New, Returning, VIP, Seasonal
    * **Channel:** In-Store, Website, Mobile App, Phone, Social
    * **Product Category(ies):** Electronics, Clothing, Home, Beauty, Sports
    * **Purchase Stage:** Browsing, Comparing, Purchasing, Post-Purchase
    * **Data Type:** Interview, Survey, Observation
  </Card>
</Columns>

<Card title="Shared Workspace Tags" icon="tags">
  *May need additional tag boards if this becomes too large or if teams need channel-specific analysis*

  * **Customer Journey:** Product Discovery, Comparison Shopping, Added to Cart Purchase Decision, Fulfillment, Returns
  * **Experience Quality:** Seamless, Frustrating, Confusing, Helpful, Slow
  * **Channel Preferences:** Online Research + Store Purchase, Pure Digital, Store Only, Omnichannel
  * **Product Feedback:** Quality, Price, Selection, Availability, Recommendations
  * **Service Interactions:** Staff Knowledge, Checkout Speed, Problem Resolution, Support Quality
  * **Purchasing Habits**: In-store, Online, One-Time, Returnee, Subscription
  * **Competitor Mentioned**: Amazon, Wal-Mart, Target
</Card>

***

### Global Company

*Regional independence with minimal overlap and low need for cross-regional analysis*

<Columns cols={1}>
  <Card title="Top Level Folders" icon="folder">
    * North America
    * EMEA
    * APAC
    * Latin America
    * Global Initiatives
  </Card>

  <Card title="Unique Workspace Field Groups by Region" icon="table-of-contents">
    *North America Workspace Fields:*

    * **Customer Size**: SMB, Mid-Market, Enterprise
    * **Industry**: Technology, Healthcare, Finance, Manufacturing, Retail
    * **User Role**: Admin, End User, IT Manager, C-Level
    * **Implementation Stage**: Trial, Onboarding, Active, Expansion, Renewal

    *EMEA, APAC, Latin America would have similar but regionally-tailored versions reflecting local market conditions, competitors, and customer needs*
  </Card>
</Columns>

<Card title="Unique Workspace Tags by Region" icon="tags">
  *North America Workspace Tag Board:*

  * **Feature Requests:** Integration, Reporting, Security, Mobile, API
  * **Pain Points:** Performance, Complexity, Training, Support, Pricing
  * **Use Cases:** Team Collaboration, Project Management, Data Analysis, Compliance
  * **Positive Outcome:** Growth, Time Saved, ROI
  * **Competitor mention:** competitor names for region

  *EMEA, APAC, Latin America would have similar but regionally-tailored versions reflecting local market conditions, competitors, and customer needs*
</Card>