A presentation to explain why selling of Information Architecture is important and how the architect has to include strategy points even before the IA is sold.

1. INFORMATION ARCHITECTURE DELIVERABLES
STRATEGY & SELLING IA
Dushyant Kanungo
10036175

2. So what is IA?
The term, coined by Richard Saul Wurman in 1976, is defined by the
Information Architecture Institute as:
“The structural design of shared information environments.”
“The art and science of organizing and labelling web sites, intranets, online
communities and software to support usability and findability.”
“An emerging community of practice focused on bringing principles of design and
architecture to the digital landscape.”
The Information Architecture Institute: What is IA? – [www]
http://iainstitute.org/en/learn/resources/what_is_ia.php - 24/02/2012

3. Why IA matters?
• The cost of finding the information
• The cost of NOT finding the information
• The cost of construction
• The cost of maintenance
• The cost of training
• The value of brand
Peter Morville & Louise Rosenfeild [2002] Information Architecture for the World Wide Web, 2nd Edition , O’Reilly

4. $how me the money!
“Low intranet usability (due to poor Information Architecture) costs the
world economy $100 billion per year in lost employee productivity.”
-Jakob Nielson
Jakob Neilson: Foreword to Rosenfeld and Morville's Book on Information Architecture (2nd edition) -
[www] http://www.useit.com/books/rosenfeldmorvilleforeword2.html - 24/02/2012

5. WOW! So what is the problem?
• Still a emerging domain
• Ignorance on executive level in organisations
• Grey areas in domain (Graphic Design, Interaction Design, Usability)
• Global recession and cost cutting
Making The Case || Selling The Case

6. The Curious Case of Information Architecture
• The benefits of a complete IA cannot be quantified
• Broad & shallow hierarchy v/s narrow & deep hierarchy
• The ROI case may only be valid for large industrial scale intranet
• Factors which influence information seeking behaviour
• The benefits of many IA components can’t ever be quantified
• How detailed a search component should be?
• How to measure the number of people NOT being able to find information?
• Most claims for quantified IA benefits can’t be validated
• IA is not a technical problem. It is a people problem.
• Varying people perspective, prejudice, politics and skills
Measuring Information Architecture Quality: Panel Presentations - [www]
http://instone.org/files/MeasureIA-Panel.pdf - 24/02/2012

7. Selling Information Architecture - 1
• Show the problem (And how you can help fix it)
• Make clear case for executives – cut to the chase
• Research the background information prepare a list of compelling reasons
• Benefit the bottom line
• The ROI case – Investment Returns with time frame & estimated losses in absence
• The productivity case
• Don’t promise the silver bullet
• Present cases of dependencies, risk management and mitigating case scenarios
Samantha Starmer [2006], Selling information architecture: Getting executives to say “yes”
- [www] http://bit.ly/zesdjG - 24/02/2012,
- Bulletin of the American Society for Information Science and Technology

8. Selling Information Architecture - 2
• Play the politics
• Know the organisation – culture and decision making process
• Talk to the right people at right time and in right order
• Listen, listen & listen
• Pay attention to style
• Facts based raw data or verbatim quotes from users?
• Think about who you need to sell in each pitch and prepare accordingly
Samantha Starmer [2006], Selling information architecture: Getting executives to say “yes”
- [www] http://bit.ly/zesdjG - 24/02/2012,
- Bulletin of the American Society for Information Science and Technology

9. Selling Information Architecture - 3
• User sensitivity “Boot Camp” sessions
• Site evaluation
• Strategy sessions
• Competitive & Comparative analysis
• Follow the tool sales people
• Be aggressive and be early
• Plan is your best friend
• Education is the half battle
• Get off your high horse
Peter Morville & Louise Rosenfeild [2002] Information Architecture for the World Wide Web, 2nd Edition , O’Reilly

