lesson 6&7 Flashcards
(39 cards)
is the information backbone of the site; navigation refers to those elements in the UI that allow users to reach specific information on the site.
INFORMATION ARCHITECTURE
A website’s (or intranet’s) information architecture has two main components:
IDENTIFICATION and DEFINITION of site content and functionality
The___ is documented in spreadsheets and diagrams, not in wireframes, comprehensive layouts (known as comps), or prototypes.
Information Architecture
Key elements of information architecture include:
Organization Systems:
Navigation Systems:
Labeling Systems:
Search Systems:
How content is grouped and categorized (e.g., by topic, task, or audience).
Organization Systems:
How users browse or move through the content (e.g., menus, search bars, links).
Navigation Systems:
How content is named and represented to users.
Labeling Systems
How users find content via search functions.
Search Systems:
4 groups of Nielsen Norman group
Reports
Training
Consulting
Articles
The activities undertaken in defining an information architecture involve:
Content inventory:
Content audit:
Information grouping:
Taxonomy development:
Descriptive information creation:
Examination of a website to locate and identify existing site content
Content inventory:
Evaluation of content usefulness, accuracy, tone of voice, and overall effectiveness
Content audit:
Definition of user-centered relationships between content
Information grouping:
Definition of a standardized naming convention (controlled vocabulary) to apply to all site content. how information is grouped, classified and labeled within a shared information environment.
Taxonomy development:
Definition of useful metadata that can be utilized to generate “Related Link” lists or other navigation components that aid discovery
Descriptive information creation:
is a collection of user interface components. The primary goal of navigation is to help users find information and functionality, and encourage them to take desirable actions. Navigation components include global navigation, local navigation, utility navigation, breadcrumbs, filters, facets, related links, footers, fat footers, and so on.
website’s navigation
Examples of navigation components:
1) utility navigation;
2) global navigation;
3) breadcrumb trail;
4) local navigation;
5) related links (in this case, articles and blog posts);
6) fat footer.
Found at the top of the page, this area typically includes links to help users access tools like login, search, language selection, or user settings. It’s less about content navigation and more about site-wide features.
Utility Navigation:
This includes the primary navigation menu, often a bar or set of links that guide users to the main sections of the website (e.g., Home, About, Products, Services). It appears on every page of the site and provides access to core content.
Global Navigation:
provide a navigational aid, showing the path users took to arrive at the current page. It typically appears near the top of the page and helps users understand their location within the site’s hierarchy.
Breadcrumb Trail
Specific to the current section or page, this allows users to move between related content. For instance, within a product section, it might let users navigate between different products or subcategories.
Local Navigation:
This area suggests additional content that is relevant to the current page. These links could point to articles, blog posts, or other resources that are contextually related to the user’s current view.
Related Links (Articles/Blog Posts):
A “______” refers to a larger-than-usual footer at the bottom of the page. It typically includes a site map, contact information, social media links, and sometimes links to important pages like Terms of Service or Privacy Policy. It’s often used to provide additional navigational tools and site-wide information.
Fat Footer
Each navigation component,
A series of decisions must be made:
Usage Priority:
Placement:
Pattern:
