The design of a physical space can and should take advantage of information architecture (IA) deliverables, in particular when designing an integrated model of IA. The user must be able to easily-consult […] technology-dependent environments, e.g. digital medium or printed paper catalogue, in line with the information flow conveyed through the website. Conveying the relevance of information to the user/consumer by means of applying information architecture principles with a view to designing a crisscross-connecting model of human-information interaction is the focus of this work.

1. Europe's Fourth Information Architecture Summit Amsterdam, September 26-27 2008 Paper available at http://davidepotente.com/apple_ikea_integrated_ia.pdf Davide Potente & Erika Salvini ----------------------------------------- Apple, Ikea and their integrated information architecture

2. Introduction

3. Apple integrated IA

10. IKEA integrated IA Davide Potente & Erika Salvini - EuroIA 2008, Amsterdam

11. Ikea integrated information architecture Davide Potente & Erika Salvini - EuroIA 2008, Amsterdam Ikea’s actual approach to information is managed in different ways, according to the context: either the products’ catalogue, the website or the retail stores.

13. The catalogue Davide Potente & Erika Salvini - EuroIA 2008, Amsterdam The annual products’ catalogue is built on a hierarchic-enumerating classification: 15 classes highlighted by different colours and relative subclasses.

20. Redrawing the map Davide Potente & Erika Salvini - EuroIA 2008, Amsterdam

21. Redrawing the map The actual internal path within the store is obligatory. It could be too long and boring, especially at weekends, when stores are crowded and the shopping experience becomes quite stressful. This kind of interior space design is built on a market strategy: increasing the amount of time spent by customers inside the store to improve sales. It may be partially true, but it is not scientifically proved. Providing separate access to floors and direct access to departments could be a better option, still maintaining the possibility of a whole explorative route. Moreover the aim of the market strategy could be reached anyway maintaining low cost products’ display close to the storehouse and in front of cashier desks. In this way, even hurried or distracted customers could be tempted to buy those items. Davide Potente & Erika Salvini - EuroIA 2008, Amsterdam

22. Redrawing maps Davide Potente & Erika Salvini - EuroIA 2008, Amsterdam Map showing the current internal path. Ikea’s map redesign to provide a crossing wayfinding strategy by the use of colours and labels.

28. Crossing area description diagram Apple home page / Retail Store Apple Mac web page / Retail Store:Mac