.gif){kind=small}
.gif){kind=small}
In a web development environment, a client would come up with a pile of requirements to a web development firm like ours. Even if the core development starts from building HTML and ends at coding and deploying, there is an art of concept analyzing and content management that must come right after requirement gathering. This is called Information Architecture (IA).
Information Architecture starts at sorting the pile of requirements in to different sections. These sections or classes become the backbone of the whole site .This backbone must get through
- Site content
- Interrelation and dependency of content
- The core structure/li>
- And finally, to the ultimate design.
In other words Information Architecture delivers what people want, by bringing together how people think and how the system works.
The Principles:
Précising over to the topic, Information Architecture is a systematic method of identifying, organizing and managing Information for a particular need. Rather than just viewing the pages, an Information Architect must have an insight of, how information must be arranged and connected for easy user access. On this basis we generally classify the principle aspects behind IA as,
1) Organizing
The first and foremost task of an information architect is to categorize the available data to fulfill the requirements of the client. This process is handled in the organizing phase in a vivid manner.
2) Labeling
Labeling is merely a form of representation. They are used to represent larger chunks of information in our websites. Labels can include contextual links, heading, Internal navigation, Index term, Iconic labels.
3) Navigation
The navigation helps user in a website to know where the user is and where the user can go.The navigation system can be embedded, supplemental, or advanced.
4) Searching
Searching needs no explanation and we usually follow one of these 3 types
Simple browsing over data
Alphabetical search
and search based on keyword.
5) Metadata
Metadata is machine understandable information about web resource or information about information. It helps us to group users according to keywords such as name, type etc. Metadata plays an important role in accessing websites through search engines and in ranking them. Metadata is otherwise called data of data.
The 9 step Methodology:
- The methodology of information of architecture deals with how the architecture is implemented in an effective manner. We can concise this into the following steps.
- To know what the requirements are. Information Architects must understand requirements precisely as they are the backbone builders.
- Card sorting: In card sorting method, we provide users with the contents written in different cards and allow them to arrange these contents in a manner with which they are familiar.
- Analyze the results of card sorting and check the possibility of developing an architecture, keeping their preferences in card sorting.
- Develop an architecture based on the above possibility and proceed to finalizing, grouping and labeling of content. We may go for number of iterations as the first grouping will definitely be far from perfect. Develop the sitemap that deals with data relations and content flow as main focus.
- Wire framing. It is the bridge between design-architecture and between planning-executing. After creating the sitemap, we mix it up with the rawest form of design together which results in the creation of wire frames. A typical example of wire frame is as shown below.
Your browser may not support display of this image.
- Story boarding – is the technique of sketching webpage layouts on paper to define how the user will navigate through the site. It defines a number of common user tasks, such as finding out how to request and relate data. It explains the functions of each field or sections and what type of contents to be placed in these sections.
- Perfecting the outlook of the architecture so far, within the project members from top to bottom. It could give them a clear idea about what we have completed, and what we are expecting from them, over the superior client needs that we had sorted up.
- In the final step, we turn over to complete design implementation of the page layout by visual designers and further to the development side of the project.
References:
http://eduscapes.com/arch/ia/index.htm
http://www.useit.com/alertbox/20040719.html
.jpg)
