Summarise the basic aspects of information architecture Information Architecture

Information Architecture

Interconnected Structures  Information architecture (IA) is an interdisciplinary art and engineering practice that organises, structures, and classifies digital information, systems and environments. It is central to ensuring that information products, such as websites and applications, meet users’ needs. IA refers to the creation of a simple structure that is efficient yet logical. It also makes it easy for users to understand information (Hoey, 2020).  IA involves creating navigation systems that enable users to quickly find the information they need. A good IA design is about understanding the content that’s most valuable and prioritizing those components. Then organizing these in an easy-to-find and effective way. (Lunn (2015) To ensure content is always current and easily accessible, IA design must be maintained.  IA is not only about content organization. It also refers to design elements surrounding the content. This includes logos, graphics and headers as well as footers and titles. It also helps to identify the pages that are being accessed (Casey & Brusilovsky 2021). IA design can impact web programming as well as user experience (UX). The IA structure must be able to adapt to changes in how users interact and access the information.   Information architecture is essential to information access. This allows the user to easily find and engage with content.   References  Casey, M. & Brusilovsky, P. (2021) ‘Chapter 8: Dynamic Information Retrieval: Interactive Exploration and Presentation of Personal Digital Histories’, in Digital Humanities in the Classroom, edited by Michelle T. Garceau, pp 181 – 194 [online] Available at: https://er.educause.edu/articles/2020/6/digital-humanities-in-the-classroom  (accessed 9 May 2021).  Hoey, J. (2020) ‘Mapping information architecture to UX: Understanding what IA is’ [online] Available at: https://www.uxmatters.com/mt/archives/2020/05/mapping-information-architecture-to-ux-understanding-what-ia-is.php (accessed 9 May 2021).  Lunn, A. K. (2015) ‘Content organization’, Persuasive Writing, pp 119 – 122.Cont…