sva winter 0211
DESCRIPTION
Introduction to Information Architecture & Design - Presented by Robert StribleyTRANSCRIPT
Introduction to Information Architecture & DesignSchool of Visual Arts | Winter 2011Robert Stribley
Introduction
Introduction
Aussie-Style Liquorice
Apples, Food Shed, Market, Brooklyn
Mailboxes with Paper Planes, Anthropologie Store
Soap
Intro
Robert Stribley
• I’m an senior information architect at Razorfish
• I writer music and arts reviews,• I producer a promote a variety show
• I photograph various things• I drink coffee
Introduction
Clients include:• Bank of America, Morgan Stanley Smith
Barney, Wachovia• Boston Scientific, Nasonex• Choice Hotels• Computer Associates, EMC• Ford• Nextel• Red Cross• Travel Channel, Women’s Wear Daily
Intro
About You
• What’s your name?
• What do you do for work?
• What do you do for fun?
• Coffee, tea or bottled water?
Introduction
Intro
Goals of this workshop
• Understand the basic concepts of user experience design
• Experience the general process and techniques used on a design project
• Review the basic deliverables an information architect develops within a project
Introduction
Butterfly on the New York City Highline
Pattern Recognition:
In cognitive psychology, the ability to identify familiar forms within a complex arrangement of sensory stimuli
Butterflies at the American Museum of Natural History’s Butterfly Conservatory.
Butterflies at the American Museum of Natural History’s Butterfly Conservatory.
Owl butterfly at the American Museum of Natural History’s Butterfly Conservatory.
Agenda
Agenda
Morning• Background• Design Process• Our Project• User Research• Competitive Review• Personas
• Lunch
Agenda
Agenda
Afternoon•Card Sorting•Site Maps•Page Types•Grids•Navigation•Sketching•Wireframes•Q&A
Agenda
Background
Background
in•for•ma•tion ar•chi•tec•ture n.
Background: Defining IA
• The combination of organization, labeling, and navigation schemes within an information system.
• The structural design of an information space to facilitate task completion and intuitive access to content.
• The art and science of structuring and classifying web sites and intranets to help people find and manage information.
• An emerging discipline and community of practice focused on bringing principles of design and architecture to the digital landscape.
Information Architecture for the World Wide Web (1st Edition), p . 4, Rosenfeld and Morville
Navigation
Interaction
Art/Science
Discipline/ Community
Background
The Information Architecture Institute defines information architecture as “the art and science of organizing and labeling websites, intranets, online communities and software to support usability.”
Background: Defining IA
Background
"It's hard to say who really is an information architect. In some sense, we all are.”— Alex Wright, Author Glut
Background: Defining IA
userscontent
context
IA
Background: Defining IA
interface
information architecture
Background: Defining IA
skin
skeleton
Background: Defining IA
Design Process
metaphor: architectural plans
Flickr.com: Cornell University Library
Flickr.com: Cornell University Library
Background: Defining IA
Background: History
A Brief History of IA
1975 • Richard Saul Wurman coined the term
“information architecture” to describe the field now more likely described as “information design”
1994• Formation of Argus Associates in Ann Arbor,
WI, the first firm devoted to IA
1998• First edition of Peter Morville and Lou
Rosenfeld’s Information Architecture for the World Wide Web, affectionately known as “The Polar Bear” book
Partially adapted from: “A brief history of information architecture” by Peter Morville and Information Architecture: Designing information environments for purpose, edited by Alan Gilchrist and Barry Mahon
A Brief History of IA
2000• First IA Summit, Boston, MA – Defining
Information Architecture
2002• Boxes & Arrows, online journal for information
architects goes live• 3 new books on IA published, including Jesse
James Garrett’sThe Elements of User Experience
2011• 12th Annual IA Summit held in Denver, CO
Background: History
Design Process
Design Process
Discovery Definition Design Development
Design Process
Design Process
Discovery Definition Design Development
• Stakeholder interviewers• Business requirements• Competitive & comparative audits• User research• Site inventory
Design Process
Design Process
Discovery Definition Design Development
•Personas•Content & meta data audits•Card sorts•Use cases•Mood boards•Sketching•Site maps•Creative brief•UX brief
Design Process
Design Process
Discovery Definition Design Development
• Site maps• Task flows•Sketching• Wireframes• Stakeholder reviews• Prototypes• Usability testing• Visual design
Design Process
Design Process
Discovery Definition Design Development
• Functional specifications
• Quality assurance
• Site development
Design Process
Background
IA Deliverables
site map
feature/functionality inventory
comparative/competitive review
requirements document
personas
sketches
use cases
user flows prototype
wireframes
discover designdefine
experience brief
Deliverables
Background
IA Deliverables
site map
feature/functionality inventory
comparative/competitive review
requirements document
personas
use cases
user flows prototype
wireframes
discover designdefine
experience brief
visual design
sketches
Deliverables
Our Project
What to do?
