Introduction to Information Architecture & Design - As presented by Robert Stribley, SVA, 12/07/13

1. ―Diggin for Dummies‖ Sign, The Thing, Greenpoint, NY
Introduction to Information Architecture & Design
School of Visual Arts | December 7, 2013
Robert Stribley

2. Introduction
Today‘s presentation will be available on
SlideShare following the workshop:
www.slideshare.net/stribs

3. Chocolate display, Xocolatti, SoHo, New York

4. Body Gel, Sabon, SoHo, New York

5. Pattern Recognition:
In cognitive psychology, the ability
to identify familiar forms within a
complex arrangement of sensory
stimuli
Butterfly on the New York City Highline

6. Butterflies at the American Museum of Natural History‘s Butterfly Conservatory.

7. Butterflies at the American Museum of Natural History‘s Butterfly Conservatory.

8. Introduction
Intro
Robert Stribley
• I‘m an Associate Experience
Director at Razorfish
• I like literature, cinema, music,
photography, cycling
• I drink coffee
My clients have included:
• Bank of America, PNC, Wachovia
• JPMorgan, Morgan Stanley,
Oppenheimer Funds, Prudential, Smith
Barney, T. Rowe Price
• Boston Scientific, Nasonex
• Choice Hotels
• Computer Associates, EMC
• Ford, Lincoln
• Nextel
• Red Cross
• Pearson, Travel Channel, Women‘s
Wear Daily

9. Introduction
Intro
About You
•
•
•
•
What‘s your name?
What do you do for work?
What do you do for fun?
Coffee, tea or bottled water?

10. Introduction
Intro
Goals of this workshop
• Understand the basic concepts of information
architecture
• Experience the general process and techniques used
on a design project
• Review the basic deliverables an information architect
develops within a project

11. Agenda

12. Agenda
Agenda
Morning
• Background
• Design Process
• Our Project
• User Research
• Competitive Review
• Personas
• Lunch

13. Agenda
Agenda
Afternoon
•Card Sorting
•Site Maps
•Page Types
•Navigation
•Sketching
•Wireframes
•Q&A

14. Background

15. Background: Defining IA
Background
in•for•ma•tion ar•chi•tec•ture n.
Navigation
• The combination of organization,
labeling, and navigation schemes within
an information system.
Interaction
• The structural design of an information
space to facilitate task completion and
intuitive access to content.
Art/Science
Discipline/
Community
• 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

16. 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

17. Background: Defining IA
context
IA
content
users

18. Background: Defining IA
Interface
(skin)
information architecture
(skeleton)

19. Background: Defining IA
Design Process
metaphor: architectural plans
Flickr.com: Cornell University Library

20. 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

21. Background: History
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‘s The Elements of User
Experience
2014
•
15th Annual IA Summit held in San Diego, CA,
March 25-30
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

22. Design Process
satire on project phases
by Harold Kerzner

23. Design Process
Design Process
Discovery
Definition
Design
Development

24. Design Process
Design Process
Discovery
Definition
• Stakeholder interviews
• Business requirements
• Competitive & comparative audits
• User research
• Site inventory
Design
Development

25. Design Process
Design Process
Discovery
Definition
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Personas
Content Audit
Card sorts
Use Cases
Sketching
Site Map
Creative Brief
UX Brief
Design
Development

26. Design Process
Design Process
Discovery
Definition
Design
Development
• Site Map
• Task Flows
• Sketching
• Wireframes
• Stakeholder Reviews
• Visual Design
• Prototype
• Usability Testing
• Functional Specifications

27. Design Process
Design Process
Discovery
Definition
Design
Development
• Site Development
• User Acceptance
Testing (UAT)
• Quality Assurance
(QA)
• Usability Testing

28. Deliverables
Background
IA Deliverables
discover
define
design
requirements document
sketches
site map
comparative/competitive
review
personas
wireframes
feature/functionality
inventory
user flows
prototype
experience brief
use cases

29. Deliverables
Background
IA Deliverables
discover
define
design
requirements document
sketches
site map
comparative/competitive
review
personas
wireframes
feature/functionality
inventory
user flows
prototype
experience brief
use cases
visual design

30. Our Project

31. Our Project
What to do?

32. 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.

33. Discover

34. User Research
User Research in Copenhagen‘s Elderly Homes

35. Discovery: User Research
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 Rosenfeld & Peter Morville

36. Discovery: User Research
User Research
Methodology
• Focus Groups
• Surveys
• Interviews
Goals
• Identify patterns and trends in user behavior,
tasks, preferences, obstacles.

