Information Architecture (IA).

Information Architecture is the art and science of organizing information to support usablility and findability. It borrows from architecture and brings it into the digital landscape so to speak.

A brief history of Information Architecture.

First lets look at the pioneers.

Richard Wurman is considered the founder of Information Architecture. He is an Architect turned graphic designer. He has written over 90 books.

Peter Morville is also a “founding father” of IA. He has coauthored the book Information Architecture for the World Wide Web with Louis Rosenfeld. He with Louis also headed the Information Architecture Institute.

Information Architecture for the World Wide Web notes that the main components of IA is:

Organization of Schemes and Structures
Labeling Systems
Navigation Systems
Search Systems

To use these systems you need to understand the interdependent nature of users, content and context.

Or in English: “Information Architecture is a way to make the complex clear.”

I hate spreadsheets. I think they are ugly and hard to understand. They have all the information you need in the most undesirable and unreadable format possible. There are whole companies set up around the idea that you can present information better and predict better results too then with a spreadsheet. They specialize in business intelligence tools and data visualization. This is where information architecture helps organize data into useful chunks. Spreadsheets = probably all the information I ever need. IA = organizes it in a way that is readable to me and therefore actionable.

What is Information Architecture?

Imagine someone hands you a bunch of 3x5 cards with grocery items written on it and asks you to sort through the deck and place items that belong with each other and then label that group. What did you just do? You organized information, you labeled information, you put a list and organized it into usable content and into context.

So how does that help me?

Imagine a world where the internet is not organized. Websites are thrown together without much thought for organization. Imagine a world where mrbottles.com looked like this. A horrible sin against humanity. I honestly don’t know how something like this survived into 2014!

I know scary right. I just wanted to know more about bottles, and by looking at this page circa 2014 I would have had no idea where to go. I may be the worlds biggest nerd of bottle memorabilia but going to this site would be the hardest site to ever visit and navigate, I probably would not find the bottle I wanted and would have bounced forthwith. Luckily, it looks like its been revamed since then and is much easier to navigate.

As you can see from looking at both pages, the fun and whimsical spirit is still present, but, the ability to navigate is much easier. If I wanted to find my Alma Wisconsin Seltzer bottle, now I can.

Sources:

Usability.gov https://www.usability.gov/what-and-why/information-architecture.html

Mr Bottles http://www.mrbottles.com/

Designlab lectures:

• Intro to Information Architecture
• IA Heuristics