Information architecture: A “how-to” Donna Maurer – Maadmob Interaction Design

About me Freelance information architect/interaction designer I design structures & interfaces for complex informational & interactive systems 6+ years pro experience, as an innie, outie & freelancer Designed business applications, websites, intranets Practice, teach and write about IA and IxD Chair for next year's IA Summit Board member for the Information Architecture Institute Writing a book about card sorting - due Jan 2007

Freelance information architect/interaction designer

I design structures & interfaces for complex informational & interactive systems

6+ years pro experience, as an innie, outie & freelancer

Designed business applications, websites, intranets

Practice, teach and write about IA and IxD

Chair for next year's IA Summit

Board member for the Information Architecture Institute

Writing a book about card sorting - due Jan 2007

About this talk How to work through an IA project Where the core is about organising content So people can discover what they need How to think like an IA References http://del.icio.us/donnam/IAworkshopNZ Speaker notes on the slides Some images have been removed, so the recording may sound strange in a couple of spots

How to work through an IA project

Where the core is about organising content

So people can discover what they need

How to think like an IA

References

http://del.icio.us/donnam/IAworkshopNZ

Speaker notes on the slides

Some images have been removed, so the recording may sound strange in a couple of spots

A project overview

User research

User research – tips Go to people, don’t have them come to you Watch them Talk to them Audio-record sessions Take good notes Transcribe sessions Use more than one method

Go to people, don’t have them come to you

Watch them

Talk to them

Audio-record sessions

Take good notes

Transcribe sessions

Use more than one method

User research methods Methods for collecting rich information Interviews Card sorting Contextual enquiry, observation, shadowing Task analysis Probes Methods for collecting a lot of information Surveys Diary studies ...and then there’s focus groups

Methods for collecting rich information

Interviews

Card sorting

Contextual enquiry, observation, shadowing

Task analysis

Probes

Methods for collecting a lot of information

Surveys

Diary studies

...and then there’s focus groups

Analyse user research

Affinity diagramming example

Dimensional analysis example

Think about information behaviours Information modes Known-item Exploratory Don’t know what you need to know Refinding Information behaviours Reviewing summaries of items Examining details Comparing multiples Understanding contexts and situations Learning about people in the environment Perceiving trends Predicting implications Monitoring status or activity Identifying by criteria Establishing similarity

Information modes

Known-item

Exploratory

Don’t know what you need to know

Refinding

Information behaviours

Reviewing summaries of items

Examining details

Comparing multiples

Understanding contexts and situations

Learning about people in the environment

Perceiving trends

Predicting implications

Monitoring status or activity

Identifying by criteria

Establishing similarity

Card sorting A simple technique to learn about how people perceive content groups Content items are written on index cards People group the cards in ways that make sense for them Results are used as an input into a new IA

A simple technique to learn about how people perceive content groups

Content items are written on index cards

People group the cards in ways that make sense for them

Results are used as an input into a new IA

Card sorting - planning Planning Participants - end users, in small groups or individually Method - manual or tool-based Place - for groups, room with a large table Content - select items for the cards Cards - create cards, assemble post-its and pens Content selection (the important but tricky part) Too granular and you may end up with too many cards Too broad and you may lead the exercise too much You do not have to do the whole site at once

Planning

Participants - end users, in small groups or individually

Method - manual or tool-based

Place - for groups, room with a large table

Content - select items for the cards

Cards - create cards, assemble post-its and pens

Content selection (the important but tricky part)

Too granular and you may end up with too many cards

Too broad and you may lead the exercise too much

You do not have to do the whole site at once

Card sorting - analysis

Analysis spreadsheet

Dendrogram

Content analysis

Content analysis Content analysis is the process of Understanding content by analysing it Identifying patterns and content relationships Focusing not on 'pages' but content elements Start with a content inventory or wishlist

Content analysis is the process of

Understanding content by analysing it

Identifying patterns and content relationships

Focusing not on 'pages' but content elements

Start with a content inventory or wishlist

Content analysis Think about format document type (publications, reports, how to, 'stuff’) topic audience source structure accuracy page elements

Think about

format

document type (publications, reports, how to, 'stuff’)

topic

audience

source

structure

accuracy

page elements

Designing information structure

Choose classification schemes Date Alphabetical Geography Task Audience Tag-based Topic formal, existing ones - dewey, LOC, commodity informal, developed for the purpose Date is a natural organisation scheme for anything that happened, or will happen at a point in time. It works best when people are looking at the site frequently. If this is not the case, alternate organisation schemes will be necessary so people can easily find relevant historical content.

