This document provides an overview of Kerry Dirks' experience and expertise in information architecture (IA). It discusses key IA concepts like structure, organization, labeling, search, and navigation. It also addresses the importance of IA, some common challenges, and how IA can be measured and improved over time with tools like wireframing, online whiteboards, keyword analysis, and card sorting. The goal is to help translate business objectives and user needs into an effective information design.
2. About Me
• Experience
28+ Years In IT
• Roles
Developer, Business Analyst, Systems Analyst,
Application Manager, SharePoint Solutions
Specialist
• Products
Microsoft .Net/Sharepoint, Oracle/PeopleSoft,
Adobe Products, Bluebeam PDF
• Industries
Insurance (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
3. IA Context
Elements 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
4. 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)
6. 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
7. 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)
8. IA Solutions
Inspector Gadget v2.1 Hyper Flex
Quadro Angled Super Slicer
iPhone 5 Touch Pinch Snip Snap Drag
Drop Swipe Hand Held Gizmo
9. 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
13. IA Maturity
Best Practices
• Research / Analytics
• Strategy
• Management
• Relationships
• Organization
• Navigation
Source: UXMatters
14. IA Progress
Steps
• 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
15. IA Metrics
Context
Content Users
IA
Context
Content Users
IA
Overall Usability Improves In Direct Correlation With IA
• better audience personas
• better content metadata, options, views, filters
• better context through awareness training
17. 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
Hinweis der Redaktion
9/16/12
When we talk about IA, there is an underlying perception that this perfect nirvana is effortless and that anyone can do it.
There is a prevailing mindset in our corporate culture [from the Business User, Manager, CIO, maybe even yourself]
that IA can magically create the perfect solution
that IA just happens
That an IT Professional, with no help from the end user
can whip up a solution that will make their head spin with joy
That has never worked in the past AND it still won’t work well into the future.
So, Why IA?
Do Any of these statements look familiar
Have you heard them spoken by your clients or business users
Maybe you have project requirements that look like these
Maybe your CIO wants you to meet all of these objectives
Each one of those statements leads to one conclusion ...
You need a simple solution that will solve everyone’s problems
You need the Inspector Gadget v2.1 Hyper Flex Quadro Angled Super Slicer
iPhone 5 Touch Pinch Snip Snap Drag Drop Swipe Hand Held Gizmo
Each of these devices may solve one or more problems ... easily.
In the right place, at the right time with the right problem ... these devices will make your life better.
So, how do we get from where we are ... to where we need to be?
And, what does IA have to offer along the way?
You need a simple solution that will solve everyone’s problems
You need the Inspector Gadget v2.1 Hyper Flex Quadro Angled Super Slicer
iPhone 5 Touch Pinch Snip Snap Drag Drop Swipe Hand Held Gizmo
Each of these devices may solve one or more problems ... easily.
In the right place, at the right time with the right problem ... these devices will make your life better.
So, how do we get from where we are ... to where we need to be?
And, what does IA have to offer along the way?
When we think of IA; it is usually demonstrated with 3 circles where IA is the intersection
Context
this involves not only the current ideas and understands
but also the history
Content
type of content (documents, pictures, etc.)
structure
Users
identifies who they are
their roles
their processes
Let’s look at a few real life scenarios
From your perspective, answer these questions
organized
intuitive
3 clicks away
relevant
easy to find
aesthetically pleasing
consistent look & feel
Your answers to the above questions are simply your opinion as you look from the outside in.
Why? Because
you are not the User
you do not own the Content
you do not have the proper Context
Your answers are simply Opinions.
From your perspective, answer these questions
organized
intuitive
3 clicks away
relevant
easy to find
aesthetically pleasing
consistent look & feel
Your answers to the above questions are simply your opinion as you look from the outside in.
Why? Because
you are not the User
you do not own the Content
you do not have the proper Context
Your answers are simply Opinions.
The organization level of IA Maturity is directly proportional to the intentional execution of its Best Practices
IA Research & Analytics*methods for creating and assessing the performance of the IA
user behavior
contextual inquiry
content analysis
IA Strategy*identify IA fit with pre-existing IA strategy
alignment with enterprise objectives
single, multi or cross domain strategies
IA Management*processes and rules to enforce and preserve the effectiveness of the IA
metadata guidelines
ownership
empowerment
IA Relationships*how do we define the information for flexibility and extensibility
content model
metadata
domain model
IA Organization*how should we group the information
taxonomy
content matrix
dictionary or thesaurus
IA Navigation*identify retrieval methods for finding information
search
hierarchal menu
user feedback or recommendations
The organization needs to be intentional and get everyone on board
Make the vision and objectives visible to the organization
Go after low hanging fruit (biggest bang for the buck)
Establish awareness & training program
target content by audience
Maturity variances
Success depends on what is measured and the results of those measurements.
The objective of IA is to improve upon the user experience through
better audience personas
better content metadata, views, filters
better context through understanding of the historical as well as the now (training)