Information+Architecture


 * Information Architecture.**

Information Architecture constitutes the basis of Human-Computer interaction. It defines the way information is organized, structured, and displayed within an information space. The widespread use of digital devices to access information has led to a rise in using websites to gain information, instead of relying on the outside environment. This has thus led to a pressing need for better navigational interfaces which assist in locating and providing required information. The work of an Information Architect thus lies in designing the inside of an information space, whilst also making it aesthetically pleasing and engaging to navigate through.

Information architecture consists of **Information Spaces**, which is a combination of objects, displays, people, signs, icons, sounds etc that are used to relay information to people. These spaces thus help people in planning, managing and controlling their activities. Take the example of the interface of Amazon.com. This retail website allows users to engage in one stop and one click shopping for a variety of consumer goods such as books, clothing, dvd’s from a range of retailers featured on their website. The interface of Amazon thus displays all such relevant links in an organized manner for people to navigate through. The content and resources that the site offers such as words, pictures, reviews and shipping, all make up and support the service the website offers, which is hassle free shopping through a specialized website.




 * Conceptual Information**: In order for a website to be able to be navigated, an information architect decides what information to put out there and in what form. Amazon for example shows on it’s front page direct links to books music clothing along with displaying new releases and discounted items. On pursuing a particular item such as a book, it includes customer reviews and ratings, and online reading for Amazon account holders. The information is also organized by theme, such as home and garden, health and beauty and so on thus displaying everything the website has to offer in a simple, concise and effective manner. Thus presenting content in a structured manner is the basis for information architecture, which in turn is the marker for a successful website and in this case, an online retailer, depending on the ease with which customers find the content they are looking for and with minimal navigation.




 * Physical Features**: Amazon personalizes a webpage with storing browsing history, personal information and recommendations according to our preferences. It chooses to store our personal information one time, so as to not having to enter it each time. It also chooses what information to display on the webpage, such as Christmas discounts and new items.

An important part of designing information spaces is to work towards the conceptual structure and the physical characteristics of the interfaces and display objects and activities people are doing. There is a delicate balance between what people want to view and how well the interface and design can support it. Focusing on key aspects, thus, will help designers from major glitches.
 * Characteristics of Information Spaces:**


 * Volatility**: This feature is concerned with how often the types and instances of the objects change. As much as a retail website can allow, items and instances do change rapidly as it is catering to consumers. On a website like Amazon, goods featured, along with similar products, prices, ratings and featured sellers change as often as the market allows. As long as basic website features such as ratings, options given, viewing history, basically the information structure remain the same, the volatility can remain fairly stable.

electronics and so on. On a site as large as such, it has to be easy to navigate and find products, either through direct search tools, or showing concisely new items on a page. This is the reason websites so large need good structure as one is navigating from within, it is not a physical store one can move around from aisle to aisle in.
 * Size**: A website like Amazon started off small, as a book retailer and has since expanded to diversify featuring products such as food, toys, apparel,


 * Distance**: The distance of a website determines how many clicks it takes to get from one part of the website to another. This thus determines how many features to a single item shown be features within the same page, and how much should be hyperlinked to take us directly to a related page/s.


 * Direction**: this feature constitutes how mapping relates to physical movement within a webpage. On Amazon, the themes and categories are places in a left hand column, with featured items and seasonal promotions in the middle, and announcements and advertisements from retailers on the right hand side. Thus to navigate something specific one would click on it, and then scroll down to read an entire page.


 * Media**: This refers to techniques of representation such as images, video etc, used to display an object. Here on Amazon rich pictures and the feature to enlarge for example jewelry or the cover of a book for better viewing.


 * Design**: This feature refers to websites employing and maintaining a stable structure. This helps in the ease with which one can navigate and yet come back to where they started. A well designed website enables users to find their way and learn how to navigate within the space easily. Amazon maintains a person’s viewing history even if they log in after a long period of time and items within the website have changed times over. It maintains a personal log and recommends according to preferences each time depending on the type of item being viewed thus reminding consumers of what they may still be interested in.


 * Agents**: Amazon acts as a space in which people can come in contact with retailers affiliated with Amazon in order to take full advantage of the resource of one-stop shopping. Amazon features outside retailers as a part of Amazon such as Target and Office Depot, whilst also linking customers to outside retailers such as Weightwatchers etc, which thus gives consumers more variety within a single space.

The concept of information space thus deals strictly with space and structure and how it can be accessed and navigated from a single interface. This keeps in mind people’s activities and preferences, as each person has different skills, and the information architect has to find the best way to cater to people of all needs within a single information space.

Credits: Benyon, David et all. __Designing Interactive Systems__. England: Pearson Education Limited, 2005. Image credits: [|Amazon.com].

See Also: Graphical User Interfaces.