37. 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?

38. Competitive Review
image by
brandon schauer

39. Discovery: Competitive Review
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

40. Discovery: Competitive Review
Competitive Review
Heuristic Evaluation
… involves evaluators examining the
interface and judging its compliance
with recognized usability principles
(the ‗heuristics‘)
- Wikipedia

41. Discovery: Competitive Review
Competitive Review
Heuristic Evaluation
Ten Usability Heuristics by Jakob Nielsen
•Visibility of system status
•Recognition rather than recall
•Match between system and the
real world
•Flexibility and efficiency of use
•Aesthetic and minimalist design
•User control and freedom
•Consistency and standards
•Help users recognize, diagnose,
and recover from errors
•Error prevention
•Help and documentation
Self Study
For a more detailed explanation of these heuristics, see Nielsen‘s explanation here:
http://www.useit.com/papers/heuristic/heuristic_list.html

42. Discovery: Competitive Review
Competitive Review
Methodology
• Review and analyze competitor sites according to
particular criteria
• Draw key findings, which can influence and guide IA
through the design phase
• Include a scorecard for a high-level depiction of
comparison points across all sites
Also:
• Comparative Reviews

43. Discovery: Competitive Review
Competitive Review
Examples of Usability Criteria
Note: These examples are not intended to provide a comprehensive listing. Appropriate criteria may depend on the project
to be completed.
Home Page
• Are home page elements appropriately weighted and distributed?
• Is information clustered in meaningful ways?
Navigation
• Is the navigation structure concise and consistent?
• Are paths to important information intuitive and unobstructed?
Content
• Is content current? Are there visible indications of content freshness?
• Is content properly adapted for the Web? Is tone of voice consistent throughout content? Is
content chunked appropriately?
• Are headings and titles scannable?
Design
• Are colors appropriate to the Web? Is white space used appropriately? Is text readable?
Search
• Are search results relevant and cleanly presented?
Functionality
• Are functionality and forms efficiently designed?
Messaging
• Are errors messages clear on the site? Is help readily available to users?
• Are there appropriate means for user feedback?

44. Discovery: Competitive Review
Competitive Review
Competitors

45. Discovery: Competitive Review
Competitive Review
Key Findings
• Search placed prominently on each site
• Clear need for and emphasis upon filtering events
• Calendars provide obvious benefit, but aren‘t always
prominent
• Profiles and community features are also common, but
handled with varying degrees of detail, success
• Free events are often highlighted
• Event detail pages vary, may have maps, RSVP, sharing,
rating, commenting functionality
• Displaying other venues and restaurants adds utility
• Maps prove helpful, especially to out-of-towners
• The ability to add or promote an event is not always
present or prominent

46. 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?

47. Define

48. Personas
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.
Created at Personas: http://personas.media.mit.edu

49. Definition: Personas
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

50. Definition: Personas
Personas
Methodology
Big Budget
• Cluster Analysis
Goals
Planner
Promoter
• Create a narrative
based on real data to
illustrate user
behavior, motivations,
goals
Small Budget

51. Definition: Personas
Personas
Characteristics of Effective Personas
•
•
•
•
•
Varied and distinct
Detailed
Not weighed down with minutiae
Tied into business-specific goals
Backed by data

52. Definition: Personas
Jerry
Jenny
Donny
Sabrina

53. Definition: Personas
Personas
Sabrina, 27
The party planner
Big Budget
Planner
Promoter
Small Budget
Location:
Gramercy Park
Attitude:
Organized, outgoing
Financial Perspective:
Generous, bit of spendthrift
Online Habits:
Avid user of social networking sites,
Twitter, Facebook, etc
Events:
Wine tastings, gallery openings
Quote:
―I love getting bunches of friends
together to attend all these NYC
events. There‘s so much great stuff to
do in this city!‖

54. Definition: Personas
Jerry, 44
The out-of-towner
Big Budget
Planner
Promoter
Small Budget
Location:
Cincinnati, OH
Attitude:
Casual, yet adventurous
Financial Perspective:
Moderate spender
Online Habits:
Utilitarian use of the Web to
research trips, read about the arts
and pay bills
Events:
Museums, visiting landmarks, tours
Quote:
―I‘m visiting the Big Apple with my
wife and we want to check out
some art-related events.‖

