Information Architecture 2 Information Architecture 2

• Don Turnbull donturn@ischool.utexas.edu• Office hours by appointment, just send me an email or

check with me in class.

• Course Web site - http://www.ischool.utexas.edu/~i385fdt/

• Mailing list (listserv) - Address an email message to listproc@lists.cc.utexas.edu. - Leave the subject line blank. - In the message body, type Subscribe i385f YourFirstName

YourLastName. - Remove any other text from the body of the message, such

as a signature file.

Week 2 UpdateWeek 2 Update• No Class Scheduled October 23• Books?

- Beck, K. (1999). Extreme Programming Explained: Embrace Change .

- Schmitt, Christopher. (2002).Designing CSS Web Pages.

- Zeldman, J. (2003). Designing With Web Standards.

Week 2 WorkWeek 2 Work

• Let’s Build a Toolkit- HTML & Graphics Editors- Site Mapping Tools- Site Organization Tools- Other Tools?

• IA Methodology- Work through the IA Process- Class Work: Create and Maintain a set of Design Ideas- Begin to track Design Decisions

IA2 Research TopicsIA2 Research Topics

• For research papers and class discussion• One from each, related to our project:

1. Technologies

2. Concepts

Topics on TechnologiesTopics on Technologies

• ActiveX, Flash• XUL• CSS Style Sheets• CSS and Dynamic HTML• JavaScript and Java• HTTP, Web servers and Web services• Databases, Data Access and Data Management• DOM (Document Object Model)• RDF, RSS and Newsfeeds

Topics on ConceptsTopics on Concepts

• Semantic Web and Digital Libraries• Search and Navigation• Agents• Portals• Ontologies (applied)• XHTML and Web Structure• Web browsers and other devices• Accessibility (applied)

IA ReviewIA Review

- Organization, labeling and navigational schemes in an information system• Managing the process

- Structural design of an information space for task completion and access to content• Understanding Business and Implementing Goals

- Art and science of structuring and classifying• Intranets and Web + applications, other

technologies- Emerging discipline for improving design and

architecture to “digital landscape”• Other skills, unique combinations and instances

Rosenfeld & Morville

Approaches to IAApproaches to IA

• Mediator of the Design Process• Interpreter of User Needs and Uses• Applying Theory to Practice (Top-Down)• Designing and Extending from Examples (Bottom-Up)• Ringmaster (Scoutmaster?)• Producer, Director• Artist or Scientist• Objective / Subjective

• Project Lead – IA – Designer – Usability - QA

““Design is Solving Problems”Design is Solving Problems”

• Products that Solve Problems- Information as Product- Connections as Product

• Processes that Solve Problems- Education- Business (Activity) Transformation

• What will the boundaries of our design be?• Is “Library Online” still be a good

description?

One IA MethodologyOne IA Methodology

• Planning• Analysis• Design- Technology Independent- Technology Dependent

• Construction• Verification• Maintenance

IA Methodology

Analysis Design

Verification Construction Maintenance

Planning

Other Methodologies

• Mostly from Software Development- Waterfall Development Model- Life-cycle(s)- Structured (Programming) Methodology- AD/Cycle and CASE- User-Centered System Design- Agile Development- Rapid Application Development- Object-Oriented Development- Many more

A “New” Methodology – XP

• eXtreme Programming- Combination of many methods- Formalized around 1999

• Takes good development methods to the extreme• Pair programming and code reviews• Testing all the time in small units by both developers and

users• Constant re-design for simplicity and modularity

(refactoring)• Architecture of system always kept in mind and changed

if needed• Integration and testing throughout the process• Short goals help iterate and improve the process

Is XP Just Common Sense?

• Methods improve over time• Find the right combination of methods for each

project or product• Different organizations may use more appropriate

methods or emphasize other methods

• Designers and developers can improve both methods and the product quickly

• Customers and users can both observe and advise in the product design and development

• Requires more commitment to apply XP, often why other methods are chosen. They’re easier, but not better.

XP…

• “is a lightweight, efficient, low-risk, flexible, predictable, scientific and fun way to develop software” p xvii

• Uses and overall plan that evolves• Allows for schedule flexibility• Involves customers more than ever by helping to

design tests and understanding design decisions• Stresses short-term results with long-term interests

IA Project Problems

• Time• People• Tools• Knowledge• ???

XP = XIA?XP = XIA?

• Can XP be applied for IA projects?• Test cases will be simpler to design, explain

and test• Lack of (comparable) flexibility in Web

protocols and technologies may restrict some designs

• Lightweight nature of development in typical IA projects enables more flexibility and iteration in design

• New systems easier to attempt with new methods

XIA - eXtreme Information ArchitectureXIA - eXtreme Information Architecture

• Applying XP methods and approach to understanding users and developing information systems

• Applicable to fast prototyping, verification and iterative design at individual and organizational levels

XIA for IA2XIA for IA2

• Small units designed• Tests developed for each page or subset of

page’s functionality and recorded- Content- Context- Function

• Pairs develop functionality- In and out of class- Rotating pairs

• Continual integration into overall design• Systems Analysis and Design

XIAXIA

• As much interaction with customers as possible- Different customers for each goal

• Tests to continually confirm quality and scope of design progress

• Change early and adapt according to:- Time- Resources- Functionality

• Communication- Class listserv?- Email- Server?

Class Work: Design IdeasClass Work: Design Ideas

• What does the Library do?• People?• Institution?

- In the real world?• Current• Future

- On the Web?• Current• Future

• Feature Identification- Terminology Agreement- Functionality Agreement

• Broad• Specific (later for test cases)

Class Work: Functional AnalysisClass Work: Functional Analysis

1. Existing Functionality2. Essential Functionality

3. Competitors’ Functionality- In Category

• Other Libraries• Other University Libraries

- Beyond Category• Bookstores• Book finding services• Information finding services• Information tracking services

• Ranking and Grouping Functionality• Affinity Analysis

XIA RolesXIA Roles

• User Advocate• Tracker• Initial Test Case Developer• Developer - Tools• Developer - Content

Next WeekNext Week

• Books• Customer Contact• Deliverables