Date

Alphabetical

Geography

Task

Audience

Tag-based

Topic

formal, existing ones - dewey, LOC, commodity

informal, developed for the purpose

Date is a natural organisation scheme for anything that happened, or will happen at a point in time. It works best when people are looking at the site frequently. If this is not the case, alternate organisation schemes will be necessary so people can easily find relevant historical content.

Choose classification schemes Date Alphabetical Geography Task Audience Tag-based Topic formal, existing ones - dewey, LOC, commodity informal, developed for the purpose An alphabetical scheme suits content arranged by name (such as author or artist), where the name is clear and it is likely people will look for the content by the name. Few sites use alphabetical as the primary organisation scheme. A-Z indexes, as supplemental navigation, provide a terrific alternate method for finding content as long as the index uses labels that are sensible for site readers.

Date

Alphabetical

Geography

Task

Audience

Tag-based

Topic

formal, existing ones - dewey, LOC, commodity

informal, developed for the purpose

An alphabetical scheme suits content arranged by name (such as author or artist), where the name is clear and it is likely people will look for the content by the name.

Few sites use alphabetical as the primary organisation scheme. A-Z indexes, as supplemental navigation, provide a terrific alternate method for finding content as long as the index uses labels that are sensible for site readers.

Choose classification schemes Date Alphabetical Geography Task Audience Tag-based Topic formal, existing ones - dewey, LOC, commodity informal, developed for the purpose A geographical organisation scheme is perfect for anything relating to physical geography, particularly travel sites. Some sites still make you choose your country before letting you in, but this practice is less common than it once was.

Date

Alphabetical

Geography

Task

Audience

Tag-based

Topic

formal, existing ones - dewey, LOC, commodity

informal, developed for the purpose

A geographical organisation scheme is perfect for anything relating to physical geography, particularly travel sites. Some sites still make you choose your country before letting you in, but this practice is less common than it once was.

Choose classification schemes Date Alphabetical Geography Task Audience Tag-based Topic formal, existing ones - dewey, LOC, commodity informal, developed for the purpose Task-based schemes are an interesting challenge. In order for them to work, the tasks must be clear and unambiguous. I often use them on internal business systems for data processing tasks.

Date

Alphabetical

Geography

Task

Audience

Tag-based

Topic

formal, existing ones - dewey, LOC, commodity

informal, developed for the purpose

Task-based schemes are an interesting challenge. In order for them to work, the tasks must be clear and unambiguous. I often use them on internal business systems for data processing tasks.

Choose classification schemes Date Alphabetical Geography Task Audience Tag-based Topic formal, existing ones - dewey, LOC, commodity informal, developed for the purpose. Audience-based schemes are also an interesting challenge. In order for them to work, people must be able to clearly associate with one of the audiences. People are often tempted to implement role-based systems for intranets - these often fail as it is difficult to determine what your role actually is.

Date

Alphabetical

Geography

Task

Audience

Tag-based

Topic

formal, existing ones - dewey, LOC, commodity

informal, developed for the purpose.

Audience-based schemes are also an interesting challenge. In order for them to work, people must be able to clearly associate with one of the audiences. People are often tempted to implement role-based systems for intranets - these often fail as it is difficult to determine what your role actually is.

Choose classification schemes Date Alphabetical Geography Task Audience Tag-based Topic formal, existing ones - dewey, LOC, commodity informal, developed for the purpose

Date

Alphabetical

Geography

Task

Audience

Tag-based

Topic

formal, existing ones - dewey, LOC, commodity

informal, developed for the purpose

Choose classification schemes Date Alphabetical Geography Task Audience Tag-based Topic formal, existing ones - dewey, LOC, commodity informal, developed for the purpose The majority of sites have a topic-based organisation scheme, usually determined by the design team. Most websites use topic-based schemes Content analysis will tell you what types could be used User research will give you ideas about how people may like to approach the content

Date

Alphabetical

Geography

Task

Audience

Tag-based

Topic

formal, existing ones - dewey, LOC, commodity

informal, developed for the purpose

The majority of sites have a topic-based organisation scheme, usually determined by the design team.

Most websites use topic-based schemes

Content analysis will tell you what types could be used

User research will give you ideas about how people may like to approach the content

Choose type of structure Hierarchy Database Faceted Organic Strict hierarchies are an ideal - they rarely match the real world or content we are trying to organise. It is very common for an item to truly belong in more than one place or for users to look in more than one place for the item. Unfortunately, file systems and many content management systems enforce a strict hierarchy. When this is the case, we have to use navigation aids like related links to manage the fact that content can't be in more than one place at a time. A site can use more than one complete hierarchy. For example, a site could have a complete topic-based hierarchy, and a document type hierarchy. This allows all content to be accessed by more than one method.

