What is an Information Architect?

What the heckis an

Information Architect?

(and more importantly, why do I care?)

What?

THEM: What do you do…?

ME: Um, well, I’m an Information Architect.

(pause)

THEM: So… uh…

Do you…

Make itpretty?

Do you…

Make itpretty?

Do you…

No, that’s a Web Designer

Do you…

Write the code?

Do you…

Write the code?

Do you…

No, that’s a Developer.

THEM:

Uh…

OK…

So…

Do you…

Manage thatbackendSTUFF?

Do you…

Manage thatbackendSTUFF?

Do you…

No, that’s a Data or Systems Architect.

THEM:

Wait…

So what DO you DO?

And I tell them…

Information

Architect

Website

Information

Architect

Architect

Website

Information

Architect

Architect

Website

Information

Architect

Building

Just to be clear…

But this really is mine…

Back to the

building analogy…

Idea

4bed/3bath

Idea

4bed/3bath Blue Prints

Idea

4bed/3bath

Currency

Transfer

Blue Prints

Idea

4bed/3bath

Currency

Transfer

Blue Prints

Wireframes

And why do you care?

Because…

an

Information Architect

can make your life easier.

•BA/PM/Planner:An IA can help you consider and plan for all scenarios.

•Dev:An IA can help answer your questions about what was intended.

•QA:An IA can help you determine test scenarios.

Process(as seen from an IA perspective)

Idea

Process(as seen from an IA perspective)

IdeaBiz Req

vetting

Process(as seen from an IA perspective)

IdeaBiz Req

vetting Wires

Process(as seen from an IA perspective)

IdeaBiz Req

vetting Wires Art

Process(as seen from an IA perspective)

IdeaBiz Req

vetting Wires Art

UI Spec

Process(as seen from an IA perspective)

IdeaBiz Req

vetting Wires Art

UI Spec

Dev

Process(as seen from an IA perspective)

IdeaBiz Req

vetting Wires Art

UI Spec

Dev QA

Process(as seen from an IA perspective)

IdeaBiz Req

vetting Wires Art

UI Spec

Dev QA

IA’s Artifacts/Deliverables

1. Wireframes (Wires) & Flow Diagrams

2. UI Specification Document

Wireframes (wires)

Wireframes (wires)

Wireframes (wires)

Wireframes (wires)

Wireframes (wires)

•Determine hierarchy of data and functionality

•Consider where you want eyes to go

•Predict user behavior

•Plan for permutations

•Consider process flow

•Based on Biz Reqs

UI Functional Specs

UI Functional Specs

Idea

UI Functional Specs

Idea

Biz Req

UI Functional Specs

Wires

Idea

Biz Req

UI Functional Specs

WiresArt

Idea

Biz Req

UI Functional Specs

WiresArt

Specs

Idea

Biz Req

UI Functional Specs

•Call out specific behavior

•Provide IF/Then scenarios

•Account for errors

•Accounts for permutations(that may not be present in original art

•Helps fill in any holes that might exist from original planning.

UI Functional Specs

Process Recap(as seen from an IA perspective)

IdeaBiz Req

vetting Wires Art

UI Spec

Dev QA

Stuff for us to figure out together:

When to engage an IA

How this process

marries into your existing

processes

How IA deliverables

can be tweaked to be more useful

to you

Where do docs live

When’s lunch

QA