Our Project
Our Project
Events.com wants to revamp its website to become the go-to online resource for people wanting to attend or promote events across the United States.
Our Project
Discover
User Research
User Research in Copenhagen’s Elderly Homes
User Research
“Through research, we aim to learn enough about the business goals, the users, and the information ecology to develop a solid strategy.”– Louis Rosenfield & Peter Morville
Discovery: User Research
User Research
Methodology• Focus Groups• Surveys• Interviews
Goals• Identify patterns and trends in user behavior,
tasks, preferences, obstacles.
Discovery: User Research
User Research
Class Exercise: Survey Questions• How do you learn about events in NYC? • What type of events are you interested in?• What’s more important to you:
– Price – Type of Event– Location– Date
• How often do you attend the events?• Do you ever need to promote an event?• Do you ever invite people to an event?
Discovery: User Research
Competitive Review
image by brandon schauer
Discovery: Competitive Audit
“This type of assessment helps set an industry ‘marker’ by looking at what the competition is up to, what features and functionalities are standard, and how others have solved the same problems you might be tasked with.”– Dorelle Rabinowitz
Discovery: Competitive Review
Competitive Review
Methodology• Usability Criteria
• Scorecard
• Heuristic Evaluation
Goals• Review and analyze competitor sites according to
particular criteria
• Draw key findings, which can influence and guide IA through the design phase
Also:
• Comparative Reviews
Discovery: Competitive Review
Competitive Review
Competitors
Discovery: Competitive Review
Competitive Review: Flavorpill
Flavorpill loves culture. We embrace the high-brow, low-brow, underground, mainstream, and everything in between — as long as it's good.
A city guide for those who like to go out, Flavorpill publishes a daily update of worthwhile cultural-event listings, from art exhibits and readings to concerts, plays, and festivals.
“
”http://flavorpill.com/about
Flavorpill
Discovery: Competitive Review
Competitive Review: Flavorpill
Home Page•Search•Recent Activity•Our Pick•What’s Happening Today•Events calendar•Featured Venue•Featured Events•Giveaways•New York Guide
Discovery: Competitive Review
Navigation
Primary
•Events
•Today
•Editor Picks
•Giveaways
•Venues
•Daily Dose
•Flavorwire
Utility
•City Dropdown
•Sign In/Sign Out
•SignUp/ Profile
•Follow Us (RSS, Facebook, Twitter)
•Search
Features & Functionality•Search•Calendar•Filtering•Google maps•Comments•Profile
Going.com
Competitive Review: Going.com
http://newyork.going.com/about_site
Going helps you find fun things to do and fun people to meet.
Ever wish there were one place where you can find all the events around town?Want to know whether an event is worth going to and see who else likes it?Looking to meet some new people who are up for doing fun things?We felt the same frustration and decided to do something about it. The result is Going: we now have hundreds of events a day and thousands of people who are up for doing fun things.
