What you READ is what you get
What you READ is what you get
Services > Information architecture workflow
Information architecture workflow
I. Administrative Set-up
  • Identify and meet with key stakeholders
  • Assess access to information
  • Plan communication system
  • Plan authority matrix
  • Set-up project tracking applications and documents
  • Identify, locate style guides and standards
  • Identify, locate test facility and equipment
II. Discovery
  • Background research
  • Heuristic evaluation of existing site
  • Research meetings (internal)
  • Competitive analysis (benchmarking)
  • User research
  • Analyze and present user and task data
  • Content assessment
  • Technology assessment
  • Preliminary IA analysis and design
III. Planning
  • Information architecture--strategy report
  • Consult on budget, schedule, communication plan
  • Consult on success metrics, assessment methods
  • Plan wireframe testing
IV. Clarification
  • Contribute to Creative Brief
  • Content Requirements
  • Technical Specifications
  • Functional Specifiations
V. Project kick-off
  • Contribute to review of Project Plan with stakeholders
VI. Develop Site Structure
a. Content
  • Content inventory
  • Content models
  • Content classification (taxonomy), as needed
b. Information Architecture (top-down structure)
  • Map high-level pages
  • Verify labels (e.g. card sorts)
  • Search functionality
  • Socialize diagrams to stakeholders
c. Wireframes (bottom-up structure & navigation)
  • Start working with graphic designer(s)
  • Identify wireframe types (via content, user tasks)
  • Develop wireframes
  • Test, analyze results
  • Revise as needed
VII. Production
  • Consult on any IA, UI revisions
  • Consult on Style Guide
  • Consult on search engine optimization
VIII. Quality Assurance
  • Consult on QA
IX. Success Measurement
  • Consult on success measurement
  • Consult on follow-up user testing
About this IA workflow
This is a highly condensed outline of a 60+ page document that helps me stay sane as an information architect. The full version is riddled with notes and links to templates, examples, tools, sites, books and presentations.

"The two most important rules about site structure are to have one and to make it reflect the user's view of the site and its information or services."

- J. Nielsen, Designing Web Usability
© 2004 Clearwater Communications