How Well is Your Site Organized?

Agenda Information Architecture / Navigation What Does the User Want? How to Organize Information Best Practices

Information Architecture

Information Architecture is . . . Organization or site structure Navigation Visual Layout Content

Good Qualities are . . . Intuitive Multiple Entry Points Content based Reflects a purpose

Pictures = Action

User Attributes Impatient Don’t think in organizational charts Come to your site for different reasons at

different times

Organizing Your Information

1. Define key stakeholders’ goal.2. Identify users’ goals and expectations3. Define content areas4. Organize content5. Create site map / outline navigation6. Label content areas

1. Define Key Stakeholders Identify primary audience

– Be specific, new students, international, parents, community leaders

What are audience expectations?– Ex.: gathering feedback, reducing phone

calls, increasing applications List functional requirements

– Self-serve options, events calendar, forms

2. Identify Goals & Expectations Ultimate goal: Anticipates visitor’s needs

and expectations.

Labels: Use terminology the visitor understands.

3. Define content areas 2 questions that a user would ask. Pass to the right, add 2 more questions Evaluate and group questions and re-word

into 1 to 3 word content area headings.

4. Organize Content Group similar content Keep groups to a minimum.

– 7 is the magic number Remove duplicates

5. Create Site Map Draw a visual representation of the

content areas

6. Label Content Areas Use meaningful titles – ones that the user

understands. Organize list

– Alphabetical?– By need?– Chronological?

Best Practices

Guiding Principles General info on introductory pages Details on lower pages Sibling links equal importance Know what’s already developed on other

sites

Writing for the Web Users like consistency Users prefer “clear” opposed to “clever” Users expect content when they click on a

link.

Writing for the Web Use common nomenclature Frontload important details Concise labeling Avoid crowding the page Short paragraphs and sentences Use bullets, hyperlinks, subheadings

Writing for the WebFive W’s up front:

(Who, What, Where, When, Why)

Interesting facts & colourful stories in the body

Least important information down

here

Questions?