“
”
Discovery: Competitive Review
Home Page•Post an Event
•Search
• Inbox
•Organizer Tools
•What’s Popular this Week
•City Feed
•Recession Busters
•Top Searches (tag cloud)
•Photo Booth
Competitive Review: Going.comDiscovery: Competitive Review
NavigationPrimary
•Things to Do
•Places to Go
•People to See
Secondary
•Recession Busters
•More Cities
Utility
•Profile
•Inbox
•Post an Event
•Search
•Settings
•Logout
Features & Functionality•Search•Calendar•Profiles •Who likes it?•Comments•Event posting and promoting•RSVP online/Buy tickets•Event filtering•Link to Google Maps
NYCgo.com
NYC & Company is New York City’s official marketing, tourism and partnership organization.
Our mission is to maximize travel and tourism opportunities throughout the five boroughs, build economic prosperity and spread the dynamic image of New York City around the world.
“
”http://nycgo.com/?event=view.footerArticle&id=49568
Competitive Review: NYCgo.comDiscovery: Competitive Review
Competitive Review: NYCgo.com
Home Page
•Search
•This Week carousel
•NYC Highlights
•Events calendar
•Recent News
•Plan Your Trip
•Deals & Offers
•Filter by borough
•My NYC profiles
Discovery: Competitive Review
Navigation
Primary
•Top Attractions
•What to Do
•Where to Stay
•Plan Your Trip
•Deals
•Broadway
•NYC Restaurant Week
•Free
Secondary
•Travel Trade
•Meeting Planners
•Membership
•Press
Utility
•Search (with categories)
•Language Selector
•Temperature
•Twitter, Facebook, Email
Functionality• Search• Google maps• Calendar• Find an event• Filtering• MyNYC
Competitive Review
Key Findings• Search placed prominently on each site, sometimes with
advanced search
• Clear need for and emphasis upon filtering events
• Calendars provide obvious benefit
• Maps also prove helpful, especially to out-of-towners
• Profiles and community features are also common, but handled with varying degrees of detail, success
• Free events often highlighted/bubbled up
• Event detail pages vary, may have maps, RSVP, sharing, rating, commenting functionality
• The ability to add or promote an event is not always present or prominent
Discovery: Competitive Review
Competitive Review
What else have we learned?
• Who are the audiences of these sites?
• What are the strengths of these sites?
• What are their weaknesses?
• How might another event site differentiate itself from these sites?
Discovery: Competitive Review
Define
Personas
Created at Personas: http://personas.media.mit.edu
Personas is a component of the Metropath(ologies) exhibit, recently on display at the MIT Museum by the Sociable Media Group from the MIT Media Lab . It uses sophisticated natural language processing and the Internet to create a data portrait of one's aggregated online identity. In short, Personas shows you how the Internet sees you.
Personas
“Personas summarize user research findings and bring that research to life in such a way that everyone can make decisions based on these personas, not based on themselves.” – Steve Mulder
Definition: PersonasDefinition: Personas
Personas
Characteristics of Effective Personas
• Varied and distinct• Detailed• Not weighed down with minutiae• Tied into business-specific goals• Backed by data
Definition: PersonasDefinition: Personas
Personas
Methodology• Cluster Analysis
Goals• Create a narrative based on real data to
illustrate user behavior, motivations, goals
Definition: PersonasDefinition: Personas
Small Budget
Big Budget
PlannerPromoter
Definition: PersonasDefinition: Personas
Definition: PersonasDefinition: Personas
SabrinaJenny DonnyJerry
Sabrina, 27The party plannerLocation: Gramercy ParkAttitude: Organized, outgoingFinancial Perspective: Generous, bit of spendthriftOnline Habits: Avid user of social networking sites,
Twitter, Facebook, etcEvents: Wine tastings, gallery openingsQuote: “I love getting bunches of friends together
to attend all these NYC events. There’s so much great stuff to do in this city!”
