INFM 700: Information Architecture Section 0101: Spring 2015 Thursdays 6-8:45 p.m., Plant Sciences 1113

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1 INFM 700: Information Architecture Section 0101: Spring 2015 Thursdays 6-8:45 p.m., Plant Sciences 1113 Dr. Katy Lawley, Instructor (voice or text) College Park: Hornbake 4111G Office visits by appointment - I am always happy to meet with students and can meet in person, by phone, or Skype. 1. Course Calendar Date & Topic Read before class Assignment due Session 1: 1/29/15 Course Resmini, A. & Rosati, L. (2011). Chapter 3: Heuristics for a Pervasive Information introduction; What IA Architecture, in Pervasive Information is and isn't; Crosschannel IA Architecture: Designing Cross-Channel User Experiences. Available via Course Reserves Session 2: 2/5/15 IA Foundations & Principles Session 3: 2/12/15 Presentation & Layout Session 4: 2/19/15 Organization module in ELMS. M & R 1-3 M & R 4 & 6 Caddick, R. & Cable, S. (2011). Chapter 5: Sitemaps, in Communicating the User Experience: A Practical Guide for Creating Useful UX Documentation. Available via Course Reserves module in ELMS. HW1: Cross-channel IA HW2: IA Hall of Fame & Hall of Shame Session 5: 2/26/15 Navigation M & R 5 Krug, S. (2014). Chapter 6: Street signs and breadcrumbs: Designing navigation, in Don t Make Me Think, Revisited: A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability. M & R 7 Session 6: 3/5/15 Content Research M & R 10, esp. pp & P1: Layout & Presentation

2 Session 6: 3/12/15 Taxonomies & Tagging Hedden, H. (2010). Chapter 1: What are taxonomies? in The Accidental Taxonomist. Available via Course Reserves Module in ELMS. HW3: Site Map Peer Review 3/19/15 Spring Break Session 7: 3/26/15 Search Session 8: 4/2/15 Context Research Session 9: 4/9/15 Design Process Session 10: 4/16/15 TBD Session 11: 4/23/15 User Research Session 12: 4/30/15 Business Issues I; Project Work Session Session 13: 5/7/15 Business Issues II; Project Work Session Session 14: 5/14/15 Presentations M & R 9 HAPPY BREAK! M & R 8 M & R 10, esp M & R 11 M & R 10, esp M & R P2: Taxonomy P3: Final Project 2. Course Description Catalog Description: Prerequisite: INFM603 or equivalent experience or permission of instructor. Principles and techniques of information organization and architecture for the Web environment. Structured description of digital resources, including data modeling techniques, metadata schemes, and user-oriented navigation systems A central goal of the course is to enable students to equip themselves with (1) solid understanding of the principles that underlie sound information architecture in its context, and (2) awareness of and practice with procedures and tools for evaluating, planning, and implementing information architecture.

3 3. Student learning outcomes Demonstrate mastery of concepts, models, and information structures for organizing and providing access to information assets in Web environments. Demonstrate knowledge of the capabilities and limitations of current methods for evaluating, planning, and implementing, and maintaining information architecture solutions. Demonstrate proficiency in creating and applying models, processes, and tools that introduce or improve the information architecture of a Web site. 4. Grading and assessment Each element of your grade is described in more detail below. The percentage breakdown is: Homework (3 assignments) 15% Project 1: Layout & 10% Presentation Project 2: Taxonomy & 15% Tagging Project 3: Web site redesign 35% Participation 10% Final exam 15% 4.1 Homework Assignments (5% each). 15% During the first half of the semester, students will complete three homework assignments intended as guided explorations and preliminary engagements with IA concepts and techniques. HW1: Cross-channel IA Students will present examples of the cohesion and/or conflict that can occur between the different channels through which an organization presents itself. For this assignment, students will visit both the Web site and the brick-and-mortar establishment of an organization. In both places, students will observe and record traces and examples of information architecture and submit a brief write-up that highlights the consistencies and differences between the two places. The write-up will also include the students preliminary analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the cross-channel experience put forth by the chosen organization. Assignment details may be found in the Assignments section of ELMS. HW2: IA Hall of Fame and Hall of Shame Students will identify good and bad examples of information architecture implementation by nominating one Web site for the IA Hall of Fame and another for the IA Hall of Shame. The nomination write-up will include students justifications for their nominations. Assignment details may be found in the Assignments section of ELMS.

