DITA session 10

Information Architecture part 2

We looked at organisation systems for data and the Schemes, Structures and Labelling Systems used.

Schemes can be exact or ambiguous

Structures are the technology that support the schemes

Labelling systems give meaning to the schemes so that users know how they work

Exact systems are easier to make but are rarely used as the user has to know the exact piece of information they want to find. They are organised either Alphabetically, Chronologically, or Geographically.

Ambiguous searches are mush more common as the user will browse until they find what they need and can be; Topical or subject based
task orientated
or Audience specific

Labelling systems are the language used in the organisation scheme and should narrow the scope of the labels to specific audiences and they should be consistent.
Controlled vocabularies give meaning to the words and the relationships between the words should be defined (synonyms and antonyms ect.)

Then we looked at a search task where we had a picture of a vegetable but no idea of what it was and how we could find out using these search methods.

To do this we looked at Navigation and Searching styles.

The perfect catch (known item + exact)

Lobster trapping/Berry picking where there is an information need, a search takes place, and the information need is adjusted in regard to the search results and possibly a new search takes place.

Driftnetting where the user is randomly looking for things that do not relate to each other.

We then looked at how websites can help navigation by telling the user Where they are, whats related, where they have been and where to go next.



Finally we looked at the theory behind visual design and how important graphical design is on a website as first impressions count and how personalisation and customisation work on the net.

Personalisation is where the web site reads your cookies and history to try and provide information that would be use full to you but most often it is used in advertising.

Customisation is where the user alters the system to show the information they need.