Transcript Information Architecture

Administration Of A Website
Information Architecture
November 17, 2010
This session covers
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What is information architecture
Why is it important?
Why is it difficult?
Planning
Planning components
Top five mistakes
Developing intuitive information architecture
Governance
What is Information Architecture
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Allows organization of your web pages,
documents, lists and data
Is the hierarchical list of site content,
search keywords, data types and
metadata
Supports findability and usability
Is the practice of structuring information
for a specific purpose
A Visual Definition
Users
• audience types
• information needs
Info. Architecture
• organization, labels,
navigation,
•metadata
•searching systems
Content
• scope and volume
• data systems
•Site(s) structure
Questions
Information Architecture
HOME
About Us
Services
Businesses
Answers
Residents
Business
Context
• Strategy
• Resources
• Culture
• Business
Processes
and
Workflow
•Governance
(Policies and
procedures)
Why is Information Architecture Important?
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An organized site = easy to navigate
A well-planned site = best practices
Additional benefits = greater usability and
higher keyword search success
Why is Information Architecture Difficult?
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Communication Gaps
Labeling
Thinking like the end
user
Varied data sources
Various persons
maintaining the
information
Planning Information Architecture
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Involve all stakeholders
Use Surveys
Create a site map
Plan your information
Organize/rearrange your content
Planning Information Architecture: Tips
Keep it simple, if changes require
significant time to demonstrate,
rethink your selected method of
planning.
 Follow the order of the steps
 Encourage stakeholders to stay
involved.
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Planning Components
Organization methods
 Labeling
 Navigation systems
 Increase search capabilities: by using
metadata
 Usability
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Planning Components: Organization
Methods
Plain Old Text
 Slides
 HTML Wireframes
 Site Maps
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Planning Components: Organization Methods
Wireframe
Example
Planning Components: Organization Methods
Site Map
Example
Planning Components: Labeling
Labeling is a form of representation
 Use labels to represent larger chunks
of information
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Labels
Labels
Labels
Labels
for navigation
as headings
as contextual links
for index terms
The goal of labeling is to
communicate information efficiently
Planning Components: Labeling Examples
Planning Components: Navigation
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Outline your navigation structure from your
site map
Decide uses (vertical, horizontal, etc.)
Consider audience targeted navigation for
large sites (for example: labels for “Live Here” or “Visit
Here” may have two distinct informational paths.
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Include your mock up navigation on your
wireframe
Planning Components: Increase Search
Capabilities by Using Metadata
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‘Data about data’
 Title
 Description
 Authored date
 Keywords
Historically used to improve searching –
search can use the metadata fields
Used to relate information together
Planning Components: Metadata
Examples
Metadata
about the type
of document
Allows for greater search
and filtering when finding
information
Metadata
describing the
county the file
originated from
Planning Components: Usability
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Once you have a draft information
architecture (organization, navigation,
metadata, labels), conduct appropriate
usability research to collect feedback from
the target audience.
Methods may include: Cognitive
Walkthroughs, Contextual Task Analyses,
and Usability Testing.
Top Five Mistakes
No structure
 Search and structure not integrated
 Missing category landing pages
 Extreme polyhierarchy
 Subsites poorly integrated with main
site
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Developing Intuitive Information Architecture
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Define mission/purpose of site
Define long and short-term goals
Pinpoint intended audience
Focus on site content and content inventory
Determine websites organization structure
Create the website outline
Visual website blue-print
Good navigational systems
Conduct user research
Governance
Architecture governance is the
practice and orientation by which
enterprise architectures and other
architectures are managed and
controlled at an enterprise-wide
level.
 Governance should be reviewed
annually
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Questions and Answers
Reference Resources
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Learning
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Tools
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http://www.webmonkey.com/2010/02/information_archit
ecture_tutorial/
http://articles.sitepoint.com/article/informationarchitecture
http://iainstitute.org/tools/
Guide
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http://www.princeton.edu/communications/services/docs/
IAguide2.pdf
Thank You for Attending!
If you have questions, please feel
free to call or e-mail:
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Kathie Glassel
Technology Programs Administrator
717-526-1010 X 3353
[email protected]
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Nic Poague
Database / Web Specialist
717-526-1010 X 3354
[email protected]