Information Architecture

1. 1/23/2013
The User Part
SI 658
Information Architecture
Marti Gukeisen

2. The User Part
Related Readings
Information Architecture for the World Wide Web 3
rd
Edition (The Polar Bear Book)
Peter Morville & Louis Rosenfeld
ISBN 978-0-596-52734-1
 Ch 3 User Needs and Behavior
 Ch 10 Research
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How They’re Look for It
you’ve got it. they want it. I N F O R M A T I O N
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4. The User Part
The Bad Model
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user asks
question
black
magic
user
receives
answer
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5. The User Part
(A quick caveat)
Users don’t only need “information” these days
They may instead need:
 To complete a task
 To be entertained
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SI658 Information Architecture

6. The User Part
Why do we care?
Why does it matter for an information architect how
people look for information?
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7. The User Part
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Ways People Seek Information
the
perfect
catch
lobster
trapping
driftnetting
Moby Dick
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8. The User Part
Information Seeking Behaviors
searching
browsing
asking
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9. The User Part
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The Good About the Bad Model
user asks
question
black
magic
user
receives
answer
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10. The User Part
Yo, Berries
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Q1 I want
something
to eat
Q2
something
natural to
eat
Q3
something
natural &
sweet to
eat
I want
something
natural,
sweet, and
juicy to eat
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11. The User Part
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You may also like pearl building
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12. The (Waterfall)
Project Process
cause it’s like the project is
riding down a waterfall
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13. The User Part
The Project Process
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Research
Strategy
Design
Implementation
Administration
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14. The User Part
at Enlighten (where I work)
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Define Design Build
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Research Approach
User stuff, business stuff, all the stuff you need to know first.
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16. The User Part
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Figure 10-2. A balanced approach to
research
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17. The User Part
Figure 10-3. Tools and methods for
research
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18. The User Part
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Hello, I am X, I do Y. I would love to hear
your perspective about Z.
Man, I am
buying what
you’re selling.
It’s great to be
heard.
Now that’s
what I call
BUY IN.
Word.
IA
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19. The User Part
The Beauty of Collaboration
This is how I understand “the backend”
servers, configuration, CMS capabilities, etc.
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black
magic
But I know it’s important, so I rely on our engineering
team for this part of the discovery process
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20. The User Part
the deliverables I love to hate
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21. The User Part
Benchmarking
 Who’s doing it best?
 best job in channel
 best job in web for that process/functionality
 Don’t reinvent the wheel
Considering something new? It better be so good
it’s worth the effort of learning a NEW paradigm.
 Before and After.
You have to start before. Expect the dip.
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22. The User Part
Google Analytics
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23. The User Part
Search Term Analysis
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 Internal  External
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24. The User Part
More Techniques with Users
 Contextual Inquiry
 Card Sorting
 Focus Groups
 Surveys
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25. Project Time
With your whole team
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26. The User Part
the first group assignment
 Due at the end of class next week, Jan 30.
 the what & how brief
 anatomy of as-is IA
 elevator pitch
 business model canvas
♪
 back it up to “volume zero”
 template linked to from ctools
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27. 1/23/2013
Presentation Time
the part where you teach
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28. "Earning your Masters in
Library and Information
Science is beautiful."
Wrap Up
More stuff for you to do.
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29. The User Part
For next week
Due TUES Jan 29th at 11 pm.
50-300 words responding to the following:
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Polar Bear
Ch 11 Strategy
Ch 18 Business Strategy
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30. The User Part
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Rockstar & Software Eval presentations
next week
Remember:
 Tool evaluation sheets are available on ctools.
 If you signed up to present Jan 30, get ready!
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31. 1/23/2013
Laters
Questions?
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