An easy and practical guide to information architecture.

1. MIRUM AGENCY 2014
by Joan Lumanauw | May, 2015
Session5:
INFORMATION ARCHITECTURE

2. INFORMATION
ARCHITECTURE?
Commonly known as IA, it is the art and
science of developing structures and
organization to present data & information
What is

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UX
Usability
IA
The difference between
User Experience
Usability
Information Architecture

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UX
Usability
IA
The difference between
How did I live without this before?
Usability
Information Architecture

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UX
Usability
IA
The difference between
This product is easy to use
Information Architecture
User Experience

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UX
Usability
IA
The difference between
Everything’s right where I’d expect it to be
User Experience
Usability

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If UX is
the terrain

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Then IA is
the map

9. Navigation
& Labeling
Right
Left
Information Storage
& Retrieval
Content
Organisation
3 Focus of IA
http://www.slideshare.net/jrs76/what-is-information-architecture-and-how-can-it-help-my-website?related=1

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THIS IS
YOUR WEBSITE

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Navigation & Labeling

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Navigation & Labeling
Living Room Kitchen
Dining Room
Bathroom
Playroom
1st floor

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Navigation & Labeling
Parent’s Bedroom
Bathroom
Grandma’s Bedroom
2nd floor
Kid Bedroom #1
Kid Bedroom #2

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Why did we put the living room in the middle?
Questions
Why is the kitchen near the dining room?
Why did we put the family bedrooms upstairs?
Why is the playroom downstairs?

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But wait, grandma has a bad back, she can’t go up
and down the stairs all day along…
What are we to do?

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Navigation & Labeling
Living Room Kitchen
Dining Room
Bathroom
1st floor
Grandma’s Room

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Content Organisation
Living Room Kitchen
Dining Room
Bathroom
Grandma’s Room
Everything (now/future) has a place
•Sofa
•TV
•Coffee Table
•Shower
•Sink
•Toilet
•Bed
•Recliner
•Table
•Dining Table
•Chairs
•Napkins
•Stove
•Oven
•Cooking Utensils
•Spice Rack

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Information Storage & Retrieval
Kitchen
Dining Room
•Dining Table
•Chairs
•Napkins
•Stove
•Oven
•Cooking Utensils
•Spice Rack
Where does eating utensils go?

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How do we implement it?
Now that we understand the basic concept of IA

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IA Output: Sitemap

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IA Output: Sitemap

22. Navigation
Right
Left
Findability
Why do we need IA?
SEO
So users can find
your website
So users can find the
information they’re
looking for
So users know
where they are
http://www.slideshare.net/jrs76/what-is-information-architecture-and-how-can-it-help-my-website?related=1

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Information Scent
Findability
Is an analogy that compares how humans
seek information with animals seeking food.
• Refers to the extent to which users can predict
what’s ahead (in a link or in an article)
• Information scents includes titles and links that
helps visitors find what they are looking for
• Users will feel duped if they don’t get sufficient
payoff from going down a path
http://www.slideshare.net/jrs76/what-is-information-architecture-and-how-can-it-help-my-website?related=1

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It helps visitors know that your site is fertile hunting
grounds for the things they are looking for.
YOU’RE GETTING CLOSER
Information scent says to the user
Scientology
About
The Church
Book of
Scientology
Scientology
Beliefs
Church
History
Church
Hierarchy
Book of
Temptations
Book of
Prophets
Beliefs on
Marriage
Beliefs on
Paradise
http://www.slideshare.net/jrs76/what-is-information-architecture-and-how-can-it-help-my-website?related=1

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• Search engines index (scan) your site hierarchically
• Pages higher in the hierarchy are given more weight
• SEO also make note of silos of info and relationships
• Well architected site makes information more findable
Scientology
About
The Church
Book of
Scientology
Scientology
Beliefs
Church
History
Church
Hierarchy
Book of
Temptations
Book of
Prophets
Beliefs on
Marriage
Beliefs on
Paradise
Most Weight
Least Weight
IA impacts heavily on search engine’s view of your site
http://www.slideshare.net/jrs76/what-is-information-architecture-and-how-can-it-help-my-website?related=1

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• Help users know what’s available and find what they are looking for.
• Tell users where they are within the site
• Tell users how to use the site by quickly communicating features
• Give users a reference point
Sitemaps and Menus that reflect IA leads to greater findability
Use breadcrumbs let users
know where they are
Clear large title/heading
Active view on the menu item
VISUAL CUES
http://www.slideshare.net/jrs76/what-is-information-architecture-and-how-can-it-help-my-website?related=1

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ANY QUESTIONS?

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In pairs, use the Lifebuoy FGD Report and
design a sitemap for the mobile app.
Exercise 4.1
INFORMATION
ARCHITECTURE