information architecture - don't make me think

Information Architecture(IA)

Kerry Dirks10/01/12

About Me• Experience

28+ Years In IT• Roles

Developer, Business Analyst, Systems Analyst, Application Manager, SharePoint Solutions Specialist

• ProductsMicrosoft .Net/Sharepoint, Oracle/PeopleSoft, Adobe Products, Bluebeam PDF

• IndustriesInsurance (Mutual of Omaha), Real-Time Data (Telvent/DTN), Credit Card Systems (First Data), Architecture/Engineering (HDRInc)Twitter @kerdirks

LinkedIn http://www.linkedin.com/in/kerrydirks Blog http://kerdirks.wordpress.com

IA ContextElements of User Experience

IA is the lynchpin between ...• the original

vision and objectives of the site owner

AND

• the first impression of your site from the perspective of the target audience

Source: Jesse James Garrett

IA Importance

• Cost of finding (time, frustration)

• Cost of not finding (bad decisions, alternate channels)

• Cost of construction (staff, technology, planning, bugs)

• Cost of maintenance (content management, redesigns)

• Cost of training (employees, turnover)

• Value of education (related products, projects, people)

• Value of brand (identity, reputation, trust)

IA Challenges

3 Clicks Away

Easy To Use Relevant

IntuitiveEasy To Find

Consistent Look & FeelAesthetically Pleasing

Organized

IA Concepts

• Relative to Interpretation– each statement is vague– each person would have their own interpretation

and experience for each• Relative to Expectations– my definition of each varies

• Relative to Perspective– role, position, hierarchy

IA Concepts

• Relative to Experience– historical background– current process

• Relative to Usage– how I use the information varies from others– step 14 is different from step 25 (assembly line)

IA Solutions

Inspector Gadget v2.1 Hyper Flex Quadro Angled Super Slicer

iPhone 5 Touch Pinch Snip Snap Drag Drop Swipe Hand Held Gizmo

IA Definitions

Information Architecture (IA)

• structural design of shared information

• is the art and science of organizing and labeling ... for usability

• combination of organization, labeling, search and navigation systems

Source: Wikipedia

IA Relationships

IA Perspectives Office Work Environment

IA Perspectives Garage Work Environment

IA MaturityBest Practices• Research / Analytics• Strategy• Management• Relationships• Organization• Navigation

Source: UXMatters

IA ProgressSteps• communicate vision & objectives• identify targets and steps ahead• maturity varies by org, group, audience , role• establish stages of learning & expectations• measure results • show continuous improvement

IA Metrics

Context

Content UsersIA

Context

Content UsersIA

Overall Usability Improves In Direct Correlation With IA• better audience personas• better content metadata, options, views, filters• better context through awareness training

IA Tools

• Wireframing– Pen, Pencil & Graphing Paper– BalsamIQ [source / demo]– PowerPoint

• Online Whiteboards– GE Imagination Cube [source]– Scriblink [source]– Skrbl [source]– Thinkature [source]

IA Tools

• Word Usage– Google Adwords [Account Required]• Keyword Tool• Contextual Targeting Tool

– Bing Search Suggestions– Web Site Search Results

• Card Sorting– UXSort [source]– WebSort / PlainFrame [source]– Excel