ECT 250: Survey of e-commerce technology

1. ECT 250: Survey of e-commerce technology An introduction to information architecture

2. Topics • Information architecture • Organization systems • Schemes • Structures • Navigation systems • Labeling systems • Searching issues • Discussion of the midterm

3. 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.

4. 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?

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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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.

10. 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.

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

12. 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.

13. 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

14. 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

15. Topics • Information architecture • Organization systems • Schemes • Structures • Navigation systems • Labeling systems • Searching issues • Discussion of the midterm

16. Navigation systems • A good navigation system: • Helps exploration/orientation • The page must indicate its location within the site. • DePaul CTI • LLBean • 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 • Amazon

17. Built-in navigational features • Most browsers offer built-in navigational features: • URL : direct access to any page • Back/forward : bi-directional 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.

18. 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: DePaul CTI • Providing flexibility: Multiple means of navigation • are important. At the very least, provide a link • back to the main page for a site/subsite.

19. 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 opening 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.

20. 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

21. 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 …)

22. Topics • Information architecture • Organization systems • Schemes • Structures • Navigation systems • Labeling systems • Searching issues • Discussion of the midterm

23. 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

24. 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

25. 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

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

27. 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: • Amazon • Assignment 4

28. 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: • Amazon • Chicago Tribune

29. 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

30. Topics • Information architecture • Organization systems • Schemes • Structures • Navigation systems • Labeling systems • Searching issues • Discussion of the midterm

31. 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.

32. 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.

33. 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.

34. A first step • Before building a web site, you must define it. • What is the site’s purpose? • What will be the content? • What functionality will it offer? • Define the site’s • Organization • Navigation • Labeling • Search systems • How will this system change and grow?

35. Skills needed for web design • Marketing: Defines the purpose and audience • Information architecture: Designs the organization, • navigation, labeling, and searching systems. • Graphic design: Finds the graphic “identity” of the • site. • Editorial: Proofreading, editing, content, etc. • Technical: Programming, Web administration, • production, etc. • Management: Keeps all of the above in line, on time, • and in budget.

36. Organizational challenges • The Web forces us to deal with classification: • How should we label this content? • What classification system should we use? • Who will catalogue all this information? • Classification issues caused by the WWW: • Differing perspectives • Ambiguity • Politics

37. Different perspectives • When labeling items in your site, how can you be • sure that a visitor will understand your system? • What differentiates these three groups? • lamp, stapler, wall • table, ballpoint pen, chair • telephone, paper • It helps to know your audience, but you should not • assume that your classification system will make • sense to others.

38. Ambiguity and politics • Ambiguity The Web uses words for classification and words can be ambiguous. • Politics • Words can convey unintended or controversial meaning in certain contexts. Example: A bachelors in electronic commerce technology vs. a bachelors in e-commerce • Internal battles over control of Web sites

39. Classic Web problems • Poor organization • Poor graphic design and layout • Gratuitous bells and whistles • Lack of attention to details • Under construction • Inappropriate tone • Designer-centeredness

40. Poor organization • You suspect the information is there but it is hard (or impossible) to find. • DePaul University • Phone number of Jeffrey Carlson, an • Associate Dean in LA&S? • Inconsistencies in navigational headers and footers, labeling, or page background and design. • Atlanta.com • Berkshire Record Outlet • CTI Intranet

41. Poor graphic design • Too much or too little effort with graphics is a bad thing. • Amazon • Amber Settle’s home page • Metra • MSN/NBC • Clarity may be sacrificed for the sake of design • Kleber

42. Gratuitous bells and whistles “It looks cool” is not enough reason to bombard your visitor. • Arneeon • Jim Jacobson’s personal page

43. Lack of attention to detail Crashing scripts, sloppy presentation, errors, typos out of date content, etc. • CTI Intranet (Make an advising appointment) • Diamond Multimedia Europa (News releases)

44. Others • Under construction: Why let people look before you are done with your work? • Agama Path Foundation • DePaul faculty member • Inappropriate tone: A site concerned more with jargon or technological prowess than with usability. • Designer-centeredness: Company sites that are outlets for the webmaster’s self-expression including items such as “my favorite links”.

45. Rules of thumb Rules of thumb for good Web sites: • Keep the purpose of the site clear and focused. • Make it easy for the user to find what they need. • Proper use of color and graphics can help the flow of information much as formatting in a document helps to organize its content. • Make your site adaptable to different users. • Be consistent in your design.