presentations

We have patterns for buildings, patterns for interaction design, and patterns for software development. But are there patterns for information architecture?

Of course there are – patterns emerge from use, and there certainly are enough information architectures around to identify a set of patterns.

This presentation will describe a wide range of commonly-used information architecture patterns, including hierarchies small and large, different types of database structure, hypertext, subsite models, sites with multiple entry points and ways of combining these (and more that I discover before April).

For each I will describe the core elements of the pattern, discuss the most appropriate uses and show real-world examples.

Understanding the different patterns will help attendees to select the most appropriate structures for their content.

Finding information is not the user’s goal. It’s a means to an end. You need to look at what they desire.

Maybe they desire to locate a fact to prove a point. Perhaps buy a product based on important criterion, or locate the best deal. Maybe they desire to compare features before they make a decision, or keep an eye on current events. Or, maybe they just desire to re-read something they saw on an earlier visit.

Each of these information-seeking desires demands a very different approach to the information architecture, the information design, and the page layout. Donna Spencer will show you the key features of each behavior and what you need to include in the design, with both good and bad examples of each. You’ll go away with skills that take your users beyond just finding the information, helping them to use the information to achieve their goals.

When people use websites and intranets they are doing more than just ‘finding’ information. They may be looking for something they know about or exploring something brand new; filtering through large volumes then comparing results; getting an overview of a topic or diving deep. They may even think they want to find one thing, but actually need something entirely different.

Each of these information behaviours needs very different approaches to information architecture, information design and page layout. During this presentation, Donna will talk about each information behaviour, its key attributes, key design needs, and show good and bad examples of each.

We all know that great content is a core part of the website user experience. So why is it so hard to find content that isn’t dull, lifeless and uninteresting – blah, blah, blah?

Web content can be vibrant, interesting and fun. It can draw you in, fill your head and make you learn without having to think. And it’s not really hard to write. Three simple tricks can turn poor content into a great experience:

• remember that readers care more about themselves than you
• write in real words with authentic voice
• play show and tell

This presentation will discuss these principles, with plenty of funny and not-so-funny examples. You’ll go away with practical steps to make your writing kick-ass. And you won’t even have to think.

Would you like your design team to collaborate better? Are you looking to gather more valuable insights from your focus groups and interviews?

Design games are a fun, technology-neutral way of gathering design insights for your projects. In this presentation, I will show you how to take advantage of design games in many situations, with all types of people, including:

• Freelisting, modified card sorting and scavenger hunts: To learn about
  your users language and categories
• Design the Home page and Divide-the-Dollar: To identify and prioritise functions and features
• Reverse-it and Idea cards: To break a creative block and generate ideas

I have played all these games and more with users, stakeholders and design teams, so this presentation will be based on my experience organizing games and making sure they provide useful inputs to the design process.

In this presentation I will focus on games and tips most applicable to IA projects.

Wireframes beyond the basics, not for the weak at heart. In this panel, three experienced designers will share their tried and true tips for making wireframes really work. We’ll talk about how to sketch a wireframe on the fly to demonstrate an idea and how to create a standalone wireframe deliverable; when to show a concept and when to describe nitty-gritty detail; how to make a narrative wireframe and how to make a specification wireframe. And best of all, we’ll show you plenty of examples.

This panel is being presented at SXSW Interactive, with Nick Finck and Michael Angeles.

Why is user involvement in projects the exception rather than the rule, despite the fact we know it is the ‘right’ thing to do? Taking a practical standpoint and without the boring and irrelevant theory, this presentation discusses the role of user involvement in web projects covering:

• What types of projects need (and do not need) to involve users
• Determine the value of involving users or the risks of not involving them
• Methods and techniques appropriate for different situations
• Low-contact, quick methods you can use to learn about users with little effort
• Tips to help other people understand the value of user involvement

This is a talk I gave at Murdoch Uni. I wasn’t sure what to call it, but it basically covers principles of good website work – user research, good IA, great content, setting priorities and maintaining good work.

Why is user involvement in projects the exception rather than the rule, despite the fact we know it is the ‘right’ thing to do? Taking a practical standpoint and without the boring and irrelevant theory, this presentation discusses the role of user involvement in web projects covering:

• What types of projects need (and do not need) to involve users
• Determine the value of involving users or the risks of not involving them
• Methods and techniques appropriate for different situations
• Low-contact, quick methods you can use to learn about users with little effort
• Tips to help other people understand the value of user involvement

Would you like your design team to collaborate better? Are you looking to gather more valuable insights from your focus groups and interviews?

Design games are a fun, technology-neutral way of gathering design insights for your projects. In this presentation, Donna (Maurer) Spencer, an expert information architect, will show you how to take advantage of design games in many situations, with all types of people, including:

• Design Your Ideal Page and Role Playing: Facilitates the brainstorming of design concepts and ideas
• Divide-the Dollar: Prioritizes your site’s features
• Modified Card Sorting: Helps you create content categories and terminology