Information Architecture in the real world

IBM Systems and Technology Group

April 2010 © 2010 IBM Corporation

Information Architecture in the real world

Paul [email protected]@yahoo.com


© 2010 IBM Corporation 2

•Rich internet applications•Database driven websites•Content management systems•XML and semantic web•IA considerations for videos•Information visualization•Architecture and designing for accessibility•Social bookmarking•API (and IA)•Mashup

What you have covered so far…



1999

Joined IBM

BS Computer Science & BS MathNew Mexico State University,Las Cruces, NM

2006 - 2010

Information ArchitectIBM Power Systems hardware and software products

Developer in AIX Installation team

1999 - 2002 2002 - 2004

joined Information Development team to create the Task Analysis methodology

2004 - 2006

Lead Writer –

AIX Installation information

AIX Security information

2004 - 2010

•Technical Mentor

•IBM Technical Customer Advocate

•IBM Patent review board

1999 - 2006

Taught classes to IBM Service and Support personnel; IBM Business Partners

Paul Arellanes ([email protected])

IBM Power Systems Hardware and SoftwareInformation Architect and Strategist



Role of the IA During Fall Plan, review Line Items and ensure ID estimates are valid. If no ID estimates are identified, then work with Line Item owner to

ensure whether ID work is needed.

Review additional Line Items that come in after Fall Plan and ensure ID estimates are valid. If no ID estimates are identified, then work with Line Item owner to ensure whether ID work is needed.

Review PCRs, RFS's, PMRs, critsit/high-severity defects that cause a change in plan to the information strategy for a project.

Determine the information strategy for a project's product documentation needs (i.e. infocenter content, Helps, hardcopy, eLearning, release notes, distributed media content, ESP content, OEM content, embedded content, support center content, etc)

Provide input and status to ID project manager on overall schedule, risks, and dependencies.

Work with Lead Writer (or writers) to understand what the information design is for a given project.

Provide input to ID Translation Planner on translation schedule, risks, and dependencies.

Work with UCD/UX focal points assigned to project. Update the project information design based on UCD/UX activities.

Read initial development design docs. Create initial skeleton IA information design. Post to Wiki.

Review initial skeleton IA information design with development architects, development leads, etc. Work through questions and comments on the development design docs and the initial ID design.

Review updated IA information design with development architects, development leads, etc. Work through questions and comments on the development design docs and the initial ID design.

Work with Lead Writer to determine how to efficiently work on the IA information design.

Update IA information design with comments / questions from developers, service, RAS, test, ESP, UCD/UX, and other project stakeholders.

Work with writer(s) assigned to project. Update initial design with comments / questions from writers.

Work with writers on content navigation, content organization, task-based writing, titles, preparing content for content builds.

Attend regular development status meetings (usually weekly). Update information design as appropriate per development plan changes.

Work with Build and Tools Architect (BTA) to determine how new projects are set up for source control, content builds, content delivery, content publishing, and content updates. Work with BTA to determine if currently existing projects are impacted by changes based on new projects.

Help identify gaps/deficiencies in writing process. Help identify gaps/deficiencies in content building, delivery, publishing processes. Provide input as requirements to build and tools team.



What else do I do?

User interface design

Graphic designGraphic design

Software development

Usability engineering

Content management

Knowledge management

Translation planning

Accessibility planning



My toolbox

DITA-XML

XHTML, PDF, TROFF, XML, RDF

CSS

Flash,

Visio, OmniGraffle, Wiki, PowerPoint

javascript, Perl, PHP, MySQL, shell script

Grep, awk, sed, regular expressions

Eclipse Help System

Drupal, iPhone, iPad

…



•Linking strategy•File naming conventions•Titles / short descriptions•Structuring, organizing, and labeling, managing, finding

Additional skills



Developing a Task Flow

1. Define users

2. Define competition

3. Define Usability Focus Areas

4. Define Customer Task Focus Area – in / out scope

5. Create Task Flow Diagram

6. Create General Scenarios

7. Create Specific Scenarios from General Scenarios

8. Conduct / create content inventory

9. Store project designs



1. Define users

User group 1 – Real CustomersGlobal - all marketsCurrent and prospective customers

Medium and large customers – MLx Small Medium Business (SMB) – later in year

User group 2 – User rolesHW and SW installers (IBM and Customers)System administrators, network administratorsIT planners and IT managementService and support staff

Users change as the end to end task flow proceeds



2. Define Competition

Outside competitionBased on the Marketing Plan

Refer to marketing section in business plan Inside competition

Prior deliverables: (ie. Previous IBM server product targeting the same market)

