Towards standard methods and metrics for evaluating IA

["David Waldock" <david AT dotonltd.co.uk>]

Title: Message

I see IA as a professional skillset which aims to maximise the efficiency and consumability of presented information (as opposed to maximising the usability and task-achievability of a presented user interface).  I like the IAI's defintion:

1. The structural design of shared information environments.
2. The art and science of organizing and labeling web sites, intranets, online communities and software to support usability and findability.
3. An emerging community of practice focused on bringing principles of design and architecture to the digital landscape.

Defining what a "metric" (or standard) should achieve is slightly different.  We should be looking to define standards of consumability (as opposed to usability).  In fact, in this case, it seems to me that defining "good practice" is a good starting point - and I would suggest that good practice is positive (ie: "do this") rather than negative ("don't do this").

 

Good IA is about being able to communicate this good practice to other people.

 

In the case of my company we need a standard against which we can measure consumability of layout designs, navigational designs and content - and these are very different areas.  It seems we need a multi-axial metric in order to have a meaningful conversation about what Good (and "high scoring") IA is.

 

David

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From: Marcel van Mackelenbergh [mailto:marcel AT marcelvanmackelenbergh.nl]
Sent: 24 May 2005 16:58
To: David Waldock; aifia-metrics AT lists.ibiblio.org
Subject: RE: [Aifia-metrics] Hello!

Dave,

 

> However, I notice it's been quiet of late; is that because this initiative has been wound up?

I don't hope so. We are paying contributions in order to be in touch with each other :-). But yes, you are right. It is kind of quiet.

 

So, let's change it. Tell us how you are measuring the effectiveness of communication and how that relates to Information Architecture. Do you see Information Architecture as communication? (I do)

 

Marcel

 

 

Marcel van Mackelenbergh
+31 73 522 3022
marcel AT marcelvanmackelenbergh.nl
http://www.marcelvanmackelenbergh.nl

-----Original Message-----
From: aifia-metrics-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org [mailto:aifia-metrics-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of David Waldock
Sent: dinsdag 24 mei 2005 17:52
To: aifia-metrics AT lists.ibiblio.org
Subject: [Aifia-metrics] Hello!

Hi

 

My name's David, I'm a Senior Developer / Information Architect / Whatever's Needed This Day of the Week for a small company based in Sevenoaks, England (about 30 minutes south of London).

 

We're developing some standards for the measurement of the effectiveness of the communication of information, so it seems to me that this group is ideal for feeding into this.  However, I notice it's been quiet of late; is that because this initiative has been wound up?

 

Look forward to hearing from you

 

--

David Waldock, AMBCS

Senior Developer and Systems Analyst

Dot On Ltd