4 HW3: Site map peer review After gaining introductory, hands-on experience with site maps in an in-class exercise, students will dig deeper into the analysis of site maps by offering feedback on the work of a class mate. Analysis guidelines will be distributed in class and/or on ELMS. Assignment details may be found in the Assignments section of ELMS. 4.2 Project 1: Layout & Presentation of Information. 10% Students will create a new way to organize and present content for a Web site to be announced in class (likely one of the IA Hall of Shame Nominees). The emphasis of this assignment will be on organization, layout, and presentation as ways of helping users to navigate the content. To be completed individually. Project details may be found in the Assignments section of ELMS. 4.3 Project 2: Developing and Implementing a Taxonomy. 15% Students will create a taxonomy (controlled vocabulary) for a Web site (to be assigned by the instructor). In order to complete the assignment successfully, students will consult multiple sources for candidate terms, then they will organize those terms and establish relationships with other terms as appropriate. The emphasis of this assignment will be on classification, organization, and labeling in the context of a specific Web site. To be completed in pairs or individually. Project details may be found in the Assignments section of ELMS. 4.4 Project 3: Redesign of a Web Site. 35% Using the content of an existing Web site, students will present a new architecture for the Web site that supports the goals of the parent organization and the needs of the site's users. This assignment has a broad emphasis, as teams will be encouraged to demonstrate mastery of concepts from throughout the course. In addition to the Web site, each team will deliver a minute presentation highlighting various aspects of the implementation process, including analysis, research, strategy, user testing, and design. To be completed in teams. More details will be available on the assignment page. 4.5 Final Exam. 15% A take-home final will be posted following the last class session and will cover material from throughout the semester. The emphasis in the exam questions will be on the aspects of IA that might not be directly demonstrated in course projects, such as models, concepts, definitions, and best practices. 4.6 Participation. 10% In order to receive full credit for the Participation portion of your grade, you need to do more than just show up. Please engage in classroom and online discussions for your own

5 benefit and to allow classmates the benefit of your perspective. Each student comes into the semester with a score of 5 (out of 10) on participation. Your attendance and engagement can increase or decrease your score from there. You are responsible for all material presented during class, including announcements and changes in the course calendar and syllabus. Also, your attendance in class is a component of your participation grade. If you must miss a class, please notify the instructor as soon as possible, preferably before class. You should also contact one or more classmates to arrange sharing of any notes and announcements you missed. 5. Course Materials The required course text is Morville & Rosenfeld, Information Architecture for the World Wide Web: Designing Large Scale Web Sites (Third Edition, 2006, ISBN ) (referred to in the reading assignments as M & R ). Individual reading assignments are noted on the course calendar, above. 6. Students with Special Circumstances If you are a student with a documented disability, please see the instructor as soon as possible to discuss appropriate academic accommodations. If you are a student for whom religious observances will affect your attendance or ability to complete any assignments on time, please see the instructor as soon as possible so that we may figure out the appropriate adjustments. If you have any other circumstance that might affect your attendance, participation, or performance, you are welcome and encouraged to communicate with the instructor. There is much more room to adjust course requirements if notification is given in advance of any lag or lapse in performance. 7. Academic Integrity Along with certain rights, students also have the responsibility to behave honorably in an academic environment. Academic dishonesty, including cheating, fabrication, facilitating academic dishonesty, and plagiarism, will not be tolerated. Any abridgement of academic integrity standards will be referred directly to the campus judiciary. Confirmation of such incidents will result in the earning of an "XF" grade for the course and may result in more severe consequences such as expulsion. Students would be wise to familiarize themselves with the University's Code of Academic Integrity at Bottom line: If you have any questions about permissible behavior, ask first!

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