Collect comparison data against previous IBM server product



3. Define Usability Focus Areas

Gather RequirementsEvaluate competition

Not part of plan scope, except as noted on previous chartEvaluate design (iterative)Test implementation for usabilityConduct Survey (post GA)

Marketing does this – Customer Sat for usability90 day call back inputService and support feedback



4a. Define Customer Task Focus Areas - In scope for project

Plan for purchaseOrderPlan for arrival of orderReceive, setupConfigure, configure virtualization optionsInstall OSSet up for serviceInstall fixesManage system(s)



4b. Define Customer Task Focus Areas - Out of scope for this project

Managing the environment, hardware and software

VSM, IBM Systems console, …Maintaining hardware and software over timeUpgrading



5. Create Task Flow Diagram

Order

Set up forservice

Plan for purchase

Receive,Set up

Configure‘virtualize’

InstallOS

Plan for arrival of order

Install fixes



6. Create Scenarios

Task User Documentation

source

Plan Customer, Business Partner

SW IC, SPT,

Order Business Partner Web (systems assurance site), eConfig,

Plan for arrival Customer Resource Link

Receive, set up Customer,

And/or: IBM

Resource Link, WCII

Deploy System Planning Tool

Customer Resource Link?

eCare Customer Resource Link,

SW IC

Assumptions: This version

assumes a System Plan to deploy

Order

Set up forservice

Plan for purchase

Receive,Set up

Configure‘virtualize’

InstallOS

Plan for arrival of order

Install fixes



7a. IBM Server Deployment Scenario

Task 2: Unpack ship group and locate setup instructions

1. Verify number of ship boxes for order completeness

2. Identify ship box to be installed via MTMS

3. Open ship group box

4. Locate install documentation

• Print from HW IC / DVD• View HW IC / DVD (local)• View HW IC / DVD (remote)

5. Locate kitting report and perform inventory

Task 3: Initial server setup

1. Locate rails / related hw, and cable management arm

2. Move rail install materials (including doc if printed) to install location

3. Determine rack install location

4. Install rails and cable management arm

5. Locate system box unpack instructions

6. Unpack and remove system from packaging

7. Transfer system to install location

8. Position server in rack

Task 4: Complete server setup

1. Configure and attach console (HMC)

2. Connect cables and external I/O devices

3. Attach power cables and connect to power

4. Start the system

Task 1: Receive Shipment

1. Locate packing list from outside of ship box

2. Receive shipment into inventory using MTMS (per company processes)

3. Coordinate ship box with related order components (if necessary)

4. Transfer ship box to holding area for installer

Red text signifies areas where content is missing.



Task 2: Unpack ship group and locate setup instructions

Verify ship group completeness and identify system to be installed by MTMS. Open ship group box, locate install doc, kitting report and perform inventory.

Task 3: Initial server setup

Move rails, CMA, and doc to install location and install. Return to staging area and follow unpack instructions to remove the system from packaging. Install system into rack.

Task 4: Complete setup

Connect and configure HMC. Attach cables and external I/O devices. Attach power cables and connect to power. Start system.

Task 1: Receive Shipment

Locate packing list, receive into inventory, coordinate with related order components and move to staging area.

Receiver

Packing List

Staging Area

Installer

Kitting Report

Install roadmap

Power HW IC

Internet

Printed Install doc

Install Location

Rails CMA

Unpack Instructions

Install roadmap Printed Install doc

Rails CMA

HMC

Rails

System

Cables

and I/O

Devices

Task 5: Partition and Operating system installation

Legal / Lic docs

7b. IBM Server Deployment Scenario



8. Conduct / create content inventory



9. Store project designs in team Wiki



Books vs web sites vs ???IA concept Books Web sites ???

Components

Cover, title, author, chapters, sections, pages, page numbers, table of contents, index

Main page, navigation bar, links, content pages, sitemap, site index, search

Many authors, unstructured data, portlets,

DimensionsTwo-dimensional pages presented in a linear, sequential order

Multidimensional information space with hypertextual navigation

Semantic, aggregated data, filtered, profile based,

BoundariesTangible and finite with a clear beginning and ending

Fairly intangible with fuzzy borders that “bleed” information into other sites

No borders

DeliveryHard copy book, pamphlet, poster

Support sites, knowledge base, online library, eLearning, podcast, video

Mobile devices, netbooks, gaming consoles, kiosks

(Information Architecture for the World Wide Web, 3rd Edition)

Where is information headed?



References



Paul Arellanes

[email protected]

http://www.facebook.com/arellanes

http://twitter.com/paulthomas_tx

http://www.linkedin.com/in/paularellanes

Information Architecture in the real world

Documents

Transcript of Information Architecture in the real world