UX Foundations: Information Architecture (2013)

Course details

Improving the way the information in your site or application is organized and presented is one of the most cost-effective ways of increasing user satisfaction and engagement. Information architecture can help you find out how your users think about the world, and transition those lessons to your product. In this course, Chris Nodder teaches you how to perform card sort research to get information about user interactions, analyze the results, and create a validated information architecture plan. Then translate your plan into refined menus, content classification, and page layouts. Finally, test the success of your new structure with reverse card sorting and by monitoring feedback from server logs, site searches, and help desk calls.

Learning objectives
What is information architecture?
Why do research?
Creating and running a paper card sort
Recruiting test participants
Analyzing paper card sort results
Running a computer-based card sort
Creating abstract information architecture
Validating your plan with a reverse card sort
Translating information architecture to navigation and layout
Watching the server after you go live

Concepts

0. Introduction

01 - Welcome
02 - Using the exercise files

1. What Is Information Architecture

03 - What is information architecture
04 - Creating good information architecture

2. Research to Determine Information Architecture

05 - Why do information architecture research
06 - Card sorting to determine information architecture

3. Creating and Running a Paper Card Sort

07 - Finding the information to use in a card sort
08 - Deciding what goes on the cards
09 - Making the cards
10 - Recruiting participants
11 - Running the session
12 - Recording participants' answers

4. Analyzing a Paper Card Sort

13 - Getting from cards to knowledge
14 - Eyeball analysis of your data

5. Running and Analyzing a Computer-Based Card Sort

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

6. Creating an Information Architecture from Your Analysis

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

7. Validating the Information Architecture with Reverse Sorting

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

8. Computer-Based Reverse Sorting

29 - Exploring computer-based reverse sorting
30 - Using Treejack for reverse sorting
31 - Running an online reverse sort with Treejack
32 - Reviewing what the participants see
33 - Analyzing a Treejack reverse sort

9. From Information Architecture to Navigation Structure

34 - Getting to navigation
35 - Standard page elements
36 - Content-based navigation
37 - Going from information architecture to site layout

10. Testing That You've Got It Right

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

Conclusion

40 - The right information architecture is crucial to your site
41 - Next steps