55. Definition: Personas
Personas
Donny, 38
The local comedian
Location:
East Village
Attitude:
Laidback, loosely organized
Financial Perspective:
Frugal, paycheck to paycheck
Online Habits:
Spends time networking, promoting his
act online, haunts comedy sites
Events:
Comedy slams, variety shows
Quote:
―I land a few comedy gigs around the
city and I want to promote them better.‖
Big Budget
Promoter
Planned
Small Budget

56. Definition: Personas
Personas
Jenny, 33
The professional promoter
Location:
Williamsburg
Attitude:
Busy, disciplined, professional
Financial Perspective:
Healthy budget for promotions and
advertising
Online Habits:
Heavy use of social networking sites both
professionally and personally, shops online
Events:
Small gigs, big concerts, DJ sets
Quote:
―I manage a few bands and DJs and I
have to ensure they‘re listed in the right,
targeted places.‖
Big Budget
Planned
Promoter
Small Budget

57. Definition: Personas
Class Exercise: Personas
Jerry
Jenny
Donny
• 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?
Self Study
‖Personas and the Role of Design Documentation" by Andrew Hinton, Boxes and Arrows, 2008/02/27
Sabrina

58. Lunch Break

59. Agenda
Agenda
Afternoon
• Card Sorting
• Site Maps
• Page Types
• Navigation
• Sketching
• Wireframes
• Q&A

60. Card Sorting

61. Definition: 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

62. Definition: 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

63. Definition: Card Sorting
Case Studies:
•Wachovia Wealth Management Group
•American Red Cross
•Automotive Manufacturer

64. Definition: 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 PostIt note

65. Definition: 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

66. Definition: Card Sorting
Card Sorting: Next Steps
With the results of a card sort we then can:
• Build consensus
• Refine terminology
• Create a site map
• Help define navigation

67. Design

68. Site Maps

69. Design: Site Maps
Conceptual Design
―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

70. Design: Site Maps
Conceptual Design

71. Design: Site Maps
Conceptual Design

72. Page Types
The Mercator Atlas of Europe
From The British Library

73. Design: Page Types
Conceptual Design
Home Page
Category Page
Details Page

74. Navigation
Navigation Bridge, USS Enterprise
by Serendigity, Flickr

75. Design: Navigation
Grids
Types of Navigation
Areas of Navigation
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
• Global – universal header/footer
• Local – left nav/right nav
• Local content – text links, buttons
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
Styles of Navigation
•
•
•
•
•
Rollover
Dropdown
Flyout
Tabs
Accordion
Self Study
Adapted from Atsushi Hasegagwa‘s The 7 Navigation Types of Web Sites

76. Design: Navigation
Grids
Mega Dropdowns

77. Design: Navigation
Grids
Power Footers

78. Sketching
Ornithopter
by Leonardo da Vinci, 1485-1487

79. Design: Sketching

80. Design: Sketching
Sketching

81. Design: Sketching
Sketching
Any guesses what
this is a sketch of?

82. Design: Sketching
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
“twttr sketch‖
Twitter.com

83. Design: 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
Bill Buxton
Sketching User
Experiences

84. Design: Sketching
Sketching
Attributes of a Sketch
• Quick
• Timely
• Inexpensive
• Disposable
• Plentiful
Bill Buxton
• Clear vocabulary
Sketching User
Experiences
• Distinct gesture
• Minimal detail
• Appropriate degree of refinement
• Suggest & explore rather than confirm
• Ambiguity

85. Design: 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

86. Design: Sketching
Sketching
Process
1.Discuss
2.Sketch
3.Share
4.Revise

87. Design: Sketching
Discuss
• Discuss the purpose of the experience you‘re
sketching
• What features are necessary?
• How would you prioritize them?
• What‘s the audience?

