Information Architecture & Design Information Architecture & Design

• Week 5 Schedule- Planning IA Structures- Other Readings- Research Topic Presentations

• Email Nadalia your Presentations

- Class Work: User Analysis- Group Project Plan Review- Group Work: Planning the Project Site

• Send email to the list from your project account- URL of your working designs

- URL of your working specifications

Thesauri, Vocabularies & MetadataThesauri, Vocabularies & Metadata

• The Structure of Your Content (Part of the Plan)• Models the Information for the User (Content

Modeling)• What Do You Do With Your Project Data (Content)?

- Context• Descriptive• Prescriptive

- Quality• Accuracy• Recency

- Characteristics• Media / MIME• Uses

• Represent the Relationships Between Systems

Controlled VocabulariesControlled Vocabularies

• Establish Consistencies• For the Content• For the Developers• On the Site – Apparent to the Users

• Just Synonyms?• Lists of Equivalents (Index)• Aliases (Authority File)• Also an Implied or Overt Hierarchy

• “Synonym Ring” p 178

• Based on User’s Understanding• Improved Upon by IA• Iterative Process to Discover Alternate Words and

Concepts• Not Just for Search

Building Your “Authority File”Building Your “Authority File”

• The list of preferred terms or acceptable values. P 180

• The Mission Statement for your Content- Acronyms, Abbreviations- Multiple terms (“term rotation”?)- Cases (Upper, Lower and Mixed)- Button and Graphics too

• Use a Central File to Keep Current• Responsible Role during the IA Method

Classification SchemesClassification Schemes

• Taxonomy (more than one)- Front End

• Users (Personalized)• Interface (Browse)

- Back End• Information Architecture• Content Management• System (Search)

- Technical Approaches• LIS & CS• Top-Down & Bottom-Up• Content & Task• ALL

Semantic RelationshipsSemantic Relationships

• Equivalence (Alternate Names)- Derived (Rules)- Vocabulary (Uses)

• Hierarchical (Relationships)- Strong (Inherited)

• City - Austin

- Instance (Classes)• Texas - Austin

• Associative (Checklist for Approval)- Based on Understanding of Content- Based on Understanding of Users

ThesauriThesauri

• Hierarchical Relationship• Equivalence Relationship• Associative Relationship

- Preferred Term- Varian Term (synonyms)- Broader Term (preferred’s parent)- Narrower Term (preferred’s child)- Related (“see also”, synonyms)- Use (rules for where and when)- Scope (restricts meaning)

Thesaurus TypesThesaurus Types

• Classic- Links- Keywords

• Subject Index• LoC

• Index- Browsable

• Appearance• Ordering (Multiple orders)

- Relational• See also• Hierarchy

• Document versus Site

Faceted ClassificationFaceted Classification

• Multiple Dimensions• Now More Applicable to Digital Information

- Personality, Matter, Energy, Space, Time- Topic, Product, Document Type, Audience,

Geography, Price

• Commerce Examples• What other kinds of views?

Taxonomy of Decisions & ActionsTaxonomy of Decisions & Actions

• Now – not just the taxonomies of content, but how people work

• Purpose of the Search• Method to Find Information• Content of the Information Being Searched• GVU Survey Question

- Recent instance of important information found

• Critical Incident Technique- Complete Instances- Known Consequences (Results)

• Morrison 2001

Taxonomy pt. 2Taxonomy pt. 2

• Taxonomies of Web Activities- Why people searched the Web- How search the Web- What information searched

• Analysis of Responses from Survey into Experiment

• Purpose Taxonomy• Method Taxonomy• Content Taxonomy

Human Information BehaviorHuman Information Behavior

• Information Seeking (Strategies)• Information Searching (Strategies)• Information Use

- Physical Actions- Mental Actions

• Focus on the User

• Wilson 2001

New Models of Info Behavior pt. 2New Models of Info Behavior pt. 2

New Models of Info Behavior pt. 3New Models of Info Behavior pt. 3

• Problem Solving• System Actions• Integration of Actions

Rapid EthnographyRapid Ethnography

• Like Rapid Prototyping & Usability Inspection• Field Work• Ethnography

- People (Practice)- Environments (Native)- Activities (Context)

• Cultural Observation and Analysis• Elicit User Requirements• More Focused (Decisions)

• Millen 2000

Rapid Ethnography pt. 2Rapid Ethnography pt. 2

• Short Studies• Comparisons to Other Studies• Zoom in On Key Activities• Multiple Datasets (Critical Incidents)

- Observations- Recording- Activity Walkthroughs- Interviews (Structured)

• Selection of Instances that Yield Incidents- Key Times- Key Users

Rapid Ethnography pt. 3Rapid Ethnography pt. 3

• Automated Data Analysis• Team Data Analysis• Scenario Analysis (storyboards)• Pictorial Storytelling (metaphors)• Lightweight Deliverables

- Drawings (Sketches)- Notes (not Reports)- Incomplete- Prototypes

• Cognitive Mapping (assumptive)

• Substitute for Full or Complete Studies

How Do We Really Use the Web?How Do We Really Use the Web?

• Reading vs. Scanning- Quality of Elements- Quantity of Elements- Purpose of Pages

• Satisficing- Guessing with Speed- Low Penalties (Back)- Testing Boundaries

• Muddling and Forging Ahead- Stick with what works- Not concerned with understanding

• Krug 2000

Semiotics of the WebSemiotics of the Web

• Site Structure and Cognitive Design- Typography

• Medium use- Browsers

• Message content- Paper- Web

• Appeal- Attention (interest)- Relevance (needs and motives)- Confidence (expectation & achievement)

• Accessibility- Culture- Physical

• Smart, et al. 2000

Learning and Interests (Users)Learning and Interests (Users)

• Learning is Remembering What You’re Interested In

• Cultivating Interest• Relevance• Interests vs. Obligations• Examples for Understanding

- Metaphors- Content Presentation

• “Architecture is Making Connections”

Designing for UsersDesigning for Users

• Permutations• Connections• Facts vs. Ideas• Discovery vs. JITI

Class Work: User AnalysisClass Work: User Analysis

• Who are your target users?• All of the possible users?• Rapid Ethnography

Group Project Plan ReviewGroup Project Plan Review

• Comments on Your Plans- Current - Future

Group Work: Planning the Project SiteGroup Work: Planning the Project Site

• Who are your target users?• All of the possible users?• Rapid Ethnography