Pres info architecture

Organization Systems

Presentation by Arusyak Harutyunyan

Organization Systems

Presentation by Arusyak Harutyunyan

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What do we need it for?What do we need it for? We need to organize information

thus enabling people to find the right answers to their questions via supporting casual browsing and directed searching. The aim is to design organization and labeling systems that make sense to users and are ease-of-use.

We need to organize information thus enabling people to find the right answers to their questions via supporting casual browsing and directed searching. The aim is to design organization and labeling systems that make sense to users and are ease-of-use.09.07.201009.07.2010

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ORGANIZING CONTENTORGANIZING CONTENT If you want your content to be useful, well-written, and in

a format that is suitable for the Web, it is important to ensure that the information is clearly organized. In some cases, the content on a site can be organized in multiple ways to accommodate multiple audiences.

• Organizing content includes putting critical information near the top of the site, grouping related elements, and ensuring that all necessary information is available without slowing the user with unneeded information. Content should be formatted to facilitate scanning, and to enable quick understanding.

If you want your content to be useful, well-written, and in a format that is suitable for the Web, it is important to ensure that the information is clearly organized. In some cases, the content on a site can be organized in multiple ways to accommodate multiple audiences.

• Organizing content includes putting critical information near the top of the site, grouping related elements, and ensuring that all necessary information is available without slowing the user with unneeded information. Content should be formatted to facilitate scanning, and to enable quick understanding.09.07.201009.07.2010

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WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ORGANIZION SYSTEMS?

WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ORGANIZION SYSTEMS?

Increasingly companies are realising the importance of information architecture and are employing specialist ‘information architects’ to perform this role.

But information architecture is also defined by:• intranet designers and managers • website designers and managers • visual designers • other people designing information systems • programmers • librarians • technical writers

Increasingly companies are realising the importance of information architecture and are employing specialist ‘information architects’ to perform this role.

But information architecture is also defined by:• intranet designers and managers • website designers and managers • visual designers • other people designing information systems • programmers • librarians • technical writers

09.07.201009.07.2010

Challenges of Organizing Information

Challenges of Organizing Information

AmbiguityHeterogeneityDifferences in PerspectivesInternal Politics

AmbiguityHeterogeneityDifferences in PerspectivesInternal Politics

Organizing Web SitesOrganizing Web Sites

Organization systems are composed of organization schemes and organization structures.

• An organization scheme defines the shared characteristics of content items and influences the logical grouping of those items.

• An organization structure defines the types of relationships between content items and groups.

Organization systems are composed of organization schemes and organization structures.

• An organization scheme defines the shared characteristics of content items and influences the logical grouping of those items.

• An organization structure defines the types of relationships between content items and groups.

Organization SchemeOrganization Scheme

When you design a new website, one of the most important decisions you'll make is choosing the organization scheme for your content. Sometimes it looks obvious - you have distinct audiences (an audience scheme), lots of location information (a geographical scheme), or people do a few straightforward things (a task-based scheme). But more often than not, the obvious answer is not as easy as it looks.

When you design a new website, one of the most important decisions you'll make is choosing the organization scheme for your content. Sometimes it looks obvious - you have distinct audiences (an audience scheme), lots of location information (a geographical scheme), or people do a few straightforward things (a task-based scheme). But more often than not, the obvious answer is not as easy as it looks.

Types of Organization SchemesTypes of Organization Schemes

Exact Information Schemes (easy to design, use and maintain)

Hybrid Information Schemes (task – oriented and ambiguous)

Exact Information Schemes (easy to design, use and maintain)

Hybrid Information Schemes (task – oriented and ambiguous)

Types of Exact Organization SchemesTypes of Exact Organization Schemes

Alphabetical In case of an alphabetical organization

scheme we can see information organized alphabetically by name, by product or service, by department, and by forma.

http://www.parliament.am/legislation.php?sel=alpha&ltype=3&lang=eng

Alphabetical In case of an alphabetical organization

scheme we can see information organized alphabetically by name, by product or service, by department, and by forma.







