Examination Questions
Essay Questions
- What is an Information Architect?
- Identify the stages in the web design process and indicate the information architecture deliverables within this process.
- List four common information needs of users as defined by Morville and Rosenfeld in Information Architecture for the World Wide Web, 3rd Edition.
- Describe the berry-picking model of information gathering and contrast it with the "pearl growing" approach.
- List two methods that are can be used to research the information gathering behavior and needs of users
- Identify at least three organization schemes. For each scheme indicate if it is an exact or ambiguous organization scheme.
- List the three types of organization structures. Should large web sites select a single organization structure or employ all three? Why?
Discussion Questions
- Information Architecture - Take a moment to review What is an Information Architect? This article indicates that information architecture is the foundation on which the form, function, navigation, interaction, and visual design of a web site should be built. Do you agree? Why or why not?
- Competitive Analysis - Read Competitive Analysis: Understanding the Market Context. List two types of qualitative data and two types of quantitative data that could be collected in a competitive analysis. Would your design process always benefit from a competitive analysis? Why or why not?
- Card Sorting - Look at the web site for the school or university you are attending. Review Card Sorting: A Definitive Guide. Describe how you could conduct a card sorting exercise for your school/university's home page. Would you use an open or closed card sort? Why? How would you document and analyze the findings of the card sort?
- Web Analytics - Identify at least three types of web analytic data that could potential be useful in identifying trends or problems on a site. What are the pros and cons of using web analytics to inform the information architecture?
- Storyboards/Process Flows - Review the article Storyboarding Rich Internet Applications with Visio. Explain when you would choose to use a simple wireframe to document the design decisions for a web site, versus, when you would choose to use a storyboard/process flow.
- Wireframes - Review the article Recyclable Information Architecture as well as Chapter 12.4 of Information Architecture for the World Wide Web, 3rd Edition. Define each of the following types of wireframes:
- low fidelity
- medium fidelity
- high fidelity
- xhtml/css
List advantages and disadvantages for each. If you were leading a redesign project for your school's web site, which type of wireframe would you chose to use and why?