Information Architecture Intro
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Information architecture is the structural design of shared information environments, involving organizing and labelling content to support usability and findability. It consists of structuring content and systems so people can find information through grouping, navigation, labelling, tagging, taxonomies and other methods. Effective information architecture allows people to logically step through a system with confidence they are getting closer to required information. Key steps in information architecture include understanding audience needs, prototyping solutions, and documenting designs through site maps, page layouts and other methods.
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Information Architecture Intro
- 1. What is information architecture? Intuitive navigation doesn’t happen by chance The problem: finding is the new doing The shear wealth of functionality and information has become the new problem
- 2. information architecture is The science of expressing a model or concept for information Used for activities that require expressions of complex systems Consists of: Structural design of shared information environments Organizing and labelling information to support usability and find ability From Wikipedia
- 3. Simpler partial definition “ the art and science of organising and labelling websites, intranets, online communities and software to support usability and find ability.” Structuring content and systems so people can find information It involves designing: Content grouping Navigation Labelling tagging Taxonomies, thesauri, indexes, metadata
- 4. WHY ?? An effective information architecture enables people to step logically through a system confident they are getting closer to the information they require. Most people only notice information architecture when it is poor and stops them from finding the information they require.
- 5. Be aware before you begin!!!! Designing anything based on your own preferences and biases is not the best approach Getting it right means understanding the problem at hand or goals as well as knowing your audience Make sure you understand the problem or site goals clearly ……
- 6. Tips for good Information Architecture Cookie cutting solutions tend not to work!!! Don’t take a website that worked for one person/business and build your site IA the same Don’t just take an organisations structure and mimic it- example ato.gov.au Get your needs analysis right FIRST There is no one solution for an information-rich site Blogs generally demonstrate sh#%t IA Why??
- 7. history The term “information architecture” was first coined by Richard Saul Wurman in 1975. Wurman was trained as an architect, but became interested in the way information is gathered, organised and presented to convey meaning. Wurman’s initial definition of information architecture was “organising the patterns in data, making the complex clear”. The term was largely dormant until in 1996 it was seized upon by a couple of library scientists, Lou Rosenfeld and Peter Morville. They used the term to define the work they were doing structuring large-scale websites and intranets.
- 8. First step in IA analysis Make sure you can answer the following 2 questions What are your sites major audiences? What are you audiences major questions/problems/needs and how are you going to answer them?
- 9. There are many ways to document an IA Site maps Annotated page layouts Content matrices Page templates Personas Prototypes Storyboards
- 10. Site maps Site maps are perhaps the most widely known and understood deliverable from the process of defining an information architecture. A site map is a high level diagram showing the hierarchy of a system. Site maps reflect the information structure, but are not necessarily indicative of the navigation structure.
- 11. Annotated page layouts Page layouts define page level navigation, content types and functional elements. Annotations are used to provide guidance for the visual designers and developers who will use the page layouts to build the site. Page layouts are alternatively known as wireframes, blue prints or screen details.
- 12. Content matrix A content matrix lists each page in the system and identifies the content that will appear on that page. It may also document interactions between pages, page tags and other relevant information
- 13. Page templates Page templates may be required when defining large-scale websites and intranets. Page templates define the layout of common page elements, such as global navigation, content and local navigation. Page templates are commonly used when developing content management systems.
- 14. Personas Personas are a technique for defining archetypical users of the system. Personas are a cheap technique for evaluating the information architecture without conducting user research.
- 15. Prototypes Prototypes are models of the system. Prototypes can be as simple as paper-based sketches, or as complex as fully interactive systems. Research shows that paper-based prototypes are just as effective for identifying issues as fully interactive systems. Prototypes are often developed to bring the information architecture to life. Thus enabling users and other members of the project team to comment on the architecture before the system is built.
- 16. Storyboards Storyboards are another technique for bringing the information architecture to life without building it. Storyboards are sketches showing how a user would interact with a system to complete a common task. Storyboards enable other members of the project team to understand the proposed information architecture before the system is built.
- 17. Sources and references http://www.steptwo.com.au/papers/kmc_whatisinfoarch http://www.semanticstudios.com/publications/semantics/000149.php http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Information_architecture http://www.iainstitute.org/