Information Architecture

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Information Architecture

• The science of figuring out what you want your
  Web site to do and then constructing a blueprint
  before you dive in and put the thing together

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Session overview

• Basic concepts of Information Architecture
• The process
• The importance of collaborative planning and
  design prior to any production

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Learning outcomes

• At the end of this session, you will be able to
• Define Information Architecture (IA) and list the
  sequence of events in an IA process
• Prepare the Design Document for a Web project
• Choose strategies for facilitating collaboration
  at each stage of the IA process

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What is Information Architecture?

• The art and science of organizing information to
  help people effectively fulfill their information
  needs
• Information architecture involves the design of
  organization, labeling, navigation and searching
  systems that helps people find and manage
  information more successfully.

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Why is IA important?

• IA is the blueprint of the site
• Can save money and time in the long-run
• Works for small or large sites little time or
  lots of time to design
• Each step of the process forms sections of the IA
  Design Document
• decisions are documented (guidelines)
• road map for sites construction

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Components of IA

• Organization systems - the ways content can be
  grouped
• Labeling systems - what you call those content
  groups
• Navigation systems - menus and site maps to help
  you move around and browse through the content
• Searching systems - help you formulate queries
  that can be matched with relevant documents

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Most important thing to remember

• Good information architecture makes a web site
  easy to use.
• )

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Sequence in IA process

1. Goals
2. Defining the User Experience
3. Content and Functions
4. Structure
5. Visual design

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Before you start...

• To ensure organisational consensus Everyone in
  the organisation to be involved, but not everyone
  making decisions.
• Determine who will be the decision makers
• Time management and scale of the project
• Decide formal or informal process

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1. Goals

• Define the sites goals
• Ask questions
• What is the mission or purpose of the
  organization?
• What are the short- and long-term goals of the
  site?
• Who are the intended audiences?
• Why will people come to your site?
• Filter the answers

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Design Document

• 1 Goals

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2. User Experience

• Define the audience
• Create scenarios
• Competitive analysis

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Design Document

• 2 User Experience
• 2.1 Audience Definition
• 2.2 Scenarios
• 2.3 Competitive Analysis Summary
• Appendix A Competitive Analysis

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3. Content and Functions

• Site content
• Content and Functional Requirements
• Group and label content

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Design Document

• 3 Site Content
• 3.1 Content Grouping and Labelling
• 3.2 Functional Requirements
• Appendix B Content Inventory

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4. Site structure

• Metaphor exploration
• Set it in stone
• Define navigation

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Design Document

• 4 Site Structure
• 4.1 Site Structure Listing (or Summary)
• 4.2 Architectural Blueprints
• 4.3 Global and Local Navigation Systems
• Appendix C Site Structure Listing (optional)

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5. Visual design

• Layout grids
• Design sketches
• Page mock-ups

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Design Document

• 5 Visual Design
• 5.1 Layout Grids
• 5.2 Design Sketches
• 5.3 Page Mock-ups  
• 5.4 Web-based Prototype (screenshots)

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Summary

• In this session we have covered
• IA definitions and concepts
• A process and framework for IA
• Strategies for engaging collaboration through IA
• All it takes to be a true information architect
  is a lot of practice.