Developing Coherent Information Architectures

By Alan Alegre, Foundation for Media Alternatives (FMA)
May 2001

Establishing information architecture (IA) is one of the most important processes in setting up (or redesigning) a Web site. IA has been defined as the art and science of organizing information to help people effectively fulfill their information needs. Though not as obvious as other aspects of Web development and often overlooked, IA is coming to be recognized as one of the most significant areas that underpin practically all elements of a Web site's form and structure.

Effective IA ensures an alignment of your site with your organization's goals and objectives, as well as with your target audience/users. It provides the important strategic interface between what you want to achieve, and what the user will experience when s/he visits your site. Effective IA results in a plan that gives a clear structure to your online content, and provides a clear way for users to navigate within your site.

A coherent IA results in a site that communicates a sense of order, unity and ease of use—qualities that Web visitors always appreciate, especially if you have the information they need. This will encourage repeat visitors to your site while pulling in new ones. This increased web traffic brings with it a whole range of benefits

But more than that, an effective IA process will result in a Web site that communicates competence and professionalism which enhances your institution's image to your external constituencies and partners. Remember that in a wired world, your Web site is your virtual "face" to many of your stakeholders.

On the other hand, faulty or ineffective IA will result in a Web site where information is either disorganized or hard to find. This will usually leave users confused or frustrated, and will affect their decision to revisit your site—a sure kiss of death for any Web site. A negative user experience will affect not only an organization's online image, but its offline image as well ("This organization is so disorganized!"). This may result in fewer opportunities for partnerships and resource development as well as an erosion of your stakeholder/client base.

As many civil society organizations (CSOs) with less-than-effective Web sites are painfully finding out, this lack of attention to IA also translates into lots of wasted time and effort; both in the investments already made and in additional costs related to redesigning a bad Web site. Bad Web sites are usually expensive to fix and take too much time to redesign.

Effective IA—leading to more effective Web sites—becomes an important organizational tool as well. A strategic use of IA may result in creative ways by which our Web sites become significant information sources for the institution, as well. Well thought out information management systems and strategies implemented through our Web sites can provide important knowledge, and a research database that would allow us to:

• investigate the effectiveness of our missions;
• provide a constant feedback mechanism for our institutional performance; and
• provide us windows by which we can glimpse emerging opportunities and threats.

In short, effective IA as mirrored in our Web sites can also help us renew ourselves, which can only contribute to the sustainability of our organizations.

Contrary to common perception, the design of an information architecture for a Web site is not a difficult, nor a highly technical process necessarily requiring an external consultant. Though the practice of IA is a particular skill in which certain people specialize, IA design is a skill that many CSOs have, and regularly exercise in the course of their work.

Many CSO managers and program staff are continuously structuring information, whether for internal communications, promotions or advocacy. IA just formalizes the process that we are already doing in some way, and applying it to a particular information and communications tool, namely the Web.

Don't be intimidated! CSOs have the inherent capability to do this as long as we develop the discipline of IA and mainstream it into the work.

Issues Index

• Information Architecture Planning Processes
• Effective Information Architecture
• Navigation Schemes: Issues and Concerns