Information Architecture and Web Design
Posted on | November 10, 2009 | No Comments
I was meeting with someone today at a Toronto based agency. And they asked me how do I sell information architecture (IA) to new clients. Before I answer this I need to go back in time (a little bit).
In my opinion (purely) the cool factor with the Internet stems from two streams of awareness. First of course, is technology. Without technology none of this would exist. Put aside HTML, CSS and .Net. Without the fundamental tool – the computer – we wouldn’t be able to build web pages. The drive to evolve technology has opened up new ways of communicating with large masses of people that was only available through TV, radio and the silver screen. But still that was only one way communication. Today anyone with access to the Internet has the power to broadcast themselves to the world like never before. Second is design. Design is such a powerful concept. It invokes thought, passion, energy and motivation. There is nothing like a client or a user see a new design for the first time and say, “that’s freakin’ cool!”.
Information architecture however, is one of those essential skills in web design but is still little understood and under appreciated. So since its inception as a role on a web development team it has gone overlooked or suffered the cut from the project team. And in my opinion, its because; 1) you don’t need cutting edge technology to do it and 2) what an IA does, doesn’t inspire like a visual designer would.
Back to my challenge: how do I sell IA? Here’s how. I don’t.
Information architecture to me is a planning exercise. Just like an architect creates blueprints for a building with the client requirements in mind. IAs do the same thing. They plan user experiences. IAs create maps to help identify types of pages, navigation and functionality. IAs create blueprints for pages so that developers know what they must build and designers know what they must consider in the creative.
To sell IA as a practice is to sell the value of IA as a stand alone skill I find confuses clients. IA is like BASF. “We don’t make the products you buy…we just make them better.” That’s IA! Out of context of design and technology IA is a hard sell for many business owners. What’s the value? But in context of the web team the IA helps bridge gaps between technology and design the client would appreciate until it all comes together.
Tags: Information Architecture & Usability > Usability > Web design
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