What is Information Architecture?

Rosenfeld's (Argus Associates) definition:

"Information Architecture involves the design of organization, labeling, navigation and search systems to help people find and manage information more successfully."

1) Technology

low end:
  • hardware
  • networking
  • operating system
  • web server
  • additional software for the server (scripting languages etc)

    medium end:

  • regular back-ups of the site
  • monitor error logs and access logs
  • keep up with Internet/WWW trends (www.w3c.org)
  • search engine and sitemap
  • site security
  • site functionality (HTML validity, links checkers, etc)
  • site statistics

    2) Content

    skills:
  • creativity
  • writing skills
  • graphic design skills
  • conceptual organizing and structuring skills

    planning: (this info will often be provided by marketing department)

  • mission, vision, plan
  • marketing, promotion
  • analysis of company's goals
  • analysis of target audience

    content organization: (content itself is usually provided by someone else)

  • conceptual organization (hierarchy, time-line, etc)
  • content architecture (navigation, frames, etc)

    implementation:

  • HTML, Javascript, CGI, Php, Flash, Director, etc
  • graphic design (clip-art, video, audio etc)

    standards and basic functionality:

  • adherence to policies (of company) and protocols (WWW)
  • cross-platform compatibility
  • usability of site
  • accessibility of site
  • basic checks: spell-check, HTML validity, vocabulary etc
  • dealing with time sensitive content (updates, calendar, etc)

    3) People skills

  • negotiate with administrators
  • talk to promotion/marketing department
  • staff training and support
  • user support (and education)
  • identify software/tutorials for staff/users (authoring tools etc)
  • create FAQs for the site  

     

     

     

     

     

    A matrix for IA content development

     data   representation    user
    identification selection
    "mining"
    information gathering     		site metaphor
    diagrams
    graphics     		associations
    conceptualization differentiating
    summarizing
    categorizing
    classifying     		labels
    terminology     		recognize
    retrieval
    structuring organizing navigation system navigate
    browse
     

     

     

     

     

     

    A matrix for IA content development with tools and processes

     data,
    * task analysis
    * knowledge management         		representation,
    * development software     		user,
    * user analysis,
    * usability
    * interfaces
    identification selection,
    "mining",
    information gathering     		site metaphor,
    diagrams,
    graphics
    * design software,
    * style sheets         		associations
    * forms
    conceptualization differentiating
    summarizing,
    categorizing,
    classifying     		labels,
    terminology
    * data dictionary,
    * content metadata,
    * "for students", "about students"
    * web practices: "about", "contact"     		recognize,
    retrieval
    * search engine,
    * index
    structuring organizing,
    parts of a page,
    relate different pages
    meta-information:,
    author, date, etc         		navigation system,
    * relational database,
    * templates for page structure,
    * eg. hierarchy or thesaurus
    * sitemap,
    * meta-tags         		navigate,
    browse
    * link structures,
    * Javascript menus,
    * web directories,
    * eg. calendar