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This is an presentation I gave at a website management conference to introduce the concept of information architecture. It's a talking point deck, so there's a lot of commentary that goes with it but it should give a basic outline of what IA is and how you practically approach it.
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GETTING IA RIGHT
And what the heck is IA?
Dale Cohen - General Manager
BigPond Network, Telstra Media
IA = INFORMATION ARCHITECTURE
What IA is
– Classification
– Grouping
– Hierarchy
What IA is not
– User interface design
IA is the foundation your website is built on
1`
HOW DO YOU GET “IA” RIGHT?
2`
START WITH THE BASICS
Who is your audience?
What do they need?
What do you need?
What are your site goals?
3`
SO WHAT DO CUSTOMERS NEED?
4`
CUSTOMER NEEDS
Understanding customers needs
– Ask yourself
– Ask them
– Measure what they do
Define customer scenarios
– Market segmentation
– Typical use case scenarios
– Create some stereotype „personas‟
Define information groups
– Card sort
– Customer led taxonomy
5`
CUSTOMER BEHAVIOUR
Do not assume
– Watch what people actually do
– Structure information based on your customers, not your internal organisation
Allow for multiple entry paths
– Site navigation
– Search (internal and external)
– Links from the internet
– Your site needs to make sense, no matter where people start.
– Hierarchy of information (site, section)
6`
WHAT DO YOU NEED?
7`
DEFINE BUSINESS OUTCOMES
What is the purpose of the site?
– What does the business requirements?
– What are the KPIs/measures of success?
– Serve the business, not just the customer
What will you report?
– Understand your costs
– Who will bear operational accountability?
– What do you need to report to the CEO and board?
8`
UNDERSTAND YOURSELF
What can you deliver?
– Don‟t try to be things you aren‟t
– Define a great experience but accept reality
– Only Apple can be Apple
Do your systems support your design?
– Logistics
– Organisational structure
– Business systems
Designing the perfect experience if it cannot be delivered is pointless
9`
EXAMPLE – MICROSOFT DESIGNING THE IPOD
10`
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aeXAcwriid0
Search YouTube for “microsoft ipod”
HOW DO YOU CREATE IA?
11`
CREATING AN IA SPECIFICATION
Clearly define objectives
List content & functional requirements
Conduct a card sorting exercise
Determine organising principles
Create the outputs
– Sitemap
– Wireframes
Do some user testing
12`
TYPICAL IA OUTPUTS
Sitemap
– Show site structure
– Define contextual relationships
– Define navigation
– Define hierarchy
– Consistent taxonomy
– Site search
Wireframes
– Template layout
– Define structural elements
13`
DON‟T MAKE ME THINK
Your audience isn‟t you
– They don‟t know what you do
– They don‟t have your commitment
Make it easy to find things
– Include the homepage in navigation!
– Use breadcrumbs for location reminders
– Behave to audience expectations
Don‟t make them wait
– Flash intros must be optional
– Flash websites should not exist
14`
DESIGN? WELL THAT MATTERS TOO…
15`
DESIGN IS INTEGRAL
Engage UI designers early
Templates require design input
Overall usability requires good design
Design is not the same as IA
– Good UI designers can do IA, but IA must lead the design, not the other way around.
Buildings, not monuments
– Looking good is not the same as being good. Your site needs to survive the rigours of daily production.
16`
SUMMARY
Understand your customer
Understand yourself
Clearly define business objectives
Be practical, not perfect
Create clear specifications
IA is a specialised skill
Get a designer involved early
Do user testing
17`
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