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Information Architecture, Navigation & Content Structures

Learn about the next steps for the University website and Content Management System, including key points from previous sessions, navigation models, metadata, and content structures. Explore the principles of Information Architecture and Content Strategy to enhance user experience and engagement.

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Information Architecture, Navigation & Content Structures

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  1. Information Architecture, Navigation & Content Structures Next steps for the University website and Content Management System Neil Allison University Website Programme August 2013

  2. Overview • Where we’re up to • Key points from previous sessions • Page navigation working model • Metadata • Content structures

  3. Previous sessions Oct-Nov 2011 Nov – Dec 2012 Update on proposals focusing on: Navigation & orientation Search Multi-device design Sessions with business reps, tech specialists & web publishers • Consultation on principles for website information architecture and content strategy • Business reps • Web publishers • Workshops considering suitability of navigation & page layout proposals • Web publishers

  4. IA & Content Strategy principles Information Architecture Content Strategy Avoid content ROT Redundant Out of date Trivial Calls to action are important for good content • Navigational behaviour consistency • Navigation function location consistency • Everything needed within the interface • Back button last resort • (From 2011 sessions)

  5. As a website user I want to… • Get more detail, or continue through a process • ‘Step back’ for more perspective (get an overview) • Find similar or related content(across the site) • Compare content • Continue task off-website • Personalised content in MyEd • 1-2-1 phone, email, in-person • 1-2-community via social media • Abandon current track • Take a new approach to same task • Move to an unrelated task A page deep in your website • (From 2012 sessions)

  6. As an organisation, we want you to… • Know where you are • Know where you’ve been • Undertake calls to action related to this content or service • Know where to go next • If you’re interested and want direction • (From 2012 sessions)

  7. Survey summary • “Clearly expressed user and organisation goals are required to coherently shape the future of the University web publishing” • “The University needs a website that adapts to, and optimises for, different devices” • “The University should aspire to the concept of Create Once, Publish Everywhere” • “Site search should empower website users to achieve more useful results, more quickly” • “Site search should prioritise results to promote University strategic objectives” • “Site search user data should inform content development and curation priorities” • “I am supportive of the proposed approach, using templates to steer creation and curation of particular types of content (given that more flexible, general tools would also be available).” Full survey summary: http://bit.ly/UoE-IA-consult

  8. What we did next • Editorial investigations of existing websites and content structures • Mapping deep & difficult locations to 2 potential navigational approaches • Attributes of common content types, and their prevalence • News • Events • Review of development & methodology with Paul Boag

  9. Overview • Where we’re up to • Key points from previous sessions • Page navigation working model • Metadata • Content structures

  10. Up to 4 tiers of navigation • Route back to parent site(s) • Persistent local calls to action: contact & feedback • Local footer

  11. How did we get here? • An evolving proposal, based on University-wide content management experience • Comparative desk research of 2 potential approaches • Expanding navigation • Vertical breadtrail

  12. Vertical breadtrail investigation

  13. Comparison Expanding navigation Vertical breadtrail Positive Reduces size of navigation panel for bigger sites No limit on site depth No need for breadtrail Negative Navigation up & down tree needed to explore breadth Cross site user journeys are disorientating Little used navigation options from highest levels retained Encouraging unwieldy sites • Positive • Breadth of site exposed • Supports orientation • Negative • Potential for overwhelming navigation choices • Limited site depth • Large sites need breaking into subsites • Horizontal navigation limits link characters

  14. Benefits of our approach • ‘Go up’ options mitigate navigation lost when beginning new subsites • Horizontal primary nav is retained whenever left nav panel is absent (e.g. homepages) • 4 tiers of navigation allows for 4000+ pages • In page navigation can provide additional navigation tiers & reduce nav panel length • Local footer brings space for affiliations etc

  15. Example journey Prospective postgraduate German; Division of Euro Languages;School of Literatures, Languages & Cultures

  16. (One of) The BBC’s 15 website principles • “Consistent design and navigation needn’t mean one-size-fits-all” • “Visitors should always know they’re on one of our websites, even if they all look very different” • “Most importantly, they know they won’t ever get lost” BBC’s 15 website principles: http://bit.ly/QqBkJC

  17. Responsive considerations • How will our navigational triggers work on other devices?

  18. Navigation is only part of the story • “Responsive design is about putting the right content in users’ hands according to the context of their interaction.” • “This requires a content strategy that guides how you will deliver only what is absolutely necessary…” http://bit.ly/responsive-design-primer

  19. An ongoing working proposal User research

  20. Ongoing collaboration Interaction design needs a range of skills and an iterative approach

  21. Questions? Thoughts?

  22. Overview • Where we’re up to • Key points from previous sessions • Page navigation working model • Metadata • Content structures

  23. Types of metadata • Administrative Metadata • Indicates how, when and by whom the content was created • Defines how it can and will be used, its status, who can access it • Structural metadata • Models the content types and attributes • Descriptive Metadata • Describes the subject matter of the content

  24. Descriptive metadata – why? • Enables smarter website search • More usable search engine results • Supports content aggregation • Extending content life beyond your website

  25. “Treat the site like an onion” - Rosenfeld • What content types justify the closest attention and curation? Loose or none Strict Lou Rosenfeld - Adaptable IA: http://bit.ly/adaptable-ia-rosenfeld

  26. How will we do it? • Focus on content types • Some content is more valuable than the rest • Regardless of location in website • For priority content, schemas for metadata • For all other content, more flexible

  27. Scope of website metadata • Title • Description • Keywords • URL • Date published • Identify content type • News, Event etc • Identify target audiences • Identify organisational relationships The CMS must steer creation of consistent, accurate descriptive metadata

  28. Questions? Thoughts?

  29. Overview • Where we’re up to • Key points from previous sessions • Page navigation working model • Metadata • Content structures

  30. Freeing our content “Digital content needs to be free – to go where and when most people want it. In particular, content has to be mobile and it has to be social. The more structure you put into content, the freer it will become.” Rachel Lovinger Nimble: Publishing in the Digital Age www.razorfish.com

  31. Content types investigation • We looked at news & events content • A small number of attributes common to all or almost all pages considered • A long tail of additional attributes • Standardised content types need a broad base of input for both attributes & relationships

  32. http://bit.ly/content-modelling

  33. Activity • 10 minutes in small groups • Brainstorm content types on your website • Make a list • Feedback to the whole • Prioritise

  34. Upcoming workshops • 3 – 5 September • Based on your priorities • We need to model priority content types • Attributes? • Relationships? • What do you need content types to do for your site?

  35. References and further reading • Jakob Nielsen - Top 10 Information Architecture Mistakes http://bit.ly/RESFmC • Jared Spool - Information Interplay - Visual Design, Information Architecture, and Content http://bit.ly/RES8Ba • Abby Covert - Does it have legs: IA heuristics for interaction designers http://bit.ly/REUK1R • Lou Rosenfeld – Retune don’t redesign http://bit.ly/adaptable-ia-rosenfeld • UX Mag – A primer on responsive design http://bit.ly/responsive-design-primer • Karen McGrane – Content Strategy for Mobile: http://bit.ly/SKoYxs • Sara Wachter-Boettcher - Content strategy & responsive design in Higher Ed http://bit.ly/RET7Ba • Karen McGrane – Future ready content seminar: http://bit.ly/future-content • Cleve Gibbon - Content modelling tutorial: http://bit.ly/content-modelling

  36. Thank you Questions? Neil.Allison@ed.ac.uk University Website Programme @usabilityed

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