IS30050 Information Architecture: Designing the Web

Academic Year 2023/2024

Why is it that some websites are a pleasure to use while others are simply infuriating? Why is it we can find our way easily around some sites, while others lose us within seconds? Why do some sites appear to cater for their users while others just don’t? The answer to all of these questions involves Information Architecture.

The Information Architecture Institute defines information architecture as "the art and science of organising and labelling websites, intranets, online communities and software to support usability". In this module you will learn about creating efficient, effective and easily navigable websites, and you will design and create the information architecture for a website in the process.

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Curricular information is subject to change

Learning Outcomes:

On successful completion of this module, you should be able to:
o Understand the primary functions of an information architect.
o Evaluate and document the information architecture and navigation of websites
for a range of platforms, including mobiles, tablets and desktops.
o Document website user personae and customer journey maps.
o Understand the fundamentals of classification, navigation, labelling and search
systems and be able to apply these fundamentals to website design.
o Design sitemaps
o Create basic website metadata

Indicative Module Content:

* User requirements
* Understanding and communicating about content
* Classification schemes
* Labelling
* Information Architecture (IA) patterns
* Creating an IA
* Search and SEO
* Designing navigation
* Testing IA and navigation



Student Effort Hours: 
Student Effort Type Hours
Specified Learning Activities

30
Autonomous Student Learning

73
Lectures

22
Total

125
Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
The assessment will comprise a module-long project. The objective of the project is to apply the skills of analysis, planning, research, design, testing and documentation learned throughout the module in order to produce a documented information architecture and navigation for a fictitious company. The two weekly lectures will give students the background needed to tackle the project. 
Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Equivalents:
Information Architecture (IS37050)


 
Assessment Strategy  
Description Timing Open Book Exam Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade
Assignment: Search Engine Optimisation Week 8 n/a Graded No

20
Assignment: IA and Navigation Report Coursework (End of Trimester) n/a Graded No

60
Assignment: Personas and Customer journey map Week 4 n/a Graded No

20

Carry forward of passed components
Yes
 
Resit In Terminal Exam
Spring No
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 
Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

.

Name Role
Mr Andrew Woods Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Timetabling information is displayed only for guidance purposes, relates to the current Academic Year only and is subject to change.
 
Autumn
      
Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12 Mon 10:00 - 11:50