Introduction to Information Architecture in Web DesignChris Farnum, Sr. Information ArchitectLA2M – September 9, 2009

Definitions | What is IA? - Chris’ IA elevator pitchA Web site’s “Information Architecture” is the way it is organized. Whether users are…looking for an answerfinding something specificcommunicatingbeing entertainedcompleting a task… the navigation, categories, links, and labels all contribute to the user experience.As an IA, I help make plans for Web sites that provide a guide for designing and building them.Intro to IA - 2

Definitions | Information EnvironmentBusiness goals, brand, strategy, technology, politics, resourcesContextIAUsersContentDocument types,content objects,volume, structureAudience, tasks, needs, info seeking behavior, experienceBased on Rosenfeld and Morville – Information Architecture for the World Wide WebIntro to IA - 3

Definitions | The Information Architecture “Layer”IA is the layer between objectives and page level designFrom The Elements of User Experience by Jesse James GarretIntro to IA - 4

Elements of IA | What does the IA of a site include?Organization Systems How is content organized? By User Task, Subject Category, Audience Type, Metaphor…Labeling Systems Links, buttons, labels, calls-to-action…Navigation Systems Sitewide navigation, local navigation, utility navigation…Search Systems Site search interfaces, results pages, indexing… Thesauri, Controlled Vocabularies, and Metadata Systems of terms used to organize and tag contentBased on Rosenfeld and Morville – Information Architecture for the World Wide WebIntro to IA - 5

Types of Projects | What kinds need IA-thinking?Brand SitesE-commerce sitesProduct Selectors & ConfiguratorsLanding PagesE-mail TemplatesRich Internet ApplicationsExpandable Banner AdsSearch InterfacesExtranetsIntranets…Intro to IA - 6

Value | Why is IA important in Web marketing?Customer Focus(good user exp. = good customer exp).Cost of finding(customer service, time, clicks, precision).Cost of not finding(lost visitors, lost sales, frustration).Cost of development(time, budget, staff, scalability).Measuring:Web and Search Analytics, Usability Testing, Surveys, ROIBased on Rosenfeld and Morville – Information Architecture for the World Wide WebIntro to IA - 7

IA Techniques | Blueprint or High Level IA

IA Techniques | WireframeIntro to IA - 9

IA Techniques | More…Prototyping Create a paper prototype or a rough click-able prototype to demonstrate to the internal team and for user testing.User Research & Testing Find out how your users think and what they need. See how they accomplish key tasks (or not).Personas Describe your most important types of users and their common tasks.Functional Specifications Document user interface requirements for the site including page types, page components, forms, navigation…Intro to IA - 10

IA Best Practices | A Few Key ConceptsReusable Components Consistent page types and components make the interface easier to use AND easier to develop.Top Down vs. Bottom Up Good designs consider both the high level view and from the most granular view of your content.Don’t Let Users Feel Lost Site navigation should provide a sense of where you are and where you can go (a la Instone’s Navigation Stress Test).Intro to IA - 11

Job Titles | Do you need to be an IA to do IA?Information ArchitectInteraction DesignerUser Experience DesignerUsability SpecialistContent StrategistBusiness AnalystWeb MasterProduct Manager_____________ (insert title here)something you dovs.something you areIntro to IA - 12

Sources | Where Do I Learn How to Do IA?ASIST SIG-IA (prof. group)Human Computer Interaction (HCI)Project ExperienceLibrary ScienceInformation Architecture Institute (prof. group)IDEA Conferenceboxesandarrows.comBooksRosenfeld & Morville, Wodkte, JJ Garrett…The Information Architecture SummitIntro to IA - 13

In closing…Questions and Comments?DownloadThis presentation is available online via Slideshare:http://www.slideshare.net/ChrisFarnumContactChris FarnumSenior Information ArchitectUser Experience Consultant___________ (insert title here)crfarnum@yahoo.comcfarnum@proquest.comhttp://www.linkedin.com/in/crfarnumhttp://twitter.com/crfarnumIntro to IA - 14