The document discusses an information architecture course at the University of Washington. It introduces information architecture and outlines the course objectives, which are to understand the overlapping practices of information architecture, user experience, and what information architects do. It also discusses the information architecture project process that will be covered.

1. Special Topic in
Information Architecture
Content Strategy
Content Strategy The Information School
University of Washington

2. Objectives
Introduce and Understand
• Overlapping practices in IA, UX
• What do IAs actually do: skills and
deliverables
• What is our IA Project Process?
Content Strategy The Information School
University of Washington

3. Readings
• Cummings, Michael (2009). Information Architecture. Retrieved 23
March 2011 from Interaction-Design.org: http://www.interaction-
design.org/encyclopedia/information_architecture.html
• What is IA. Retrieved 23 March 2011 from iainstitute.org:
http://iainstitute.org/en/learn/resources/what_is_ia.php
• Davis, Nathaniel (2011). Framing the Practice of Information
Architecture. Retrieved 1 December 2011 from
http://uxmatters.com/mt/archives/2011/09/framing-the-practice-of-
information-architecture.php
• Davis, Nathaniel (2011). The T-Model and Strategies for Hiring IA
Practitioners Part 1. Retreived December 1 2012 from
http://www.uxmatters.com/mt/archives/2011/10/the-t-model-and-
strategies-for-hiring-ia-practitioners-part-1.php.
Content Strategy The Information School
University of Washington

4. Content Strategy
Frank C. Müller The Information School
University of Washington

5. Keywords
• User Centered Design
• User Experience
• Information Architecture
• User Interface
• Interaction Design
• Content
Content Strategy The Information School
University of Washington

6. Keywords
Information Architecture is a set of methods
for classifying, storing, accessing, displaying
and using information.
OR
Content Strategy The Information School
University of Washington

7. Interaction Design Foundation
Information Architecture is a discipline and a set of methods that aim to
identify and organize information in a purposeful and service-oriented way. It
is also a term used to describe the resulting document or documents that
define the facets of a given information domain. The goal of Information
Architecture is to improve information access, relevancy, and usefulness to
a given audience, as well as improve the publishing entity's ability to maintain
and develop the information over time. It is primarily associated with website
design and it is directly related to the following professional disciplines: User
interface design, content development, content management, usability
engineering, interaction design, and user experience design. It is also indirectly
related to database design, document design, and knowledge management.
http://www.interaction-design.org/encyclopedia/information_architecture.html
Content Strategy The Information School
University of Washington

8. • The structural design of shared information
environments.
• The art and science of organizing and labeling
web sites, intranets, online communities and
software to support usability and findability.
• An emerging community of practice focused on
bringing principles of design and architecture to
the digital landscape.
http://iainstitute.org/en/learn/resources/what_is_ia.php
Content Strategy The Information School
University of Washington

9. Explain IA
http://www.flickr.com/groups/explainia/
Murray Thompson murdocke23
Content Strategy The Information School
University of Washington

10. Explain IA
http://www.flickr.com/photos/boltron/4329185089/in/pool-1326826@N23/
Explain IA Grand Prize Award-Winning entry for the Explain IA Contest. Shot and
directed by Nate Bolt and Kate Nartker who make these weird videos for fun as Beep
Show. This one was for for Bolt | Peters. Starring Audrey as "daughter" and Frances
James as "mother."
Content Strategy The Information School
University of Washington

11. Rosenfeld and Morville’s Information
Architecture Iceberg
http://uxmatters.com/mt/archives/2011/09/framing-the-practice-of-information-architecture.php
http://uxmatters.com/mt/archives/2011/09/framing-the-practice-of-information-architecture.php
ContentStrategy
Content Strategy The Information School
University of Washington

12. Nate Davis Information Architecture Iceberg
http://uxmatters.com/mt/archives/2011/09/framing-the-practice-of-information-architecture.php
Content Strategy The Information School
University of Washington

13. Boersma T-Model for user experience design
Davis, Nathaniel (2011). The T-Model and Strategies for Hiring IA Practitioners: Part 2. Retrieved 1 December 2011
fromhttp://www.uxmatters.com/mt/archives/2011/11/the-t-model-and-strategies-for-hiring-ia-practitioners-part-
2.php
ContentStrategy
Content Strategy The Information School
University of Washington

14. Segmentation of UX practice verticals
ContentStrategy
Content Strategy The Information School
The Information School University of of Washington
University
Washington

