UCB X461 Syllabus

Readings

Introduction

Information Architecture is described by Richard Saul Wurman as "the structure or map of information which allows others to seek their personal paths to knowledge."

Today, the book is still the most common paradigm for collecting and organizing large amounts of text and graphics-based information. But the book, while well suited to narrative, was never well suited to the task of delivering reference information of the type used in technical documentation, catalogues, or encyclopedias.

Information architecture teaches methods for liberating both the author and the information user from the constraints of a linear, book-centric information hierarchy. It suggests multiple entry paths that accommodate many ways of thinking about information, as opposed to the single hierarchy presented by a table of contents. It considers relational and object database technology, rather than simple desktop publishing tools, enabling the creation of database-driven "virtual books." And it offers Boolean, multidimensional, and visual text search, as an alternative to the traditional index.

Introduction

Readings

Objectives

Principles of Information Architecture focuses on design, organizational, and human interface elements of information delivery and knowledge systems. Class participants will discover the underlying principles of document and database-driven information structures, as well as electronic methods for communicating technical information.

This course is designed to explore issues in user-centered information development, design, and deployment. Participants will learn how to structure technical information so that it can be delivered in a variety of media, from print to CD-ROM and the Web. They will also learn to evaluate which delivery medium best suits their material.

This course is intended for technical communicators and information architects seeking to transform the way knowledge is stored, transmitted, and maintained within their organizations. Students will discover strategies for improving the usability of the information delivery system, improving the time it takes for users to find answers, reducing the effort to maintain the knowledge base, decreasing information delivery costs, and increasing the value of corporate information assets.

Introduction

Readings

Instructional Methods

Although it is certainly possible to learn how to think about information architecture in a classroom setting, real-world implementation of any technical communication scheme requires the endorsement of other corporate departments. The instructional methods used in this course are designed to foster both judgment in selecting the right knowledge design scheme and delivery medium, and the skills required to make the implementation of that scheme successful.

Lectures: The instructors will begin the class with a lecture on techniques and models used in technical communication, according to the course outline described in the following section. Instructors will bring in a computer (or sample screen printouts) for product and technology demonstrations.

The instructors will also provide case studies of how these techniques were used in the industry, considering successes, failures, and innovations. Where appropriate, technical writing samples from Bay Area companies will be available for evaluation and comment.

Class Discussion: The class will discuss the topics and techniques presented in each session, particularly as they relate to audience, purpose, medium, technical industry, and other appropriate variables. They will be encouraged to consider examples, alternative methods, improvements, and exceptions.

Workshops: In the second class of the term, the class will be divided into groups. Each group will simulate a different type of company that might make use of information architecture techniques. The instructors will give the groups a problem, inspired by that week’s lecture. Each group will devise a strategy for addressing this issue within their own "company," paying special attention to the dependencies of the various departments represented. The work performed in these groups will form the basis for the term projects.

The groups will chronicle their weekly solutions to the problems posed in class, and present them during the last class of the term.

Materials: Students are expected to conduct as much of their class business as possible through email and the Web.

The class administrative web site at http://www.movingfinger.net/pia1999 will include an HTML version of this syllabus, a calendar of classes, an evolving list of Frequently Asked Questions about this class, and a compendium of online resources contributed by past and present class participants (URLs for Would-be Knowledge Engineers, http://www.movingfinger.net/urlindx.htm). It will also provide access to the class’s secure project site (URL to be provided).

The course syllabus will be handed out in hardcopy form on the first night of class. A limited number of handouts and copies of instructor presentations will be available in class the night of the subject lecture. Links to presentations given in class, or web sites discussed in class, will be posted on the class calendar by Friday of that week’s lecture.

Introduction

Readings

Outline of Weekly Content

Class 1: Introduction (Rich and Freda)

Course overview and methodology
The changing technical communication landscape
The role of the Information Architect
Collaboration and consensus building

Class 2: Content Management and Information Delivery Systems (Rich)

Information as data
Use once, write many
Alphabet soup: HTML/SGML/XML
Metadata: information about information
Smart Content
Context models: Learn-Browse-Discover
Organizing information
Content hierarchies: LATCH
Audience analysis and user-profiled information

Class 3: Information Architecture Essentials (Rich)

Navigation systems
Search and push systems
Controlled vocabulary and labels
Database-driven Web sites
Web-based interface design: using tables, frames, buttons, and basic Javascript
Prototyping your designs

Class 4: Web-Based Documentation and Multimedia (Freda)

What's different about web-based information?
Too much information: is Tufte right?
Single-sourcing material for the web
Fads and fashions in web design
Browser wars and their impact on web design
Video and multimedia
Is paper documentation dead?

