IA Evaluation
summary | detail | methodology
Information architecture (IA) focuses on the intersection between user needs and the information content of a product such as a website, document set, or software application.
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.
An IA evaluation project often includes other usability evaluation methods, particularly card sorting and usability testing, to supplement the findings of the evaluators.
When to Choose This Method
An IA evaluation is useful for examining products such as websites and documentation sets that contain large amounts of complex information. An evaluation can focus on the reasons why users or customers are not finding (or buying) what they need. The usability of the interface is not always the primary problem; the root cause may be the nature and organization of the information itself. If you often receive requests for information that is already on your website, an IA evaluation can help determine why customers can’t find the information and how to structure the information to make it easier to find.
What You Can Learn From This Method
An IA evaluation can help you understand how best to organize the information at your website or in your software application or document set. The IA evaluation can also pinpoint what navigation and search capabilities can improve findability for your users.
What You Cannot Learn From This Method
IA evaluators are never a substitute for actual users, particularly for users of highly specialized content. While an IA evaluation can provide a logical analysis of structure and content, it cannot provide information about user behavior, preferences, and choices. For this reason an IA evaluation is often conducted in conjunction with other usability evaluation methods.
Also, an IA evaluation does not address the data modeling and database implementation that support content. An IA evaluation primarily describes and makes recommendations for the organization of information at the user interface level, though these recommendations may impact underlying data structures.
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For help with defining an information architecture evaluation or if you have questions about Tec-Ed’s services, please contact Barbra Wells at barbra@teced.com.
