information architecture

definition

Think of information architecture as the process whereby the blueprints of a website are designed with the end user in mind; this process involves developing the flow of a site and deciding how information should best be categorized and how various bodies of information might interact with one another. Clear as mud, right?

Well, here's how Louis Rosenfeld, co-author of Information Architecture for the World Wide Web defines IA:

"Information architecture involves the design of organization and navigation systems to help people find and manage information more successfully."

links

Adaptive Path agency "committed to advancing the art of user experience development." The group generously offers some of their presentations online.

Alertbox Jakob Nielsen's Bi-Weekly Column

Argus Center for Information Architecture "serves as a focal point for learning about the theory and practice of information architecture." The premier IA consulting firm Argus Associates closed its doors in early 2001, but there's still a lot of good info on the company's site.

Boxes and Arrows a new site developed to meet the related interests of folks working in information architecture, information design, interaction design, interface design

elegant hack personal site of Christina Wodtke, IA @ Hot Studio, founder of Boxes and Arrows

good experience Mark Hurst's site dedicated to monitoring customer's online experience

philosophe.com smart collection of thoughts on web site quality

Semantic Studios founded by Peter Morville, Semantic Studios is a consulting firm dedicated to designing and managing information systems

UIE User Interface Engineering, a leading research-driven company specializing in web-site and product usability

Usable Web comprehensive collection of links about information architecture, human factors, user interface issues, and usable design by Keith Instone

Useit.com Website of the self-proclaimed Usability guru Jakob Nielsen

Usability IBM site dedicated to usability

Webmonkey also has a pretty good high-level tutorial here.

books

Designing Web Usability by Jakob Nielsen

Don't Make Me Think: Common Sense Approach to Web Usability by Steve Krug

Information Architecture for the World Wide Web by Louis Rosenfeld & Peter Morville of Argus Associates

Web Navigation by Jennifer Fleming

Web Site Usability: A Designer's Guide by Jared Spool, et al

All of these titles can be purchased at Amazon.com and possibly at your local Barnes and Noble or Borders in their respective computer book sections. Nielsen's book is often prominently displayed in bookstores.

tools of the trade

IAs typically use some of the following software or tools:

Visio, Dreamweaver, InDesign, iRise, Omnigraffle, Dreamweaver, PageMaker, Framemaker, Excel (for keeping track of all the details, details, details). Visio is especially good for quickly architecting site maps (or flow charts).

contact me

If you still have questions about information architecture, if you'd like to suggest other sources I should add here, or if you just want to challenge my definition of IA above, email me.

photo by Robert Stribley

contact me