Small Budget
Big Budget
PlannerPromoter
PersonasDefinition: PersonasDefinition: Personas
Jerry, 44The out-of-townerLocation:Cincinnati, OHAttitude: Casual, yet adventurousFinancial Perspective: Moderate spenderOnline Habits: Utilitarian use of the Web to research
trips, read about the arts and pay bills
Events: Museums, visiting landmarks, toursQuote: “I’m visiting the Big Apple with my wife
and we want to check out some art-related events.”
Small Budget
Big Budget
PlannerPromoter
Definition: PersonasDefinition: Personas
Personas
Donny, 38The local comedianLocation: East VillageAttitude: Laidback, loosely organizedFinancial Perspective: Frugal, paycheck to paycheckOnline Habits: Spends time networking, promoting his act
online, haunts comedy sitesEvents: Comedy slams, variety showsQuote: “I land a few comedy gigs around the city
and I want to promote them better.”
Small Budget
Big Budget
PlannedPromoter
Definition: PersonasDefinition: Personas
Jenny, 33The professional promoterLocation: WilliamsburgAttitude: Busy, disciplined, professionalFinancial Perspective: Healthy budget for promotions andadvertisingOnline Habits: Heavy use of social networking sites both
professionally and personally, shops online
Events: Small gigs, big concerts, DJ setsQuote:“I manage a few bands and DJs and I have
to ensure they’re listed in the right, targeted places.”
Personas
Small Budget
Big Budget
PlannedPromoter
Definition: PersonasDefinition: Personas
Class Exercise: Personas
Definition: PersonasDefinition: Personas
In regards to Events.com,
• What tasks might each persona attempt to complete on Events.com?
• What features can you imagine each persona might like on such a site?
• What obstacles or pain points might they encounter?
SabrinaJenny DonnyJerry
Lunch Break
Agenda
Afternoon•Card Sorting•Site Maps•Page Types•Grids•Navigation•Sketching•Wireframes•Q&A
AgendaAgenda
Card Sorting
Card Sorting
“There are often better ways to organize data than the traditional ones that first occur to us. Each organization of the same set of data expresses different attributes and messages. It is also important to experiment, reflect, and choose which organization best communicates our messages.” – Nathan Shedroff, Experience Strategist
Definition: Card SortingDefinition: Card Sorting
Methodology• Grouping and labeling with index cards, post it notes• Two types:
– Open – participants sort cards with no pre-established categories – useful for new architectures
– Closed – participants sort cards into predetermined, provided groups – useful for fitting content into existing architectures
• Online card sorts– WebSort, OptimalSort, Socratic
Goals• Organize content more efficiently• Find names for groups of content based on users’ perspectives
Self Study:
"Card sorting: a definitive guide" by Donna Spencer and Todd Warfel, Boxes and Arrows, 2004/04/07
Definition: Card SortingDefinition: Card Sorting
Class Exercise: Card Sorting
As individuals:
•Take 5 minutes to think of all the events a person could attend
•Write each event you come up with on a Post-It note
Definition: Card SortingDefinition: Card Sorting
Class Exercise: Card Sorting
Now, as a group:
•Take a few minutes to organize your events into categories (group & label them)
•Then we’ll share some categories
Definition: Card SortingDefinition: Card Sorting
Design
Site Maps
Conceptual DesignDesign: Site MapsDesign: Site Maps
“A site map is a high level diagram showing the hierarchy of a system. Site maps reflect the information structure, but are not necessarily indicative of the navigation structure.”
- Step Two Designs
Conceptual DesignDesign: Site MapsDesign: Site Maps
Site map for Men‘s section of designer clothing site
Conceptual DesignDesign: Site MapsDesign: Site Maps
Kazi Shanto Kazi Shanto
Site map by Kazi Shanto, Louise Blouin Media
Conceptual DesignDesign: Site MapsDesign: Site Maps
Biocarta Site map, Fromson Consulting
Page Types
Conceptual Design
Home Page Category Page Details Page
Design: Page TypesDesign: Page Types
Grids
Grids
“The true benefit of using a grid is that as you learn how to use a grid, you start to think systemically about the solutions you design. You start to try and see how various details can echo one another, how different regions of the canvas can be reused or used for similar things, how like elements can be grouped together.”– Khoi Vinh, former design Director, NYTimes.com
Design: GridsDesign: Grids
GridsDesign: GridsDesign: Grids
GridsDesign: GridsDesign: Grids
GridsDesign: GridsDesign: Grids
Grids
12 column grid
Design: GridsDesign: Grids
Grids
3 columns of 4 units
Design: GridsDesign: Grids
Grids
4 columns of 3 units
Design: GridsDesign: Grids
Grids
6 columns of 2 units
Design: GridsDesign: Grids
Grids
Variations of the 12 column grid
Design: GridsDesign: Grids
Grids
Self Study: Want to know more?
