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IA 101:
What, Why, and How
02.07.18
Sarah Barrett
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Information architecture is
the practice of turning
digital spaces into places
made of information.
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Information is not a thing.
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Information is whatever a user
interprets from the arrangement
or sequence of things they
encounter.
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IA arranges the things for users
to interpret.
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Information happens.
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Spaces become places when you
can answer these questions:
Where am I?
What’s here?
Where can I go?
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Activity time:
Get a printout and a
pen.
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Exercise: Navigation Stress Test
What is this page about? Draw a rectangle around the title of the page
or write it in
What site is this? Circle the site name or write it in
What are the major sections
of this site?
Label with X
What major section is this
page in?
Draw a triangle around the X
What is “up” 1 level from
here?
Label with U
How do I get to the
homepage of this site?
Label with H
How do I get to the top of
this section of the site?
Label with T
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Exercise: Navigation Stress Test
What is this page about? Draw a rectangle around the title of the page
or write it in
What site is this? Circle the site name or write it in
What are the major sections
of this site?
Label with X
What major section is this
page in?
Draw a triangle around the X
What is “up” 1 level from
here?
Label with U
How do I get to the
homepage of this site?
Label with H
How do I get to the top of
this section of the site?
Label with T
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Exercise: Navigation Stress Test
What is this page about? Draw a rectangle around the title of the page
or write it in
What site is this? Circle the site name or write it in
What are the major sections
of this site?
Label each with an X
What major section is this
page in?
Draw a triangle around the X
What is “up” 1 level from
here?
Label with U
How do I get to the
homepage of this site?
Label with H
How do I get to the top of
this section of the site?
Label with T
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Exercise: Navigation Stress Test
What is this page about? Draw a rectangle around the title of the page
or write it in
What site is this? Circle the site name or write it in
What are the major sections
of this site?
Label each with an X
What major section is this
page in?
Draw a triangle around the X
What is “up” 1 level from
here?
Label with U
How do I get to the
homepage of this site?
Label with H
How do I get to the top of
this section of the site?
Label with T
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Exercise: Navigation Stress Test
What is this page about? Draw a rectangle around the title of the page
or write it in
What site is this? Circle the site name or write it in
What are the major sections
of this site?
Label each with an X
What major section is this
page in?
Draw a triangle around the X
What is “up” 1 level from
here?
Label with U
How do I get to the
homepage of this site?
Label with H
How do I get to the top of
this section of the site?
Label with T
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Exercise: Navigation Stress Test
What is this page about? Draw a rectangle around the title of the page
or write it in
What site is this? Circle the site name or write it in
What are the major sections
of this site?
Label each with an X
What major section is this
page in?
Draw a triangle around the X
What is “up” 1 level from
here?
Label with U
How do you get to the
homepage of this site?
Label with H
How do I get to the top of
this section of the site?
Label with T
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Exercise: Navigation Stress Test
What is this page about? Draw a rectangle around the title of the page
or write it in
What site is this? Circle the site name or write it in
What are the major sections
of this site?
Label each with an X
What major section is this
page in?
Draw a triangle around the X
What is “up” 1 level from
here?
Label with U
How do you get to the
homepage of this site?
Label with H
How do you get to the top of
this section of the site?
Label with T
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Exercise: Bonus!
How might you get to
this page from the site
homepage?
Write it out like breadcrumbs
Connect the elements on the page
that tell you this
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Wayfinding principles are
our tools:
Establish a spatial vocabulary:
1. Identify locations
2. Create edges
3. Pave your paths
4. Add landmarks
Let people see what’s going on:
5. Make maps
6. Establish sight lines
7. Add signs
Bonus:
8. Limit choices
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Information needs people.
People need places.
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Questions?