ECT 250: Survey of e-commerce technology

1. ECT 250: Survey of e-commerce technology Frames Information architecture

2. Topics • What are frames? Good or evil? • Definition of information architecture • Organizational systems • Navigation systems • Labeling systems • Searching issues • Early warning about the midterm

3. Frames Frames allow more than one Web page to be displayed within the browser window at a time. When frames are used, the page opened in the browser is a special page containing instructions about how the browser window is to be divided into separate regions and which page should be initially displayed into each region. This special page is called the frames page or frameset.

4. Navigating with frames • When frames are used, clicking on a link in one • frame can: • Change the contents of that frame • Change the contents of a different frame • Display a page without using the frames page • An application of frames is for a table of contents • or a navigation bar. Frames allow the contents or • navigation bar to be visible at all times.

5. Examples • Sites that use frames: • DePaul CTI: www.cs.depaul.edu • Macromedia: www.macromedia.com • National Discount Brokers: www.ndb.com • XSL Tutorial: • http://www.zvon.org/xxl/XSLTutorial/Books/Book1/index.html • Some sites that do not use frames: • Amazon: www.amazon.com • Gap: www.gap.com • NY Times: www.nytimes.com

6. Frames: good or evil? • There is a significant controversy about whether • the use of frames is a good or bad thing. • What are some of the issues surrounding frames? • For a longer discussion of some of the issues see: • Are frames bad? • http://www.gooddocuments.com/techniques/areframesbad.htm • Web design: frames – good or bad? • http://dionaea.com/web/frames.html

7. Some problems with frames • Search engines do not deal well with frames • Printing becomes more difficult • Saving pages is more complicated • Creating browser bookmarks may not work • Frames can require large resolution • Why use frames at all?

8. Benefits of frames • Navigation can be easier • Easier updating of pages • Many of the problems given on the previous page • are technology issues. Once a solution is found, • frames may become more attractive. • Example: MS IE 5.0 supports frames better than • previous versions.

9. Conclusions about frames • Use frames only when the benefits outweigh the • disadvantages. • Tables or shared borders can be used instead of • frames to place a navigation bar, table of • contents, or other item on the edge of the page. • Frames have become much less popular at large • web sites.

10. Information architecture • The elements of information architecture, namely • organization systems • navigation systems • labeling systems • searching methods • hold a Web site together and aid its development.

11. Topics • What are frames? Good or evil? • Definition of information architecture • Organizational systems • Navigation systems • Labeling systems • Searching issues • Early warning about the midterm

12. Organization system • Organization systems are composed of: • Schemes: Defines the shared characteristics • of content items and influences the grouping • of those items. • Structures: Defines the types of relationships • between content items and groups.

13. Examples • Yellow Pages • Scheme: Topics • How were the topics chosen? • Structure: Alphabetical • Grocery store • Scheme: Food categories, food tasks • Structure: Complex, unclear • Where would you find marshmallows? • What about soy sauce?

14. Organization schemes • The three major types: • Exact • Ambiguous • Hybrid • Each has its benefits, drawbacks, and uses.

15. Exact organization schemes • Divide information into well-defined, mutually • exclusive sections. • Features: • Easy to define and maintain • Supports known-item searching • Requires user to have detailed information • Some types: • Alphabetical • Chronological • Geographical

16. Ambiguous organization schemes • Divide information into categories that defy exact • definition. • Features: • Difficult to define • Supports browsing by users with no immediate • goal or with vague information • Some types: • Topical • Task-oriented • Audience-specific • Metaphor-driven

17. Hybrid organization schemes Use with caution! If you must have hybrid schemes, separate them clearly or you will create confusion. • Better Library Listing • Age Group • Adult • Teen • Youth • Topics • Arts & Humanities • Science • Social Science • Other • Community Center • Services: • Get a Library Card • Learn About Our Library Bad Library Listing Adult Arts & Humanities Community Center Get a Library Card Learn About Our Library Science Social Science Teen Youth

18. Organization structures • The structure of information defines the ways in • which users can navigate. • Example: Street structure in NYC vs. Paris • The main organizational structures are: • Hierarchy • Hypertext • Database • Each structure has its strengths and weaknesses.

19. Hierarchical structure • A well-designed hierarchy forms good foundation • for many web sites. • The mutually exclusive subdivisions and parent- • child relationships of hierarchies are simple. • Users are familiar with hierarchies so that they • are quickly and easily understood. • Users can use a hierarchy to develop a mental • model of the site’s structure and their location • within the site. • Takes a top-down approach to design.

20. Types of hierarchies Narrow and deep Broad and shallow http://facweb.cs.depaul.edu/asettle/

21. Designing hierarchies • Be aware of, but not bound by, the idea that • hierarchical categories should be mutually • exclusive. • Consider the balance between breadth and • depth in the hierarchy. • Breadth: Be sensitive to the cognitive limits • of your user. More than ten options on the • main menu can overwhelm users. • Depth: If users are forced to click through • more than four or five levels, they may • give up and leave.