10. Sold!
• The deliverables for sales?
• The usual suspect:
• A contract outlining Key areas of research
• Phase wise high level breakup of the plan
Peter Morville & Louise Rosenfeild [2002] Information Architecture for the World Wide Web, 2nd Edition , O’Reilly

11. Sold!
• The deliverables for sales?
• The usual suspect:
• A contract outlining Key areas of research
• Phase wise high level breakup of the plan
Research Strategy Design Implementation Administration
Peter Morville & Louise Rosenfeild [2002] Information Architecture for the World Wide Web, 2nd Edition , O’Reilly

12. Research
Content Context
IA
Users
A Research Framework
• Context
• Business goals, funding, politics, culture, technology, human resources
• Content
• Document/data types, content objects, metadata, volume, existing structure
• Users
• Audience, tasks, needs, information seeking behaviour, experience, vocabularies
Peter Morville & Louise Rosenfeild [2002] Information Architecture for the World Wide Web, 2nd Edition , O’Reilly

13. What is IA Strategy?
• IA strategy provides high level recommendations regarding:
• Information Architecture Administration
• Technology Integration
• Top-Down or Bottom-Up Emphasis
• Organisation & Labelling System (Top-Down)
• Document Type Identification (Bottom-Up)
• Metadata Field Definitions
• Navigation System Design
Peter Morville & Louise Rosenfeild [2002] Information Architecture for the World Wide Web, 2nd Edition , O’Reilly

14. Making the IA Strategy - 1
Think Articulate Communicate Test
• Convert research data into creative ideas
• Diagrams, metaphors, stories, scenarios, blueprints, wireframes
• Present, react, brainstorm
• Closed card sorts, prototypes
Local || Local || Local
Peter Morville & Louise Rosenfeild [2002] Information Architecture for the World Wide Web, 2nd Edition , O’Reilly

15. Making the IA Strategy - 2
• Metaphor exploration
• Organisational, functional, visual metaphors
• Scenarios
• Investigative & serendipity modes
• Case Studies & Stories
• Tailored for audience’s vocabulary
• Conceptual Diagrams
• Centralisation of core issues
• BluePrints & Wireframes
• Relationships between content components
• Architect’s tools for transformation
Peter Morville & Louise Rosenfeild [2002] Information Architecture for the World Wide Web, 2nd Edition , O’Reilly

16. IA Strategy Deliverables
• IA Strategy Report
• Detailed strategy, direction & scope
• Executive summery, audience, mission and vision for the site
• Architectural strategy, approach & lessons learned
• Content management – rules, roles, resources, templates, metadata, thesaurus
• IA Strategy Presentation
• High-level strategy, direction & scope
• Project Plan for Design
• Teams, deliverables, schedule & budget
Peter Morville & Louise Rosenfeild [2002] Information Architecture for the World Wide Web, 2nd Edition , O’Reilly

17. Thank You!
• Q&A
References:
• Peter Morville & Louise Rosenfeild [2002] Information Architecture for the World Wide Web, 2nd Edition , O’Reilly
• Samantha Starmer [2006], Selling information architecture: Getting executives to say “yes” [www] http://bit.ly/zesdjG -
24/02/2012, Bulletin of the American Society for Information Science and Technology
• Measuring Information Architecture Quality: Panel Presentations - [www] http://instone.org/files/MeasureIA-Panel.pdf -
24/02/2012
• Jakob Neilson: Foreword to Rosenfeld and Morville's Book on Information Architecture (2nd edition) - [www]
http://www.useit.com/books/rosenfeldmorvilleforeword2.html - 24/02/2012
• The Information Architecture Institute: What is IA? – [www] http://iainstitute.org/en/learn/resources/what_is_ia.php -
24/02/2012
Presentation prepared by Dushyant Kanungo, Student ID: 10036175, for the module ‘UFCEKF-20-2 Information Architecture’
at the University of the West of England, Bristol, UK. dushyant.kanungo@uwe.ac.uk | http://www.dushyantkanungo.com