Information Architecture Course

Lesson 1 • Core Components of IA

Introduces organization, labeling, navigation, and search as the four pillars of IA. Students map each component to real product examples.

Lesson 2 • Users, Context, and Content

Examines the three-legged stool of users, context, and content as IA drivers. Students analyze how each leg shapes structural decisions.

Lesson 3 • Defining Information Architecture

Covers the classic and contemporary definitions of IA and its scope. Grounds students in shared terminology used throughout the course.

Lesson 1 • User Research Methods for IA

Surveys qualitative and quantitative research techniques relevant to IA. Students select appropriate methods based on project goals and constraints.

Lesson 2 • Synthesizing Research into IA Insights

Converts raw research data into actionable IA requirements. Students practice affinity mapping and insight statements tied to structural choices.

Lesson 3 • Mental Models and Conceptual Mapping

Explores how users build internal representations of information spaces. Students create mental model diagrams to align IA with user expectations.

Lesson 4 • Card Sorting Techniques

Teaches open, closed, and hybrid card sorting to reveal user categorization patterns. Students design, run, and analyze a card sort session.

Lesson 1 • Content Modeling Fundamentals

Introduces content types, attributes, and relationships as structural building blocks. Students model content to expose gaps and duplication before redesign.

Lesson 2 • Gap and Overlap Analysis

Identifies missing content and redundant coverage relative to user needs. Students produce a prioritized gap matrix that guides content strategy.

Lesson 3 • Communicating Audit Findings

Packages audit results into stakeholder-ready reports and presentations. Students practice framing IA problems as business opportunities.

Lesson 4 • Conducting a Content Audit

Applies qualitative and quantitative criteria to evaluate content quality and relevance. Students score content against IA goals and user needs.

Lesson 1 • Organization Scheme Types

Surveys exact, ambiguous, and hybrid organization schemes with real examples. Students match scheme types to content characteristics and user goals.

Lesson 2 • Metadata Strategy

Connects taxonomy decisions to metadata schemas that power search and filtering. Students define a metadata schema aligned with their taxonomy and CMS requirements.

Lesson 3 • Faceted Classification

Introduces multi-dimensional classification for flexible content retrieval. Students design a faceted system and evaluate it against user filtering behaviors.

Lesson 4 • Taxonomy Design and Governance

Teaches structured vocabulary creation, term relationships, and maintenance workflows. Students build a controlled vocabulary with preferred terms and synonyms.

Lesson 1 • Mobile and Responsive Navigation

Addresses navigation constraints and patterns specific to small screens and touch. Students adapt a desktop navigation system for mobile contexts.

Lesson 2 • Wayfinding Principles

Applies environmental wayfinding theory to digital information spaces. Students audit an existing site for wayfinding failures and propose fixes.

Lesson 3 • Navigation Usability Testing

Introduces tree testing and first-click testing to validate navigation structures. Students design and run a tree test and interpret the resulting data.

Lesson 4 • Labeling and Navigation Copy

Covers label clarity, consistency, and user-centered language for navigation elements. Students rewrite navigation labels using card sort and tree test data.

Lesson 1 • Search Interface Design

Covers autocomplete, filters, facets, and zero-results states in search UI. Students wireframe a search interface that supports multiple query types.

Lesson 2 • Measuring Search Effectiveness

Defines key search metrics and analytics workflows for ongoing optimization. Students build a search performance dashboard with actionable KPIs.

Lesson 3 • Search Behavior and Query Types

Analyzes known-item, exploratory, and re-finding search behaviors. Students classify query logs and design search features for each behavior type.

Lesson 4 • Search System Components

Breaks down indexing, query processing, ranking, and results display as search layers. Students map component decisions to user search behavior patterns.

Lesson 1 • IA Specification Documents

Covers the content and format of IA specs that guide development teams. Students write a specification document covering navigation, labels, and metadata rules.

Lesson 2 • User Flows and Task Flows

Maps user paths through an information space to validate structural completeness. Students diagram critical task flows and identify structural gaps.

Lesson 3 • Maintaining Living IA Documentation

Establishes workflows for keeping IA artifacts current as products evolve. Students set up a documentation governance plan with review triggers and owners.

Lesson 4 • Sitemaps and Site Diagrams

Teaches sitemap conventions, notation, and tools for communicating site structure. Students create a multi-level sitemap with page types and relationship annotations.

Lesson 1 • Cross-Channel IA Consistency

Ensures coherent information structures across web, mobile, and other touchpoints. Students audit a multi-channel product for structural inconsistencies and resolve them.

Lesson 2 • Scalable IA for Growing Products

Addresses structural patterns that accommodate content growth without redesign. Students apply scalability principles to a site projected to triple in content volume.

Lesson 3 • Measuring and Evolving IA Over Time

Defines IA health metrics and continuous improvement cycles for mature products. Students build an IA measurement plan with qualitative and quantitative indicators.

Lesson 4 • Aligning IA with Business Goals

Connects IA decisions to measurable business outcomes such as conversion and retention. Students map IA improvements to a business case with projected impact.