22. Hypertext structure • In hypertext systems, content chunks are connected • via links in a loose web of relationships. • Features: • Great flexibility • Substantial potential for complexity and confusion • Rarely useful as the primary structure • Often used to complement structures based on the • other two models. • Example: Microsoft Help

23. Database structure • A database is a collection of records, each of which • has a number of associated fields. • Features: • Allows field-specific searching • Permits repackaging of information into different • formats for different audiences • Records must follow rigid rules • Best for listings, catalogues, directories, and other • subsites with structured, homogeneous data. • Example: The Oracle of Bacon

24. Topics • What are frames? Good or evil? • Definition of information architecture • Organizational systems • Navigation systems • Labeling systems • Searching issues • Early warning about the midterm

25. Navigation systems • A good navigation system: • Helps exploration/orientation • The page must indicate its location within the site. • http://www.cs.depaul.edu/ • Leads users to what they seek • Care must be given to clear directions/options. • Informs about the available products/services/tasks • Doing this requires anticipating the users’ needs • http://www.amazon.com

26. Built-in navigational features • Most browsers offer built-in navigational features: • URL : direct access to any page • Back/forward : bidirectional backtracking • History : random access to pages visited • Bookmarks : save the location of pages visited • Color coding of links : helps users understand where they • have been and retrace their steps through a site • Mouseover effects : may indicate site structure • These effects should be modified cautiously, if at • all. Standards exist for a reason.

27. Purposes of navigation systems • Navigational systems can aid users by: • Providing context: Users must have a good idea of • where the page fits into the overall site. • Company logo • Page title • Subsite/task indicators • Properly named links out of the site • Example: www.cs.depaul.edu • Providing flexibility: Multiple means of navigation • are important. At the very least, provide a link • back to the main page for a site/subsite.

28. Types of navigation systems • Hierarchical: Usually the primary system, it • follows the information hierarchy closely. • Global: Used for quick access to distant (often • unrelated) sections of the site. May include • a portal page. • Local: Used in conjunction with a global system • when a site has more than one purpose or • audience. • Embedded links: Never used alone or for vital • pages. Studies have shown that users are more • likely to miss them.

29. Types of navigation elements • Integrated: Integrated within the page and thus • context-related. • Navigation bars (graphic or text) • Pull-down menus • Frames • Remote: Complement other navigation systems • Table of contents • Index • Site map

30. Building a navigation system • Use the information hierarchy as the primary • navigation system. • The major categories in the hierarchy become • the global navigation system. • The local navigation will depend on the choices • made in the global system. • The site’s size and goal will determine what • other navigation systems are required. • Above all, test your navigation on users! • (And pay attention to the results …)

31. Topics • What are frames? Good or evil? • Definition of information architecture • Organizational systems • Navigation systems • Labeling systems • Searching issues • Early warning about the midterm

32. What’s in a label? “A rose by any other name smells just as sweet.” Shakespeare “He never will know if the Gick or the Goor fits into the Skrux or the Snux or the Snoor.” Dr. Seuss • Labels represent chunks of information. • They can be either headings or links. • They are closely tied to navigation. • For this reason they must be: • meaningful • representative • consistent

33. Labeling systems We are concerned with labeling systems not individual labels. • Better (far from perfect) List • Offices • English Composition Board • Office for Instructional Technology • Office Technology Management • Technology Dissemination Office • Institute for Information Technology • The New Media Center • Projects • Project 1999 • K12 PDN Projects Web Page • Digital Library Project • ????? • Extension Services • Faculty Skunkworks • Unplanned List • Faculty Skunkworks • Office for Instructional Technology • K12 PDN Projects Web Page • Digital Library Project • Office Technology Management • Extension Services • The New Media Center • Project 1999 • Institute for Information Technology • English Composition Board • Technology Dissemination Office

34. Navigation labels • Navigation labels are created during the design of • the navigation system. You need to review them • for clarity and consistency. • When possible, use what standards exist: • Main, Main page, Home, Home page • Search, Find, Browse, Site map, etc. • Contact Us, Contact webmaster, Feedback • Help, Frequently Asked Questions, FAQ • News, What’s New • About, About Us, Who We Are

35. Indexing labels • Indexing labels are crucial to the site. • Either found in the Meta tag or in the title. • Used by search engines. • Should be descriptive and representative of • the site’s purpose. • Example: http://www.clearinghouse.net

36. Link labels • Link labels appear within the text of pages. • The context provides meaning to the link. • Be cautious that the linked item makes sense • relative to the link’s context. • Examples: • http://www.amazon.com • http://facweb.cs.depaul.edu/asettle/ect250/section501/hw/assign4.htm

37. Heading labels • Heading labels: • Condense into 1-3 words the meaning of entire • paragraphs or pages of information. • The user relies on these labels to determine if • a section should be read or not. • They must be consistent both in granularity and • visual form. • Examples: • http://www.amazon.com • http://www.chicagotribune.com

38. Iconic labels • Iconic labels are graphically appealing but poor • communicators. • There is no fixed iconic language • Few concepts have standard icons • Using icons forces the user to learn your system. • How many users will be motivated to do that? • Guidelines: • Use a few icons • Stick to simple graphics • Use icons consistently throughout the site

39. Topics • What are frames? Good or evil? • Definition of information architecture • Organizational systems • Navigation systems • Labeling systems • Searching issues • Early warning about the midterm

40. How users search • What kinds of searches do people do? • Known-item searching • Existence searching • Exploratory searching • Comprehensive searching • Many of these searches also involve browsing. • For this reason searching and browsing must • be integrated.

41. To search or not to search? • When NOT to make your site searchable: • It contains only a few, well-labeled documents. • Its purpose is to be a patch for a badly designed • browsing system. • There is no time to maintain the search engine. • When to make your site searchable: • The site is substantial. • The site contains dynamic content, making an • index difficult or impossible to maintain.

42. The midterm • The midterm is scheduled for Wednesday, • February 7th from 1:30 – 3:00 pm here. • There are no makeup exams! • The exam will cover everything up to and • including the lecture on Mon., Feb. 5th. • A study guide will be available by Fri., Feb. • 2nd. • We will discuss the exam in more detail next • lecture.