15. Competencies of a freshman IA practitioner
Content Strategy The Information School
University of Washington

16. Competencies of a junior IA practitioner
Content Strategy The Information School
University of Washington

17. Competencies of a senior IA practitioner
Content Strategy The Information School
University of Washington

18. Bingo
Content Strategy The Information School
University of Washington

19. Activity a job by any other name
Match the job title to the description
Content Strategy The Information School
University of Washington

20. Activity a job by any name
Content Strategy The Information School
University of Washington

21. Content Strategy The Information School
Ron Armstrong University of Washington

22. WASP Curriculum Competencies
http://interact.webstandards.org/curriculum/user-science/information-
architecture-1?overview
Research/Project Definition
Content Organization & Structure
Process: Flows, Storyboards, Patterns
Structure: Maps, Diagrams, Wireframes
Interaction: Specifications, Prototypes
Content Strategy The Information School
University of Washington

23. Activities and deliverables in an IA Project
Conduct Client Interviews Storyboarding
User Needs/Research Overview Process Flows
Project Brief
Create a Persona
Conduct a Competitive Analysis Global Site Map
Page Description Diagram
Wireframe
Create Content Inventory
Conduct Content Audit
Create Content Map Functional Specifications
Card Sort Prototype
Usability Test Plan
Usability Testing
Content Strategy The Information School
University of Washington

24. IA Project Process
Research Design Instruct
Why What How
Content Strategy The Information School
University of Washington

25. IA Project Process
Define Decide Demonstrate
Research Design Instruct
Content Strategy The Information School
University of Washington

26. IA Project Process
Define Decide Demonstrate
Then What?
Content Strategy The Information School
University of Washington

27. IA Project Process
Define Decide Demonstrate
Research Design Instruct
Client Organization Requirements
•Business Goals Labels/Terms
•Business Brief
Users/Audience Structure Specifications
•User Needs Maps
•Persona
Content Actions Interactions
•Audit Analysis Flows Prototypes
•Strategy
Discovery Design Development
Why What How
Content Strategy The Information School
University of Washington

28. Questions?
Content Strategy The Information School
University of Washington

29. Does it always have to be this
way?
• It depends…
Content Strategy The Information School
University of Washington

30. How long does it take?
• It depends…
Content Strategy The Information School
University of Washington

31. Where does it really start
• Scope
• Budget
• Timeline
Content Strategy The Information School
University of Washington

32. IA Project Process
Define Decide Demonstrate
Research Design Instruct
Discovery Plan Presentation
Why What How
Where will you be working?
Content Strategy The Information School
University of Washington

33. Extras: Match the Tool
What is this deliverable?
What can you use to make it?
IA Institute
http://iainstitute.org/tools/
Konigi
http://konigi.com/tools/overview
Rapid Prototypes
http://adaptivepath.com/ideas/rapid-prototyping-tools
User Experience Deliverables
http://semanticstudios.com/publications/semantics/000228.php
Content Strategy The Information School
University of Washington

34. Examples of Why
Stories. A good story about a Personas. Portraits and profiles of user
user's experience can help people types (and their goals and behaviors)
to see the problem (or remind us all that "you are not the user"
opportunity), motivate people to and serve as an invaluable compass for
take action, and stick in people's design and development.
memories long after we're gone.
Peter Morville “User Experience Deliverables” Semantic Studios
http://semanticstudios.com/publications/semantics/000228.php
Content Strategy The Information School
University of Washington

35. Examples of What
Concept Maps. In the territory System Maps. A visual representation of
of concepts, a good map can objects and relationships within a system
help us see where we are and can aid understanding and finding for
decide what to do by both stakeholders and users. Shift gears
establishing from "as-is" to "to-be" and you have a
landmarks, clarifying blueprint for structural redesign.
relationships, and identifying
true north.
Peter Morville “User Experience Deliverables” Semantic Studios
http://semanticstudios.com/publications/semantics/000228.php
Content Strategy The Information School
University of Washington

36. Examples of How
Specifications. An explicit set Prototypes. From paper prototypes to
of requirements describing the pre-alpha software and hardware,
behavior or function of a working models drive rapid iteration and
system is often a necessary emotional engagement by showing how a
element in the transition from product will look and feel.
design to development.
Peter Morville “User Experience Deliverables” Semantic Studios
http://semanticstudios.com/publications/semantics/000228.php
Content Strategy The Information School
University of Washington