Meryl's Notes Blog

It’s easy to get carried away with IA and figuring out how to set up a site’s navigation scheme. After fiddling with ideas and drawing them, the process looks complicated and endless. Let’s step back and try Bryan’s approach.

Wait… before you go to the link. Think about something you need that you can buy online. Write it down. Also, write down three sites most likely to carry the product. Go to each site, one at a time, and see how long it takes you to find what you need. Record how many clicks it takes and any thoughts that come to mind such as “Would product x be in here or here?” or “Where do I even start to look for it?”

Fun experiment, wasn’t it? I thought so, too, and I think it teaches a lot in just a few minutes. Go ahead and read the article. Compare your experience to Bryan’s.

Boxes and Arrows’ latest article on card sorting is superb. I’ve read countless articles on the topic. This one is thorough, jargon-free (not an easy thing to do in IA-related articles), well-organized, applies online writing concepts, and keeps your attention (I didn’t have to force myself to read through it). [ InformIT ]

P.S. Happy 1st Birthday, Z!!!!