Chronological

Certain types of information lend

themselves to chronological organization,

but an additional combination of

organization schemes is often needed.

http://www.ecolur.org/en/

Chronological

Certain types of information lend

themselves to chronological organization,

but an additional combination of

organization schemes is often needed.





Geographical

With the exception of border disputes, geographical

organization schemes are fairly straightforward to

design and use.

http://www.mango.com/paises.htm

Geographical

With the exception of border disputes, geographical

organization schemes are fairly straightforward to

design and use.




Ambiguous Organization Schemes Ambiguous Organization Schemes

Ambiguous or "subjective" organization schemes divide information into categories that defy exact definition. However, they are often more important and useful than exact organization schemes. The reason why people find ambiguous organization schemes so useful is we don't always know what we're looking for. Ambiguous organization supports this serendipitous mode of information seeking by grouping items in intellectually meaningful ways.

Ambiguous or "subjective" organization schemes divide information into categories that defy exact definition. However, they are often more important and useful than exact organization schemes. The reason why people find ambiguous organization schemes so useful is we don't always know what we're looking for. Ambiguous organization supports this serendipitous mode of information seeking by grouping items in intellectually meaningful ways.

Types of Ambiguous Organization Schemes


Topic Organizing information by subject or

topic is one of the most useful and challenging approaches. In designing a topical organization scheme, keep in mind that you are defining the universe of content (both present and future) that users will expect to find within that area of the web site.http://www.ox.ac.uk/

Topic Organizing information by subject or

topic is one of the most useful and challenging approaches. In designing a topical organization scheme, keep in mind that you are defining the universe of content (both present and future) that users will expect to find within that area of the web site.http://www.ox.ac.uk/

http://www.ox.ac.uk/

http://www.ox.ac.uk/



Task Task-oriented schemes organize content and

applications into a collection of processes, functions, or tasks, however You will rarely find a website organized solely by task. Instead, task-oriented schemes are usually embedded within specific subsites or integrated into hybrid task/topic navigation systems.

http://shopping.yahoo.com/

Task Task-oriented schemes organize content and

applications into a collection of processes, functions, or tasks, however You will rarely find a website organized solely by task. Instead, task-oriented schemes are usually embedded within specific subsites or integrated into hybrid task/topic navigation systems.






Audience Audience-oriented schemes break a site into

smaller, audience-specific mini-sites, thereby allowing

for clutter-free pages that present only the options of interest to that particular audience.

http://groups.vueling.com/dev/clickair/resGrupo.nsf/pagina?OpenForm&&lang=2

Audience Audience-oriented schemes break a site into

smaller, audience-specific mini-sites, thereby allowing

for clutter-free pages that present only the options of interest to that particular audience.








MetaphorIt’s useful to explore various metaphors in trying to determine the site’s structure. A good metaphor can go a long way in helping users understand how to use and navigate the site. However, no metaphor is perfect, so don’t feel that you have to adhere rigidly to just one. You could take the best parts of several metaphors and roll them into one.

MetaphorIt’s useful to explore various metaphors in trying to determine the site’s structure. A good metaphor can go a long way in helping users understand how to use and navigate the site. However, no metaphor is perfect, so don’t feel that you have to adhere rigidly to just one. You could take the best parts of several metaphors and roll them into one.

Types of MetaphorsTypes of Metaphors

Organizational metaphors Organizational metaphors rely on the existing

structure of a group, system, or organization. For example, if you are creating a site to sell groceries, your metaphor could be a supermarket, where products are grouped logically by type (canned vegetables, dairy products, cereal, snacks, household items, etc.).

Organizational metaphors Organizational metaphors rely on the existing

structure of a group, system, or organization. For example, if you are creating a site to sell groceries, your metaphor could be a supermarket, where products are grouped logically by type (canned vegetables, dairy products, cereal, snacks, household items, etc.).


