What is information architecture? Actually that is a question that I never really knew until I came across this book. Information architecture (as defined by the author) is the structural design of shared information environments. It is the combination of organization, labeling, search and navigation systems within web sites and intranets. IT is also the art and science of shaping information products and experiences to support usability and findability.
Does that definition make it any clearer? Maybe a little, but basically it means how to properly design the architecture of medium to large websites (kind of).
Unless you're a senior developer of a large company that has a large website, or are in the process of doing so, you probably never had the first hand experience of how to set the foundation of properly displaying large amounts of data to customers.
The beginning of the book the author explains the importance of Information Architects and how one can gain the experience to be one since there is really no degree or certification at this point in time. The author explains the backgrounds one may need to have to gain the necessary knowledge: journalism, library science, product management, technical writing, etc. To be an "AI", does not mean you have a computer background, it means that you have an understanding of how to use information to convey the meaning they are trying to get across to the customer. Indexing data, organizing data, structuring data are some of the tasks that are needed. It seems to me that it is one of the "unknown solders" disciplines in web development, but it is necessary for a successful site design.
The book also discusses the niches of AI that are popping up recently such as:
Metadata Specialist
Content Manager
Director, User Experience
Search Schema Content Editor
The first part of the book focuses on the anatomy of information architecture. The author goes through many web page examples of showing how to visual information architecture. Showing each sites home page and going through categories such as navigation systems, search systems and labeling systems shows you how important small bits of information can convey a particular question to the user.
The questions could be:
How do I get around the site?
What's important and unique about this organization?
What's available on this site?
How can I contact a human?
What's there address?
Later in the book the author describes different browser aids, search aids, content and tasks and invisible components that an AI can use to help the user get the information they need.
Examples would be:
Browser aids:
Sitemaps, site guides, site wizards, contextual navigation systems, local navigation
Search aids:
Search interface, query language, query builders, search zones, search results
Content and tasks:
Headings, embedded links, lists, sequential aids, identifiers
"Invisible" components:
Retrieval algorithms, categorizing data, specific vocabularies
All of these are discussed throughout the book in an easy-to-read manner so that when you design or re-design a site you can keep these in mind if you can't afford to hire an AI yourself.
A really interesting book that makes you re-think the design of your site!
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