Syracuse University School of Information Studies. IST553 - Information Architecture for Internet Services. Tentative Syllabus - Spring 2015

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1 Syracuse University School of Information Studies IST553 - Information Architecture for Internet Services Tentative Syllabus - Spring 2015 Instructor: Patrick W. Fitzgibbons, Ph.D. pwfitzgi@syr.edu Telephone Blackboard: Learning Management System: To access your Spring 2015 courses: URL: Please log in with your NetID ID and password Access: Click "Spring and Fall" for access to your Spring 2014 courses Assistance: Please contact the ilms administrators if you need assistance: at ilms@syr.edu or Peggy Brown can be reached at pbrown01@syr.edu or Course Description Building and management of Internet information services, including information organization, information management, and information dissemination. Understanding of the use of Internet technologies within an organizational context. Practice with current technologies. Information architecture (IA) encompasses the organization, indexing, search, and navigation systems in Web sites. These systems must support usability for a Web site to be successful. The information architecture of a site ensures that the information conveys its intended meaning to the user of a site while making it easy and efficient for them to find what they need. Course Objectives Upon completion of this course, students will be able to: o organize, design and prototype content-rich Web sites that are easy to navigate and search o assess the usability of online information services and suggest specific strategies for improvement o conduct user research and usability testing o analyze a wide range of Web strategies and models o create a report that includes information architecture strategies and recommendations tailored to a specific client Required Textbooks Information Architecture for the World Wide Web, 3rd Edition Authors: Peter Morville & Louis Rosenfeld Publisher: O'Reilly Media Inc. ISBN: Don t Make Me Think Revisited : A Common Sense Approach to Web and Mobile Usability,

2 Author: Steve Krug Publisher: New Riders ISBN: 13: Software Diagramming software - any you would like to use. For example you can use Microsoft PowerPoint or some Web site prototyping software of your choice. Assignments & Evaluation Assignments will include readings, critiques and exercises, participation, a research paper, a mid-term project, and a final project. Except for the midterm and final project, all the assignments will be due by the next session (unless otherwise noted). Readings In addition to chapters in the textbooks, there will be readings assigned from a range of other sources. These readings are intended to enhance our in-class discussions and will be made available throughout the semester at appropriate times. Critiques and Exercises Small problem-solving assignments will be given that provide a practical understanding of information architecture principles, including information design, usability analysis, navigational layout, and searching and indexing strategies. These assignments will include, but not be limited to, critiques of existing sites and creation of information architecture deliverables. Participation It is expected that all students will participate in the weekly discussion topics and share their thoughts on the readings and other assignments. Research Paper Each student will be responsible for researching and writing a paper on a current topic of interest in the field of Information Architecture. Midterm Project: Competitive/Comparative Website Structural Analysis This assignment will include the analysis and critique of an assigned group of sites (TBD), and documentation of both unique and universal structural elements. You will suggest ideas for improvement of the information architecture elements of the site. Visual deliverables will include blueprints and wireframes. Additional instructions will be provided when the midterm project is assigned. Final Project: IA Strategy Report You will be required to conduct Web site research for a specific client, and develop an information architecture strategy and prototype Web site. Your project will include the organization, navigation, content, search and additional features of the site. You will demonstrate your ability to present ideas both within the framework of information architecture and your client's specific Web site goals. Additional instructions will be given when the final project is assigned. Course Grade: Your final grade for the course will be based on the following:

3 Final Project 30% Mid-Term Project 20% Critiques and Exercises 25% Research Paper 15% Discussion Participation 10% Academic Integrity The academic community of Syracuse University and of the School of Information Syracuse University sets high standards for academic integrity. Those standards are supported and enforced by students, including those who serve as academic integrity hearing panel members and hearing officers. The presumptive sanction for a first offense is course failure, accompanied by the transcript notation Violation of the Academic Integrity Policy. The standard sanction for a first offense by graduate students is suspension or expulsion. Students should review the Office of Academic Integrity online resource Twenty Questions and Answers About the Syracuse University Academic Integrity Policy and confer with instructors about coursespecific citation methods, permitted collaboration (if any), and rules for examinations. The Policy also governs the veracity of signatures on attendance sheets and other verification of participation in class activities. Additional guidance for students can be found in the Office of Academic Integrity resource: What does academic integrity mean? Student with Disabilities In compliance with section 504 of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Syracuse University is committed to ensure that no otherwise qualified individual with a disability shall, solely by reason of disability, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity If you feel that you are a student who may need academic accommodations due to a disability, you should immediately register with the Office of Disability Services (ODS) at 804 University Avenue, Room 308 3rd Floor, or (TTD only). ODS is the Syracuse University office that authorizes special accommodations for students with disabilities. Ownership of Student Work In compliance with the Federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, works in all media produced by students as part of their course participation at Syracuse University may be used for educational purposes, provided that the course syllabus makes clear that such use may occur. It is understood that registration for and continued enrollment in a course where such use of student works is announced constitutes permission by the student. After such a course has been completed, any further use of student works will meet one of the following conditions: (1) the work will be rendered anonymous through the removal of all personal identification of the work s creator/originator(s); or (2) the creator/originator(s) written permission will be secured. As generally accepted practice, honors theses, graduate theses, graduate research projects, dissertations, or other exit projects submitted in partial fulfillment of degree requirements are placed in the library, University Archives, or academic departments for public reference. Tentative Course Schedule (subject to change) Week 1: January 12, 2015

4 o Course overview o Introduction to Information Architecture o Readings: Morville/Rosenfeld: Ch 1 Krug: Ch 1 Week 2: January 19, 2015 o User needs and behavior o Usability from the user s perspective o Readings: Morville/Rosenfeld: Ch 2, 3, 4 Krug: Ch 2, 3, 4, 5 Week 3: January 26, 2015 o Organization and navigation systems o Designing the home page o Readings: Morville/Rosenfeld: Ch 5, 6, 7 Krug: Ch 6, 7 Week 4: February 2, 2015 o Search systems, controlled vocabularies, metadata o Readings: Morville/Rosenfeld: Ch 8 Week 5: February 9, 2015 o Information Architecture design and documentation o Readings: Morville/Rosenfeld: Ch 12 Week 6: February 16, 2015 o User research o Usability testing o Readings: Morville/Rosenfeld: Ch 10 Krug: Ch 9 Week 7: February 23, 2015 o Information Architecture strategies o Moving from research to strategy o Readings: Morville/Rosenfeld: Ch 11 Week 8: March 2, 2015 o Midterm Projects Due Spring Break March 9 - March 15, 2015 Week 9: March 16, 2015 o Information Architecture in practice o Building an Information Architecture team o Readings: Morville/Rosenfeld: Ch 13, 15, 16 Week 10: March 23, 2015 o Information Architecture in the organization o Business strategies o Readings: Morville/Rosenfeld: Ch 17, 18 Krug: Ch 10, 11, 12 Week 11: March 30, 2015 o Information Architecture for the enterprise o Readings: Morville/Rosenfeld: Ch 19

5 Week 12: April 6, 2015 o Analyzing specific Information Architecture strategies o Tailoring a strategy to organizational and community needs o Readings: Morville/Rosenfeld: Ch 20, 21 Week 13: April 13, 2015 o Accessibility o Ethical considerations o Readings: Morville/Rosenfeld: Ch 14 Week 14: April 20, 2015 o The future of Information Architecture Final Projects are due April 28, 2015 (by 11:59 PM EST)