Functional metaphors Functional metaphors relate tasks you can do

on the site with tasks you can do in another environment. Photoshop, a graphics program, relies on a lot of functional metaphors: You can figuratively “cut,” “copy,” and “paste” graphics on a computer – as though you were using real-world scissors and glue.

Functional metaphors Functional metaphors relate tasks you can do

on the site with tasks you can do in another environment. Photoshop, a graphics program, relies on a lot of functional metaphors: You can figuratively “cut,” “copy,” and “paste” graphics on a computer – as though you were using real-world scissors and glue.


Visual metaphors Visual metaphors are based on common

graphic elements familiar to most people in our culture. If you are designing a music site that allows users to play songs, you might want to use the traditional “start,” “stop,” and “pause” icons found on CD players everywhere.

http://www.grandcandy.am/

Visual metaphors Visual metaphors are based on common

graphic elements familiar to most people in our culture. If you are designing a music site that allows users to play songs, you might want to use the traditional “start,” “stop,” and “pause” icons found on CD players everywhere.






Hybrids The hybrid scheme includes elements of

audience-specific, topical, metaphor-based, task-oriented, and alphabetical organization schemes. As long as the schemes are presented separately on the page, they will retain the powerful ability to suggest a mental model for users.

http://www.spyur.am/en

Hybrids The hybrid scheme includes elements of

audience-specific, topical, metaphor-based, task-oriented, and alphabetical organization schemes. As long as the schemes are presented separately on the page, they will retain the powerful ability to suggest a mental model for users.




Organization StructuresOrganization Structures

The structure of information defines the primary ways in which users can navigate. Major organization structures that apply to web site and intranet architectures include the hierarchy, the database-oriented model, and hypertext. Each organization structure possesses unique strengths and weaknesses.

The structure of information defines the primary ways in which users can navigate. Major organization structures that apply to web site and intranet architectures include the hierarchy, the database-oriented model, and hypertext. Each organization structure possesses unique strengths and weaknesses.

Types of Organization Structures


The Hierarchy: A Top-Down Approach The foundation of almost all good information

architectures is a well-designed hierarchy or taxonomy.

Because hierarchies provide a simple and familiar way to organize information, they are usually a good place to start the information architecture process. The top-down approach allows you to quickly get a handle on the scope of the web site without going through an extensive content-inventory process.

http://www.court.am/?l=en

The Hierarchy: A Top-Down Approach The foundation of almost all good information

architectures is a well-designed hierarchy or taxonomy.

Because hierarchies provide a simple and familiar way to organize information, they are usually a good place to start the information architecture process. The top-down approach allows you to quickly get a handle on the scope of the web site without going through an extensive content-inventory process.






The Database Model: A Bottom-Up Approach

Information architects need to understand how metadata, controlled vocabularies, and database structures can be used to enable:

• Automatic generation of alphabetical indexes (e.g., product index)• Dynamic presentation of associative "see also" links• Fielded searching• Advanced filtering and sorting of search resultsThe database model is particularly useful when applied within

relatively homogeneous subsites such as product catalogs and staff directories.

http://www.amazon.com/Information-Architecture-World-Wide-Web/dp/0596527349/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1278759368&sr=1-1

The Database Model: A Bottom-Up Approach

Information architects need to understand how metadata, controlled vocabularies, and database structures can be used to enable:

• Automatic generation of alphabetical indexes (e.g., product index)• Dynamic presentation of associative "see also" links• Fielded searching• Advanced filtering and sorting of search resultsThe database model is particularly useful when applied within

relatively homogeneous subsites such as product catalogs and staff directories.










HypertextA hypertext system involves two primary types of

components: the items or chunks of information that will be linked, and the links between those chunks. These components can form hypermedia systems that connect text, data, image, video, and audio chunks. Hypertext chunks can be connected hierarchically, non-hierarchically, or both.

HypertextA hypertext system involves two primary types of

components: the items or chunks of information that will be linked, and the links between those chunks. These components can form hypermedia systems that connect text, data, image, video, and audio chunks. Hypertext chunks can be connected hierarchically, non-hierarchically, or both.

The Happy End?The Happy End?

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