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You have completed Information Architecture!
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Before we dive deeper into information architecture, let’s understand how it relates - and overlaps - with other important concepts related to web design and content.
New Terms:
- User Experience (UX) - the group of interactions a user has with a company or entity through its websites, apps, email, and everything else
- User Interface (UI) - the controls, sequences, and other functionality of a website or app that allows users to do what they want and get what they need
- Usability - making sure that something works well: that a person of average (or even below average) ability and experience can use the thing - whether it’s a Web site, a fighter jet, or a revolving door - for its intended purpose without getting hopelessly frustrated (source: Krug, Don’t Make Me Think)
Further Reading:
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In order to fully understand information
architecture, we should discuss how it
0:00
relates to other important concepts
related to web design and development.
0:04
I'm gonna name a few here, and
maybe you've heard of them.
0:10
Besides IA, we've got UX,
UI and usability.
0:13
Now, if we're talking about building
websites and organizing content and
0:21
menus and categories, and all of that,
these terms are going to come into play.
0:24
There is some overlap, but
I wanna draw a few boundaries here.
0:30
Because it will help us focus on
the right IA concepts in this course.
0:33
In the end, you'll see how they all work
together for creating a usable website and
0:37
positive user experience.
0:42
So let's start with information
architecture, or IA.
0:44
Here's the straight scoop from Peter
Morville and Louis Rosenfeld's influential
0:50
book Information Architecture
on that very subject.
0:54
Information Architecture
is a design discipline
0:58
that is focused on making information
findable and understandable.
1:02
It goes on to say that information is
perceived by people as places made
1:07
of information, and that these information
environments can organized for
1:12
optimum findability and understandability.
1:17
IA is about making collections of
information easy to locate and
1:22
easy to understand.
1:27
That all happens through proper naming,
linking, connecting, and
1:29
by understanding the audience,
their needs, and their language.
1:34
If you can make your users happy, you're
probably doing a good job with your IA,
1:38
which leads us to UX, or user experience.
1:44
UX is a concept that refers to the group
of interactions that a user has with
1:48
a company or entity through its websites,
apps, email, and everything else.
1:53
UX is a tough thing to measure because
it's all about people's feelings,
1:59
reactions, and their perception of things.
2:03
But obviously, you wanna create
an experience that's positive,
2:06
something that leads to more interactions,
more engagement, and more business.
2:09
UX is about the experience
you hope to create, but
2:15
also about the expectations
of those customers.
2:18
Meeting those needs, and
expectations with satisfactory,
2:22
positive features and interactions.
2:26
For example, let's look at two
websites focused on selling footwear.
2:29
Take a look at Red Wing Boots.
2:34
When you arrive, you can see this
site is all about work boots and
2:37
getting work done with those boots.
2:41
The lines are sharp,
space is used efficiently, and
2:44
there's plenty of information.
2:47
If you're the target customer,
you should feel, important word there,
2:49
like you can find your way around
easily and get things done.
2:53
Now, compare that experience to
the site for Manolo Blahnik.
2:58
This is one of the top designer
shoe companies in the world, and
3:02
their site reflects that.
3:06
It's about style.
3:07
And it's design uses lots of white
space to emphasize the products and
3:09
their design.
3:13
The feeling here is about quality and
exclusivity.
3:15
Different audience, different products,
different purpose, and
3:19
yet, they're both about selling footwear.
3:24
Well, the difference is in the experience.
3:26
Design is a big part of
creating an experience.
3:30
And one of the concepts directly related
to design and UX is UI, or user interface.
3:34
The user interface of a website or
app refers to the controls, sequences and
3:41
other functionality you provide so
3:45
people can do what they want and
get what they need.
3:48
So if user experience refers
to people's feelings and
3:51
general satisfaction with using a website,
the UI will
3:55
be one of those factors that affects
their experience and how they feel.
3:59
For example, the type of menu system
you use within your app will affect how
4:04
successful and happy users are.
4:08
If you look at Aldo's website,
the menu and
4:11
filtering system they offer allows women
to set specific selections on the style,
4:14
size, color,
even price of shoes they're shopping for.
4:20
But, if you go to to say ,Stride Rite's
website, a shoe website for kids,
4:24
the menu and interface puts more focus on
the function and purpose of the shoes.
4:29
Like ones your kid could wear to the beach
4:34
versus those crazy ones that light
up every time they take a step.
4:36
The interface you provide will
depend on the customer's needs.
4:40
Sure, they might eventually be
able to figure out whatever
4:44
user interface you provide, but when it
comes to creating a positive experience,
4:47
you wanna design something
with the best UI for them.
4:52
This means you need to understand
who you're targeting and
4:56
focus on their needs, not your own.
4:59
Now directly related to all these
things is the concept of usability.
5:03
Steve Krug wrote a great book
called Don't Make Me Think
5:07
in which he defined usability.
5:11
He says making sure that
something works well.
5:14
That a person of average or
even below average ability and
5:17
experience can use the thing.
5:21
Whether it's a website, a fighter jet,
or a revolving door for
5:23
its intended purpose without
getting hopelessly frustrated.
5:27
Specifically, we could be talking
about a user's ability to use
5:32
a complex drop down menu, to submit
an order for a product they need,
5:36
to create a new account or how to turn on
a feature using a seemingly simple button.
5:42
Usability is something you can
validate through testing and,
5:49
again, by understanding your users.
5:52
If you know who they are,
what they want, what they like,
5:55
and what will make them happy,
then your job becomes much easier.
5:58
So consider these concepts one more time.
6:04
Information architecture, user interface,
usability, and user experience.
6:07
We need to organize information,
name it logically, and
6:14
provide access that's clear and
easy to use.
6:18
And we'll use multiple types of
functionality with our design, text links,
6:22
menu systems, buttons,
things you can click or tap on your phone.
6:26
We'll design all this in a way that's easy
to use, logical, clear, and intuitive.
6:31
And if we can do all that, we'll provide
an experience that's positive, effective,
6:36
and one that our users will repeat
over and over and recommend to others.
6:43
These concepts rely on each other and
support each other.
6:48
So I hope this has been helpful.
6:51
As we move forward, our focus will
be on the IA part of the equation.
6:54
But as you can see, don't be surprised
if these other concepts sneak in,
6:59
because they naturally work together
7:03
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