1. Administration Of A Website Information Architecture November 17, 2010

2. This session covers What is information architecture Why is it important? Why is it difficult? Planning Planning components Top five mistakes Developing intuitive information architecture Governance

3. What is Information Architecture Allows organization of your web pages, documents, lists and data Is the hierarchical list of site content, search keywords, data types and metadata Supports findability and usability Is the practice of structuring information for a specific purpose

4. A Visual Definition Users • audience types • information needs Questions • Business • Context • Strategy • Resources • Culture • Business Processes and Workflow • Governance (Policies and procedures) Info. Architecture • organization, labels, navigation, • metadata • searching systems Information Architecture Content • scope and volume • data systems • Site(s) structure Answers

5. Why is Information Architecture Important? An organized site = easy to navigate A well-planned site = best practices Additional benefits = greater usability and higher keyword search success

6. Why is Information Architecture Difficult? Communication Gaps Labeling Thinking like the end user Varied data sources Various persons maintaining the information

7. Planning Information Architecture Involve all stakeholders Use Surveys Create a site map Plan your information Organize/rearrange your content

8. Planning Information Architecture: Tips Keep it simple, if changes require significant time to demonstrate, rethink your selected method of planning. Follow the order of the steps Encourage stakeholders to stay involved.

9. Planning Components • Organization methods • Labeling • Navigation systems • Increase search capabilities: by using metadata • Usability

10. Planning Components: Organization Methods Plain Old Text Slides HTML Wireframes Site Maps

11. Planning Components: Organization Methods Wireframe Example

12. Planning Components: Organization Methods Site Map Example

13. Planning Components: Labeling • Labeling is a form of representation • Use labels to represent larger chunks of information • Labels for navigation • Labels as headings • Labels as contextual links • Labels for index terms • The goal of labeling is to communicate information efficiently

14. Planning Components: Labeling Examples

15. Planning Components: Navigation Outline your navigation structure from your site map Decide uses (vertical, horizontal, etc.) Consider audience targeted navigation for large sites (for example: labels for “Live Here” or “Visit Here” may have two distinct informational paths. Include your mock up navigation on your wireframe

16. Planning Components: Increase Search Capabilities by Using Metadata • ‘Data about data’ • Title • Description • Authored date • Keywords • Historically used to improve searching – search can use the metadata fields • Used to relate information together

17. Planning Components: Metadata Examples Metadata describing the county the file originated from Metadata about the type of document Allows for greater search and filtering when finding information

18. Planning Components: Usability • Once you have a draft information architecture (organization, navigation, metadata, labels), conduct appropriate usability research to collect feedback from the target audience. • Methods may include: Cognitive Walkthroughs, Contextual Task Analyses, and Usability Testing.

19. Top Five Mistakes No structure Search and structure not integrated Missing category landing pages Extreme polyhierarchy Subsites poorly integrated with main site

20. Developing Intuitive Information Architecture Define mission/purpose of site Define long and short-term goals Pinpoint intended audience Focus on site content and content inventory Determine websites organization structure Create the website outline Visual website blue-print Good navigational systems Conduct user research

21. Governance Architecture governance is the practice and orientation by which enterprise architectures and other architectures are managed and controlled at an enterprise-wide level. Governance should be reviewed annually

22. Questions and Answers

23. Reference Resources • Learning • http://www.webmonkey.com/2010/02/information_architecture_tutorial/ • http://articles.sitepoint.com/article/information-architecture • Tools • http://iainstitute.org/tools/ • Guide • http://www.princeton.edu/communications/services/docs/IAguide2.pdf

24. Thank You for Attending! • Kathie Glassel Technology Programs Administrator 717-526-1010 X 3353 kglassel@pacounties.org • Nic Poague Database / Web Specialist 717-526-1010 X 3354 npoague@pacounties.org If you have questions, please feel free to call or e-mail: