Information architecture: five things information managers need to know; as the information boom in business, public, and consumer cultures continues, information architecture and information management will become indispensable.

• Author: Farnum, Chris

At the Core

This article:

* Defines the field of information architecture (IA) and the role of information architect

* Describes the principles and methodology of IA

* Provides a starting point for learning more and applying these ideas to information management

Information architecture (IA) is a Relatively new field, one born in the high-tech boom of the 1990s. Given the current interest in information technology (IT) it might seem strange that IA values human brainpower so highly in the struggle to organize information rather than accepts portal-in-a-box-style solutions. Though the dot-com bubble has burst, IA lives on with important lessons for those involved in the continuing struggle to structure complex information on Web sites and intranets.

What is IA?

Information architects help build Web sites by organizing them to make it easier for people to find what they want. This also makes sites easier to manage. Often, they lack the technical skills to be a graphic designer, programmer, or system administrator. Instead, their specialty is the intellectual work needed to organize large amounts of content. This is part science and part art.

Much like an architect for physical buildings, information architects design information spaces by considering the ways they will be used and then create blueprints and detailed plans for that use. They take care to ensure that people can find their way through these structures to accomplish what they want without getting lost.

In 1996, Richard Saul Wurman coined the term information architecture. According to his definition, an information architect is:

* an individual who organizes the patterns inherent in data, making the complex clear

* the person who creates the structure or map of information that allows others to find their personal paths to knowledge

* the emerging 21st-century professional addressing the needs of the age focused on clarity, human understanding, and the science of the organization of information

Wurman's definition is helpful, not least because of the metaphor it evokes. However, many IA practitioners feel that this overall approach to IA relates more to visual design and emphasizes Wurman's own background in designing printed media.

The first edition of Lou Rosenfeld and Peter Morville's influential book Information Architecture for the World Wide Web defined the role of the information architect as someone who

* clarifies the mission and vision for the site, balancing the needs of its sponsoring organization and the needs of its audiences

* determines what content and functionality the site will contain

* specifies how users will find information in the site by defining its organization, navigation, labeling, and searching systems

* maps out how the site will accommodate change and growth over time

Effective IA works mostly behind the scenes, whereas good visual design is more discernible. Rosenfeld and Morville stress principles of library and information science as they apply to the task of creating and evaluating Web sites. All sites and information systems have information architectures--whether or not they are planned. If well planned, they should be intuitive and, therefore, largely invisible.

Dissension in the Ranks

Because the field is fairly new, agreeing on a definition has not proved easy. The community of practicing information architects never tires of debating and refining the definition. At a collaborative site devoted to IA known as IA Wiki, there is a running conversation entitled "Defining the Damn Thing" (www.iawiki.net/Defining The Damn Thing). Part of the debate focuses on the duties and job description of an information architect. The field is highly interdisciplinary, and people who are involved in IA are as likely to come from the disciplines of graphic design, technical writing, instructional design, human-computer interaction, computer science, and ethnography as from the information sciences.

It can be helpful to separate the job title of "information architect" from the activity or study of "information architecture." This is the distinction between doing IA and being an information architect. Some people embrace IA as central to what they do. Others see IA as a niche discipline or as a small portion of the overall user-centered design process. Important components include:

* Visual design: the layout and graphic design of information to maximize the effectiveness of communication

* Interaction design: planning the use of dynamic components on Web pages or in a software application so users can perform essential tasks

* User experience design: creating an overall experience based on users needs

* Usability: evaluating a system to make sure that it is easy and efficient to use and then incorporating findings and recommendations into the design process

There is also significant overlap between information design and IA in terms of goals and methods. Saul Carliner makes the distinction that IA "primarily focuses on the structure of content, especially complex Web sites" and leans toward visual design while information design...