Information Architecture Evaluation
summary | detail | methodology
- Why information architecture evaluation?
- An information architecture (IA) evaluation is useful for examining products such as websites and documentation sets that contain large amounts of complex information. An IA evaluation can focus on the reasons why users or customers are not finding (or buying) what they need.
- What is information architecture evaluation?
- An information architecture evaluation is an assessment of an information product by two or more information architecture experts. The primary concern of an information architecture evaluation is the findability of information. Factors affecting findability include the organization or structure of the information, the means to navigate it, the language used to label its parts, and the alternative routes available to access the information a user needs.
- The evaluation includes stakeholder interviews, user interviews, and expert evaluation, and may also include a card sorting exercise.
- What does it take?
- Information architecture experts—with education, experience, and skills to perform content analysis, findability analysis, information design, and thesaurus development.
- Focus—For large information products, you cannot evaluate everything. Identify and prioritize the top areas of concern.