Learn more about design by grids:
960 Grid System
960.gs
Design by Grid
www.designbygrid.com
Hashgrid
www.hashgrid.com
Design: GridsDesign: Grids
Navigation
Grids
Types of Navigation
• Site Structure – major nav
• Hierarchical – product families
• Function – sitemap privacy
• Direct – banner ad/shortcut
• Reference – related links
• Dynamic – search results
• Breadcrumb – location
• Step Navigation – sequence through forms/results
• Faceted Navigation – filters results
Design: NavigationDesign: Navigation
Areas of Navigation
• Global – universal header/footer
• Local – left nav/right nav
• Local content – text links, buttons
Styles of Navigation
• Rollover
• Dropdown
• Tabs
Self Study: Want to know more?
Adapted from Atsushi Hasegagwa’s The 7 Navigation Types of Web Sites
Sketching
Sketching Through the Ages
1485-1487Ornithopter by Leonardo da Vinci
2005 Schematic representation of the major components of a helicopter by Richard Wheeler
Design: SketchingDesign: Sketching
Sketching
“There are techniques and processes whereby we can put experience front and center in design. My belief is that the basis for doing so lies in extending the traditional practice of sketching. ”
- Bill Buxton
Design: SketchingDesign: Sketching
Bill BuxtonSketching User Experiences
SketchingDesign: SketchingDesign: Sketching
SketchingDesign: SketchingDesign: Sketching
Sketching
Any guesses as to what this is a sketch of?
Design: SketchingDesign: Sketching
“twttr sketch” Twitter.com
Sketching
Twitter[This sketch] has very special significance – it's hanging in the office somewhere with one other page.
Whenever I'm thinking about something, I really like to take out the yellow notepad and get it down. – Jack Dorsey, Twitter
Design: SketchingDesign: Sketching
Bill BuxtonSketching User Experiences
Sketching
Attributes of a Sketch
• Quick
• Timely
• Inexpensive
• Disposable
• Plentiful
• Clear vocabulary
• Distinct gesture
• Minimal detail
• Appropriate degree of refinement
• Suggest & explore rather than confirm
• Ambiguity
Design: SketchingDesign: Sketching
Sketching
Methodology• Draw• Limit your time• Don’t worry about mistakes or style
Goals• Benefit from the participation of your
colleagues• Quickly generate ideas and refine through
iterations
Design: SketchingDesign: Sketching
Design: Sketching
Class Exercise: Sketching
In teams, sketch your ideas.
1) Create & Promote an Event
Design: SketchingDesign: Sketching
Design: Sketching
Class Exercise: Sketching
In teams, sketch your ideas.
1) Create & Promote an Event
2) A Homepage
Design: SketchingDesign: Sketching
Wireframes
photo & sculpture by polly verity
Wireframes
What are wireframes?