88. Design: Sketching
Sketch
• Sketch silently
• Limit your time
• Sketch as much has possible, as many
different ideas as possible

89. Design: Sketching
Share
• Review your work with your team
• You offer your feedback to others
• What you like
• Questions about didn‘t work for you
• You‘re not grilling your colleagues and this
is not a competition

90. Design: Sketching
Revise
• Now sketch again/begin your wireframe with a
more informed view, more and better ideas
• Iterate on your design

91. Design: Sketching
Design: Sketching
Class Exercise: Collaborative Sketching
In teams, sketch your ideas.
Create & Promote an Event
1. Take 5 or so minutes first to discuss what
features belong here
• Is it a single page? Multiples steps?
2. Time for silent sketching
3. Time for sharing your sketches

92. Design: Sketching
Don‘t forget to keep your personas in mind
Jenny
Donny

93. Design: Sketching Tools
Info
Sketching Tools:
The following apps are all for the iPad
• Adobe Ideas ($9.99)
• Bamboo Paper (Free)
• Muji Notebook ($4.99)
• Penultimate ($0.99)
• SketchBook Pro ($4.99)

94. Wireframes
photo & sculpture by
polly verity

95. Design: Wireframes
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

96. Design: Wireframes - Examples
Design: Sketching
wireframe by
matthieu mingasson

97. Design: Wireframes - Examples
Design: Sketching
screencap from
The Right way to Wireframe
by Semantic Will

98. Design: Wireframes - Examples
Design: Sketching
iPad news app wire
by F. Yamada

101. Design: Wireframing Tools
Info
Wireframing/Prototyping Tools:
• Adobe InDesign
• Axure
• Omnigraffle (Mac)
• Microsoft Visio
• Mockingbird (online, free)
Also:
• Adobe Proto (coming for iPad)
• Balsamiq
• iPlotz
• iMockups (iPad)
• Omnigraffle (iPad)
Self Study
Smashing Magazine: 35 Excellent Wireframing Resources

102. Design: Wireframes
Design: Sketching
Class Exercise: Final Wireframe
In your teams, create your final deliverable, a home page for Events.com
Sketch First
1) Discuss features needed for a homepage
2) Sketch your ideas for a homepage individually
3) Review your sketches and provide feedback

103. Design: Wireframes
Design: Sketching
Class Exercise: Final Wireframe
Then Wireframe
1) Now, each of you will create a final ―wireframe‖
2) Be sure to incorporate your team mates‘ design
ideas and feedback

104. Design: Sketching
Don‘t forget to keep your personas in mind
Jerry
Jenny
Donny
Sabrina

105. Design: Wireframes
Design: Sketching
Wireframe & Prototyping Tools
Axure
Dreamweaver
InDesign
Visio
Develop

106. Additional Resources
Info
Books:
Organizations:
• Information Architecture for the World Wide
Web – Louis Rosenfeld, Peter Morville
• Human Computer Interactions (HCI)
• Information Architecture: Blueprints for the
Web – Christina Wodtke, Austin Govella
• Usability Professionals Association (UPA)
• The Elements of User Experience – Jesse
James Garrett
Further Studies:
• Designing Web Navigation: Optimizing the
User Experience – James Kalbach, Aaron
Gustafson
• Design of Everyday Things – Donald Norman
• Interaction Designers Association (IxDA)
• School of Visual Arts
• Continuing Ed classes
• MFA in Interaction Design
• Adaptive Path
• The Information Architecture Institute
Local Events:
• IA Meetup
• Content Strategy Meetup
Web Sites:
• Alertbox
• A List Apart
• Boxes & Arrows
• wireframes.tumblr.com
• The IA Summit
• Pratt – Course in Information Design
• Nielsen Norman Group
• Rosenfeld Media
• User Interface Engineering
Video:
The Right Way to Wireframe by Russ Unger (YouTube)

107. Q&A

108. Additional Info
Info
Slideshare address:
http://www.slideshare.net/stribs
My article on how to find an IA job:
http://blog.onwardsearch.com/2012/08/information-architecture-a-guerilla-guide-to-breaking-in/
@stribs

109. Design: Wireframes
Design: Sketching
Wireframe & Prototyping Tools
Axure
Addendum:
Dreamweaver
• Grids
InDesign
• Dieter Rams: 10 Principles of Good Design
Visio
• Defining Wireframes vs. Sketches, Templates, vs. Pages

110. Grids

111. Design: 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

112. Design: Grids
Grids

113. Design: Grids
Grids

114. Design: Grids
Grids

115. Design: 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

116. Dieter Rams: 10 principles of good design
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

117. Defining Sketches Versus Wireframes, Templates Versus Pages
Design: Sketching
Sketches
Wireframes
Quick
More time-consuming
Few details
Very detailed
Not typically delivered
Professional deliverable
Templates
Pages
Apply to many different pages
Specific, may apply to a single
page or screen
Examples:
• basic page
• category page
• product page
Examples:
• homepage
• ecommerce or transactional
form