Class 5: Knowledge Systems (Rich)

What is a knowledge system?
Why build knowledge systems?
Knowledge system information types
Knowledge systems and multimedia
Internet/intranet knowledge sites
The role of the technical communicator in knowledge system design
Audience analysis and knowledge site architecture
Visual information navigation
Progressive disclosure

Class 6: Human Factors and Usability Testing (Freda and Rich)

User-centered GUI design
User task analysis: developing an interaction model
Building a prototype: working with product requirements
Testing the prototype
Iterative design
Heuristic analysis
Quality Assurance

Class 7: Case-Based Reasoning Systems (Freda)

Data mining and data analysis
Case-based reasoning and adult acquisition of knowledge
Defining domains
Structuring cases
Building a "self-feeding" CBR system

Class 8: Electronic User Assistance (Freda)

The out-of-box experience
Online doc vs. online help/tutorials
Navigation
Planning context sensitivity
The five building blocks of context-sensitive online help
Repurposing online source material
Online style considerations
Quality assurance
Wizards

HOLIDAY BREAK

Class 9: Mini-lectures (Rich and Freda)

Review
Q & A
Mini-Lectures on requested topics
Career workshop

Class 10: Project Presentations

The groups will present and critique each other’s term projects.

Introduction

Readings

Louis Rosenfeld and Peter Morville, Information Architecture for the World Wide Web. O’Reilly & Associates, Inc. 1998
Richard Saul Wurman et al., Information Architects. Graphis, Inc. 1997
Edward R Tufte, Visual Explanations. Graphics Press 1997
We will also suggest a collection of readings available on the Worldwide Web, including:

"Guide to Web Style" 1995: Sun Microsystems. http://www.sun.com/styleguide/

Maher, M.L. and Gomez de Silva Garza, A: "Case-Based Reasoning in Design" http://www.arch.su.edu.au/~andres/cbd.html

Introduction

Readings

Grading/Group Project

Short writing assignments on topics introduced in class (3 @10%) 30%

Analysis of two information-based web sites (one company, one information provider)
Metadata analysis
Tool or technique analysis

Participation 10%

Term Project 60%

The term project is an information system designed to provide hands-on experience in, and a real-world context for, aspects of information architecture discussed in the course. Because real-world information systems are typically developed by cross-functional teams, the term project is conducted by groups of 4-5 class participants. Each member works in an explicit role (for example, HTML author, project manager, interface designer, graphic designer) according to their interests and talents. You will receive both an overall group grade, and an individual grade on your own contribution.

Each group will simulate a different type of company that might make use of information architecture
techniques.

The initial criteria are:

Your company may be real (i.e. you are welcome to expose your efforts to the real world), entirely theoretical (feel free to exercise your imagination and creativity), or somewhere in-between (you may choose to tackle a real-world problem as if you were consultants for some real organization). This is deliberately open-ended to ensure that you have the greatest freedom to express yourself.

Remember to make this fun as well; we all deal with enough serious issues in day-to-day life.

The project should exercise principles of Information Architecture. In other words, you should be solving an information problem for some well-defined audience (or audiences), and you should develop some type of interface to that information.

Your company or organization must face the challenge of managing hundreds of files. Of course, you do not have to actually create hundreds of documents or images. This is a design project; it entails creating plans, designs, prototypes, and some sort of working demo, with just enough materials behind your interface that you can perform usability tests.

Between class 3 and class 8 we will give you three additional problems or criteria. (We promise not to come up with anything that would negate work you've already begun.) Each group will devise a strategy for addressing this issue within their own company.

We expect you to maintain a project log or "lessons learned" document, to keep track of the issues that surfaced and the methods you employed to overcome challenges. This log will be a key part of your final project presentation.

Deliverables

The term project represents 60% of your grade. It should consist of the following elements:

Project Plan (due class 4)

Requirements Document (problem/solution statement and audience analysis)
Statement of work
Schedule, milestones, and deliverables
Issues and Contingency planning (costs of failure, risks, and fallback plan)
Maintenance plan (two years or three revisions)
Usability test plan
QA test plan

Prototype (a web mockup, storyboard, user flow diagram, or paper prototype) (due class 6)
Usability Test (due class 8)

Final Project (due class 10)

Project Presentation (due class 10)

The project plan should be no more than four pages. Try to split the work among group members in such a way that it's easy to discern who did what. You do not have to split the work evenly, but credit will be given
on an individual basis for work performed, so if you want a good grade, please do your share. (If you are planning to take the class pass/fail or not-for-credit, please let your group know, so you can set reasonable
expectations.)

Feel free to discuss any problems or concerns you have with Rich or Freda.

Introduction

Readings