An information architect ensures that your information is organised and presented in ways that make sense to the audience.
When information is designed for the audience:
- Employees and customers learn more quickly
- Less time is wasted in looking for and interpreting the information
- People make fewer mistakes
- You will attract more customers
How does information architecture work?
Information architecture brings together three elements:
- People - the audience for the information and those who will be processing it
- Processes - ensuring information is collected, processed and presented as efficiently as possible, with the appropriate controls in place
- Technology - finding the right tools and systems for a particular context
The aim is to ensure that accurate, up-to-date information is available and findable when people need it, with minimal barriers in place to using and understanding that information.
What do I offer?
Every project is different. Some may just involve creating a single document. Others may go as far as redesigning an organisation’s internal document management system or web presence.
Most will typically contain elements of the following:
Review
- Understand the audience's needs
- Understand the information they need and when they need it
- Review how that information is currently organised and presented
- Review how the information is produced and governed
- Identify the existing information systems
- Identify the current pain points
Design
- Create high-level structures
- Create mockups and prototypes
- Test ideas with the target audience
- Iterate towards a final, agreed design - with associated style guide
- Propose system improvements
- Map new processes
Build
- Create documents, spreadsheets, web sites, courses, templates etc - as required
- Ensure they meet the style guide
- Ensure products are located correctly in the high-level structure
- Ensure appropriate links between the products
Train
- How to understand your audience
- How to write for your audience
- Information governance in practice
Examples
- Structure and write your documents such as requests for proposals, reports, technical manuals, standard operating procedures and policies
- Rationalise and rework your internal documentation systems, such as Sharepoint, Confluence, Gitbook, Notion and Xwiki
- Design and build courses in Moodle, TalentLMS, Learndash and others
- Identify and present your key messages on your website, in slide decks and through data-driven reports
