Information Architecture – A Key Steps Definition
At the recent Information Architecture Summit 2007, nForm, providing user experience consulting and based in Canada, created a set of 16 trading cards for delegates to trade with each other for prizes.
The trading cards were split into 3 clearly defined areas:
- understanding
- solving
- evaluating
Each area provided keys steps of information architecture, although that isn’t to say that all steps are necessary for every project undertaking information architecture changes and optimisation.
Information on each of the steps can be seen at the UX Methods website which was developed specifically for the 2007 summit, and I would encourage you to take a look at their intepretation of the key steps of information architecture as they make for clear, if not short, explanation of each step.
For instance, find out details on some of the less commonly documented tasks such as:
- What is Kano Analysis and why use Kano Analysis
- What is the Alignment Model and why use this in your project
- What are Swimlanes and why are they useful
Naturally there is information on the most widely recognised information architecture steps such as card sorting, personas, process flows, site maps, wireframing, web analytics and usability testing.
I’d be interested in your feedback on this simple but effective definition of information architecture, and links to to other more comprehensive definitions would be useful also.
Tags: Information Architecture, ucd
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