Information architecture,
a subset of Web usability,
is the art of dealing with a large amount of information.
Laying out a business card is a simple example of information
architecture: selecting, organizing, aligning and presenting information.
The card needs a look and feel which is consistent with marketing.
The layout of the card guides the eye along various paths across the
card to fulfill the different needs of the viewer.
(Graphic design and information architecture are overlapping disciplines.
Yet most designers have no training in information architecture
their emphasis is on evoking moods and 'performing', rather than
fulfilling user's needs.)
Organizing and navigating data on websites is much more
complex than laying out a business card. Whether you have a small
7-page site or an enormous database with millions of
interwoven chunks of information you will need to carefully
design the information architecture of your website.
(Every website needs information architecture. It's just
that few people are familiar with the term
and even fewer know how to do it well.)
Information architecture work often includes:
- Organizing information: schemas, networks, heirarchies, pretty graphs, etc.
- Navigation systems: knowing where you are, finding what you are looking for
- Labeling systems: more important than you think
- Searching: the lack or failure of which is the #1 source of user annoyance on the Web
Call me and we'll discuss how we can improve your website
and grow your business:
(408) 406-5580
(I am located in San Francisco, despite the 408 area code.)
or e-mail me at
|