Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
information gathering and categorization is dynamic and requires several passes
through examination to validate and refine the structure.
Sometimes it is difficult to figure out how to arrange information. By using
categories and subcategories, you can begin to arrange information into a
visible structure. By creating a visible structure on paper, you allow the final
design to have an effective invisible structure. This invisible structure has to
work in a positive way. Kristof and Satran (1995) explained that as an
information designer you can impose a point of view that makes the product
interesting. The advantage to creating a visual structure document is that we do
not sacrifice our goals to persuade the user and impress them by inadvertently
structuring the information of our Web portfolio site in an indirect way. The site
structure documents such as flowcharts give illustration to the guts of the user
options when traveling the site. The flowchart becomes important in getting an
overall sense of how this information product will work. The flowchart gives a
clear picture of navigation during the planning and development stages.
Navigation
Navigation is steering for the user. Just as a captain guides a ship, the user will
navigate your Web portfolio in search of content and a positive experience.
Navigation should be simplified to provide seamless usability and serve to
communicate a functional hierarchy. It is your job to provide clear, direct
navigation to all your Web portfolio offers. The navigation you provide will be
in the form of hyperlinks. The structure of the site dictates the navigation
elements. Structure and navigation work hand-in-hand in providing pathways
for the user to access information in the most direct way. Navigation that has
indirect access to assets should be eliminated or never conceptualized. Some-
times novice developers and novice designers waste precious time on making
extravagant navigation that does not serve the purpose of helping the user
access information. We must take care to fight the urge to make navigation
overwhelming to the site and to the content. Navigation needs to be transparent
in existence but evident when needed.
