UX Foundations: Information Architecture

Find how your users think about the world, and transition those lessons to your product's navigation, content classification, and layout.

Introduction

• Welcome
• Using the exercise files

1. What Is Information Architecture?

• What is information architecture?
• Creating good information architecture

2. Research to Determine Information Architecture

• Why do information architecture research?
• Card sorting to determine information architecture

3. Creating and Running a Paper Card Sort

• Finding the information to use in a card sort
• Deciding what goes on the cards
• Making the cards
• Recruiting participants
• Running the session
• Recording participants' answers

4. Analyzing a Paper Card Sort

• Getting from cards to knowledge
• Eyeball analysis of your data

5. Running and Analyzing a Computer-Based Card Sort

• Accessing remote users with online sorts
• Setting up a card sort using OptimalSort
• Running an online OptimalSort card sort
• Reviewing what participants see
• Checking your data
• Using the built-in analysis tools

6. Creating an Information Architecture from Your Analysis

• Starting with an abstract structure
• Creating abstract information architecture
• Knowing the problems you might face
• Understanding that card sorting isn't a precise technique

7. Validating the Information Architecture with Reverse Sorting

• Making sure your hierarchical structure is correct
• Creating and running a paper-based reverse sort
• Analyzing a paper-based reverse sort
• Interpreting the results

8. Computer-Based Reverse Sorting

• Exploring computer-based reverse sorting
• Using Treejack for reverse sorting
• Running an online reverse sort with Treejack
• Reviewing what the participants see
• Analyzing a Treejack reverse sort

9. From Information Architecture to Navigation Structure

• Getting to navigation
• Standard page elements
• Content-based navigation
• Going from information architecture to site layout

10. Testing That You've Got It Right

• There's no substitute for usability testing
• Watch your server logs after you go live

Conclusion

• The right information architecture is crucial to your site
• Next steps