Hierarchy

Database

Faceted

Organic

Strict hierarchies are an ideal - they rarely match the real world or content we are trying to organise. It is very common for an item to truly belong in more than one place or for users to look in more than one place for the item.

Unfortunately, file systems and many content management systems enforce a strict hierarchy. When this is the case, we have to use navigation aids like related links to manage the fact that content can't be in more than one place at a time.

A site can use more than one complete hierarchy. For example, a site could have a complete topic-based hierarchy, and a document type hierarchy. This allows all content to be accessed by more than one method.

Choose type of structure Hierarchy Database Faceted Organic One of the key advantages of using a database structure is so the information can be made available in a number of ways. Each Digital Web article is stored only once in the database, but you can get to it by topic, date, author, title and type. The index pages are generated automatically, so they don't need to be updated whenever an article is added

Hierarchy

Database

Faceted

Organic

One of the key advantages of using a database structure is so the information can be made available in a number of ways. Each Digital Web article is stored only once in the database, but you can get to it by topic, date, author, title and type. The index pages are generated automatically, so they don't need to be updated whenever an article is added

Choose type of structure Hierarchy Database Faceted Organic

Hierarchy

Database

Faceted

Organic

Choose type of structure Hierarchy Database Faceted Organic Faceted classification uses a database structure Facets are metadata elements Using facets in browse: Start at whatever facet you like No keyword necessary Never get a null result Suits - where users may wish to explore from any starting point Using facets in search: Start with a keyword search Refine based on characteristics present in the results Suits - where search returns many results and users want to refine

Hierarchy

Database

Faceted

Organic

Faceted classification uses a database structure

Facets are metadata elements

Using facets in browse:

Start at whatever facet you like

No keyword necessary

Never get a null result

Suits - where users may wish to explore from any starting point

Using facets in search:

Start with a keyword search

Refine based on characteristics present in the results

Suits - where search returns many results and users want to refine

Choose type of structure Hierarchy Database Faceted Organic

Hierarchy

Database

Faceted

Organic

At this point we know a lot about our users, have figured out what classification schemes are appropriate, have chosen the correct structure and know what the business is trying to achieve. Now we have to take a creative leap and turn that all into a solution

At this point we know a lot about our users, have figured out what classification schemes are appropriate, have chosen the correct structure and know what the business is trying to achieve.

Now we have to take a creative leap and turn that all into a solution

Design conceptual structure

Design conceptual structure

Design categories, groups or facets Input - user research, business goals, content analysis Create draft groupings See if it suits the content Slot content into categories Apply metadata Modify until content fits Create sub-groups Keep it user-focused

Input - user research, business goals, content analysis

Create draft groupings

See if it suits the content

Slot content into categories

Apply metadata

Modify until content fits

Create sub-groups

Keep it user-focused

Design labels Labeling ideas: User research Card sorting Search terms Referrer terms Tags Good labels Match concepts & word usage of readers Are used consistently Accurately describe the destination or content Link labels can be long - better trigger words

Labeling ideas:

User research

Card sorting

Search terms

Referrer terms

Tags

Good labels

Match concepts & word usage of readers

Are used consistently

Accurately describe the destination or content

Link labels can be long - better trigger words

Characteristics of a good IA Balances business & user goals Balances breadth & depth Allows people to easily find what they need Provides more than one way to content Represents the content Has a coherent underlying concept Exposes information as needed

Balances business & user goals

Balances breadth & depth

Allows people to easily find what they need

Provides more than one way to content

Represents the content

Has a coherent underlying concept

Exposes information as needed

Design browsing structures & page layouts

Don't design in front of the computer!!!

Many browse methods

Design browsing structures Start at a content page, not the home page The content page is the hardest working page on the site Figure out what navigation a representative content page needs (and its readers need) Design browse structures for index pages Design the home page last

Start at a content page, not the home page

The content page is the hardest working page on the site

Figure out what navigation a representative content page needs (and its readers need)

Design browse structures for index pages

Design the home page last

Good browsing structures Provides more than one method to get to content Main, supplemental, contextual, search Exposes relevant other content as needed Each step a person takes is clear and result is as anticipated Supports the site structure well

Provides more than one method to get to content

Main, supplemental, contextual, search

Exposes relevant other content as needed

Each step a person takes is clear and result is as anticipated

Supports the site structure well

Link-rich pages

Link-rich pages

Document it

Site maps

Site maps

Wireframes

Wireframes

Questions & thanks http://maadmob.net/ 0409-778-693 [email_address]

http://maadmob.net/

0409-778-693

[email_address]