Information Architecture 2 Don Turnbull Office hours by appointment, just send me an or check with me in class. Course Web site Mailing list (listserv) - Address an message to - 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 Update No Class Scheduled October 23 Books? -Beck, K. (1999). Extreme Programming Explained: Embrace Change.Extreme Programming Explained: Embrace Change -Schmitt, Christopher. (2002).Designing CSS Web Pages.Designing CSS Web Pages -Zeldman, J. (2003). Designing With Web Standards.Designing With Web Standards

Week 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 Topics For research papers and class discussion One from each, related to our project: 1.Technologies 2.Concepts

Topics 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 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 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 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” 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 Methodology Planning Analysis Design - Technology Independent - Technology Dependent Construction Verification Maintenance

IA Methodology AnalysisDesign VerificationConstructionMaintenance Planning

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

XIA 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? - - Server?

Class 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 Analysis 1.Existing Functionality 2.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 Roles User Advocate Tracker Initial Test Case Developer Developer - Tools Developer - Content

Next Week Books Customer Contact Deliverables