Some web sites "work" and some don't. Good web site consultants know that you can't just jump in and start writing HTML, the same way you can't build a house by just pouring a foundation and putting up some walls. You need to know who will be using the site, and what they'll be using it for. You need some idea of what you'd like to draw their attention to during their visit. Overall, you need a strong, cohesive vision for the site that makes it both distinctive and usable. Information Architecture for the World Wide Web is about applying the principles of architecture and library science to web site design. Each web site is like a public building, available for tourists and regulars alike to breeze through at their leisure. The job of the architect is to set up the framework for the site to make it comfortable and inviting for people to visit, relax in, and perhaps even return to someday. Most books on web development concentrate either on the aesthetics or the mechanics of the site. This book is about the framework that holds the two together. With this book, you learn how to design web sites and intranets that support growth, management, and ease of use. Special attention is given to:

• The process behind architecting a large, complex site
• Web site hierarchy design and organization

Information Architecture for the World Wide Web is for webmasters, designers, and anyone else involved in building a web site. It's for novice web designers who, from the start, want to avoid the traps that result in poorly designed sites. It's for experienced web designers who have already created sites but realize that something "is missing" from their sites and want to improve them. It's for programmers and administrators who are comfortable with HTML, CGI, and Java but want to understand how to organize their web pages into a cohesive site. The authors are two of the principals of Argus Associates, a web consulting firm. At Argus, they have created information architectures for web sites and intranets of some of the largest companies in the United States, including Chrysler Corporation, Barron's, and Dow Chemical.

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Information Architecture for the World Wide Web Review,  March 02 2000
Submitted by Tim Salam   [Respond | View]



My name is Tim Salam, I'm 25 years of age, and about to finish a degree in advertising. Starting two years ago, I got into the internet. In particularily, I became enamored with the art of web site creation - enough so to be pursuing it as my career of choice now.

Just a few weeks ago, while starting out my last semester, I got hired by an organization attached to my university to work on their web site. One week into it, I discovered that the current site was simply unusable, due to a veritable "grab bag" of information architecture issues. At a preliminary meeting with the organization's higher-ups, I suggested that the site be torn apart, blueprinted from the ground up, and fully re-designed. They agreed, and assigned me the duty of completing that task.

That's when I freaked out. What do I know about how to make a web site truly clean and usable?

Now, thanks to Rosenfeld & Morville (as well as O'Reilly), I know a great deal. I had some initial thoughts, but "Information Architecture for the World Wide Web" blew me out the door with inspiration.

Now, I run madly about the university's offices, asking constant questions, creating surveys and questionnaires, and chanting my current mantra, "Feedback! Feedback! I must have feedback!"

Realizing how valuable feedback is in the process of re-designing the site I'm charged with, I thought it important to return the favor. Namely, the favor of empowering me to be at my best with my employers, identifying real issues and arranging real solutions, instead of just doing what I think would "work."

This book has given me a lot to start on. I have zero formal training, and everything I know, I taught myself. I consider this book to currently be the single most important book on my shelf - though it's usually under my arm as I move about my school campus, rather than on the shelf!

I had previously purchased "Designing Web Usability," by Jakob Nielsen, when I purchased your book. Between finding his signature on the foreward and "O'Reilly" labeled on the front, I knew I was in terrific hands before I barely even breached the preface.

To Rosenfeld and Morville: Thank you for your insight. Sure, you got your thanks when I plunked down my hard-earned bucks on that book, but I've discovered it's worth it's weight in platinum. And besides, I happen to know that there are some things more valuable than money. One of them is a hearfelt "thank you," going out to you from an aspiring web developer, cloistered in his apartment at 9:45 p.m., with ideas in my head and your book before me.

And thanks to O'Reilly, who I've found I can count on in a time of need. I thought you should know, when I'm in any bookstore, I scan the shelves for your books, because I've learned the importance of refusing to comprimise on quality. When clients invest substantial responsibility in me, you've often paved the way...

Thanks very much. And yes, tonight I'm rather wordy. However, I fully understand the value of feedback... ;)

Sincerely,
Tim Salam


Information Architecture for the World Wide Web Review,  June 13 1999
Submitted by Cathy Lindsey-King   [Respond | View]



"Information Architecture for the World Wide Web" - as far as I'm concerned, it's a must read for anyone who's involved in Web and/or intranet design.

I read this book from cover to cover, and thoroughly enjoyed it. It was a pleasure to dive right into exactly what makes a Web site work well, and to get some first rate suggestions on how to do it yourself. The book is comprehensive, well organized and well written, and also enlightening.

"Info Architecture for the WWW" not only addresses the necessary theory and background, it also provides great practical ideas and sound advice.

This book was written for anyone and everyone in the information profession (be you librarian, academic, instructor, Webmaster, info technology expert, info guru, or whatever) who has recognized how much life is changing for our population and our culture as a whole when it comes to our access to and use and expectations of information, especially when it's presented on the Web.

Don't design your Web site without it!




Information Architecture for the World Wide Web Review,  January 19 1999
Submitted by Martin Burns   [Respond | View]



Erratum: (as the Errata pages don't have a
submit option that I can find)
P172: http://www.useit.com/papers/guerilla_hci.html should have been http://www.useit.com/papers/guerrilla_hci.html (note the spelling of guerrilla here).


Information Architecture for the World Wide Web Review,  September 22 1998
Submitted by Lou Rosenfeld   [Respond | View]



Normally I ignore postings from "anonymous", but I found the first 4/5 posting too difficult to ignore. First, taking potshots is fine (we do it all the time), but good manners dictates that one identify oneself. Second, our site definitely does not contain huge amounts of content. Why? Because it doesn't need to. Adding gratuitous content would reduce the site's usefulness and muddle its message. Third, the site does describe what Argus has provided to its major clients. You must have missed this somehow. How, I'm not sure, but if you weren't anonymous, we could have asked you and learned what could be improved.


Information Architecture for the World Wide Web Review,  April 05 1998
Submitted by Peter J. Schoenster   [Respond | View]



Hey, that review above mine is really funny.

How true.

They put the url in plain-text. Why? Because someone is saying, "well let's tell them but let's not make it easy for them to leave our site." I have met these types in the corporate world.

But I am going to buy this book and when I do I will return with a review of it.

There is no navigation on this page because the programmer forgot to put it.


Information Architecture for the World Wide Web Review,  November 15 1997
Submitted by Sergio Beristain   [Respond | View]



I really liked this book! Written by a librarian who knows about frustrated people trying to find information.
However, I think the author could have gone a little bit deeper with more of the "big players" examples.

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