“Web site wireframes are blue prints that define a Web page’s content and functionality. They do not convey design – e.g. colors, graphics, or fonts.”- fatpurple
Design: WireframesDesign: Wireframes
Design: Sketching
Wireframes
Design: Wireframes – Examples Design: Wireframes – Examples
wireframe by Mike Rohde
Design: SketchingDesign: Wireframes – Examples Design: Wireframes – Examples
wireframe by matthieu mingasson
Design: SketchingDesign: Wireframes – Examples Design: Wireframes – Examples
wireframe by spaceboxru
Design: SketchingDesign: Wireframes – ExamplesDesign: Wireframes – Examples
wireframe by matthieu mingasson
Design: SketchingDesign: Wireframes - ExamplesDesign: Wireframes - Examples
Design: SketchingDesign: Wireframes - ExamplesDesign: Wireframes - Examples
Wireframing/Prototype Tools:
• Adobe InDesign
• Axure
• Omnigraffle (Mac)
• Microsoft Visio
• Mockingbird (online, free)
InfoDesign: Wireframing ToolsDesign: Wireframing Tools
Design: Sketching
Class Exercise: Final Wireframe
In your teams, create your final deliverable.
Assign one of the following to a team member:
1) Create & Promote an Event
2) Event Detail
2) A Homepage
As an individual now, you’ll create a final “wireframe,” which incorporates your team mates’ designs and feedback.
Design: WireframesDesign: Wireframes
Design: Sketching
Wireframe & Prototyping Tools
Axure
Dreamweaver
InDesign
Visio
Design: Wireframes Design: Wireframes
Develop
Books:
• Information Architecture for the World Wide Web – Louis Rosenfeld, Peter Morville
• Information Architecture: Blueprints for the Web – Christina Wodtke, Austin Govella
• The Elements of User Experience – Jesse James Garrett
• Designing Web Navigation: Optimizing the User Experience – James Kalbach, Aaron Gustafson
• Design of Everyday Things – Donald Norman
Local Events:
• Dot Dot Dot, SVA Lecture Series
• IA Meetup
InfoAdditional ResourcesAdditional Resources
Web Sites:
• Alertbox
• A List Apart
• Boxes & Arrows
Organizations:
• Human Computer Interactions (HCI)
• Interaction Designers Association (IxDA)
• Usability Professionals Association (UPA)
Further Studies:
• Adaptive Path
• The Information Architecture Institute
• The IA Summit
• Pratt – Course in Information Design
• Nielsen Norman Group
• Rosenfeld Media
• User Interface Engineering
Q & A
Slideshare address:
http://www.slideshare.net/stribs
Additional credit:
Thanks to Anh Dang
InfoAdditional InfoAdditional Info
Design: Sketching
Wireframe & Prototyping Tools
Axure
Dreamweaver
InDesign
Visio
Design: Wireframes Design: Wireframes
Addendum:
Design Principles & Concepts
Good design is…
Good design is innovative.Good design makes a product useful.Good design is aesthetic.Good design makes a product understandable.Good design is unobtrusive.Good design is honest.Good design is long-lasting.Good design is thorough down to the last detail.Good design is environmentally friendly.Good design is as little design as possible.
© Dieter Rams, amended March 2003 and October 2009
Dieter Rams: 10 principles of good designDieter Rams: 10 principles of good design
Design Concepts
Donald Norman, Co-Founder, Nielsen Norman Group
Design ConceptsDesign Concepts
Design Concepts
Key Concepts
•Affordance•Mapping•Constraints•Visibility•Feedback
Design ConceptsDesign Concepts
124
Affordance
“Perceived properties that determine how a thing is used [and] provide strong cues to the operations of things.”
- Donald Norman
Design ConceptsDesign Concepts
Mapping
Relationship between two things
http://flickr.com/photos/annavsculture/441610821/
Design ConceptsDesign ConceptsDesign Concepts
Constraints
Limitations that constrain possible interactions
http://flickr.com/photos/hippie/2561854165/
Design ConceptsDesign ConceptsDesign Concepts
Visibility
“Just the right things have to be visible: to indicate what parts operate and how, to indicate how the user is to interact with the device.”
- Donald Norman
http://flickr.com/photos/huladancer22/530743543/
Design ConceptsDesign ConceptsDesign Concepts
128
Feedback
“Sending back to the user information about what action has actually been done, what result has been accomplished.”
- Donald Norman
Design ConceptsDesign ConceptsDesign Concepts