This presentation was delivered to the Edinburgh Open Source Breakfast Meet Up group on 1 August 2014. It's a quick run through what information architecture and content strategy are, drawing on quotes and resources from experts in the field. My main point, however, is that user focus is what really matters. I show how the disciplines relate to other areas such as UX, usability and interaction design. I also make the point that most customers (in this case, people wanting a website or app) don't care about such things. They care about revenue, cutting costs, satisfying customers and mitigating risk. So I end with a couple of points I think are fundamental to get across to customers and suggest ways in which you can engage and collaborate.

1. A bluffer’s guide to:
Information Architecture
& Content Strategy
Neil Allison (@usabilityed)
User Experience Manager
The University of Edinburgh

2. Overview
• A quick intro
• Some definitions
• The bigger picture
• What customers care about
• Questions
• A quick activity (if we have time)

3. • Communication and engagement has been a
common thread throughout my career…
<Insert something
catchy and
insightful here>

4. Definition of information architecture
“The art and science of organizing
and labeling websites, intranets,
online communities and software to
support usability.”
www.iainstitute.org

5. Definitions of content strategy
“Planning for the creation, delivery, and
governance of useful, usable content.”
Kristina Halvorson
Content Strategy for the Web author
“Getting the right content to the
right user at the right time.”
Kevin P. Nichols
SapientNitro

6. http://louisrosenfeld.com/home/bloug_archive/000024.html

7. Definition of usability
“The effectiveness, efficiency and satisfaction
with which specified users
achieve specified goals
in particular environments.”
- ISO 9241 definition of usability

8. A question of hats
• Most people perform more than one role
– All these roles employ the same techniques
• Bottom line:
Either you’re user centred
or you’re not

9. http://blog.braintraffic.com/2010/01/behold-the-mighty-hive/

10. @Abby_the_IA http://slidesha.re/1rTbkOb

11. @Abby_the_IA http://slidesha.re/1rTbkOb

12. @Abby_the_IA http://slidesha.re/1rTbkOb

13. @Abby_the_IA http://slidesha.re/1rTbkOb

14. Your customers…
• …they don’t care about IA.
– Or UX or content strategy for that matter
• They care about:
– Increasing revenue
– Reducing cost
– Satisfying customers
– Mitigating risk

15. But collaboration is essential
• If you want to understand your customers
– And their audiences
• If you want to help ensure your work gets
signed off & launched “quickly”
• If you want your solution to be successfully
managed after handover

16. A couple of things your
customer needs to know
1.Process, not project
2.Everything is not equal

17. http://www.jjg.net/elements/pdf/elements.pdf

18. The Zipf Curve
Lou Rosenfeld: http://bit.ly/1rTiDp3

20. Quick & easy research techniques
• “Sketch” stuff
– Get people to interact with it
• 5 second tests
– Article: http://bit.ly/1rTlQox
– Free online tool: http://fivesecondtest.com/
• First click tests
– Article: http://bit.ly/1rTlJt8
– Free online tools: www.optimalworkshop.com
• Remote usability testing
– New free ‘Peek’ service: www.usertesting.com

21. Some good books
IA, content strategy & search
• A practical guide to IA – Donna Spencer
• Elements of Content Strategy – Erin Kissane
• Content Strategy for Mobile – Karen McGrane
• Search analytics for your website - Lou Rosenfeld
Usability & UX
• Don’t make me think – Steve Krug
• Rocket surgery made easy – Steve Krug
• Prototyping - Todd Zaki Warfel
• The User is Always Right – Steve Mulder
Communication & engagement
• Communicating design – Dan Brown
• Gamestorming – Gray, Brown & Macanufo

22. Thank you
Questions?
Neil Allison (@usabilityed)
User Experience Manager
The University of Edinburgh