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Tag: Information Architecture

  • Content Strategy
    Content strategy focuses on the planning, creation, delivery, and governance of content.  Content not only includes the words on the page but also the images and multimedia that are used....
  • HHS Usability Lab
    The Digital Communications Division at the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) operates two usability labs. These labs are free of charge for other federal agencies to use...
  • User-Centered Design Process Map
    The user-centered design process is composed of several methods and tasks related to website development. The type of site you are developing, your requirements, team, timeline, and the...
  • Creating a User-Centered Approach in Government
    Government agencies provide vital information and services that affect people’s daily lives. They have the responsibilities of responding to the needs of its citizens, running as...
  • User Interface Design
    User Interface (UI) Design focuses on anticipating what users might need to do and ensuring that the interface has elements that are easy to access, understand, and use to facilitate those...
  • Information Architecture
    Information architecture (IA) focuses on organizing, structuring, and labeling content in an effective and sustainable way.  The goal is to help users find information and complete tasks. ...
  • User Experience
    User experience (UX) focuses on having a deep understanding of users, what they need, what they value, their abilities, and also their limitations.  It also takes into account the business...
  • Getting the Guidelines Up-to-Date
    Updating the Guidelines is an important part of the reboot of our Usability.gov Program. We are creating the process and want to know how you’d like to see it take shape. 
  • A New Purpose; A New Design: Welcome to the Usability.gov Re-boot
    Usability.gov’s re-boot not only has a pioneering new design; it also reflects our new, expanded purpose. Learn more about how we got here. 
  • Card Sorting
    Card sorting is a method used to help design or evaluate the information architecture of a site. In a card sorting session, participants organize topics into categories that make sense to...
  • Organization Schemes
    Organization schemes have to do with how you are going to categorize your content and the various ways you'll create relationships between each piece. Most content can be categorized in...
  • Organization Structures
    An organizational structure is how you define the relationships between pieces of content. Successful structures allow users to predict where they will find information on the site. It’s...
  • Content Inventory
    A content inventory is a list of all the content on your site. Your inventory will typically include text, images, documents, and applications. To gain insight from your inventory, you will...
  • Wireframing
    A wireframe is a two-dimensional illustration of a page’s interface that specifically focuses on space allocation and prioritization of content, functionalities available, and intended...
  • Organizing Content on Web Sites
    Create an information architecture that represents your content and label the links to make that content easy to find.
  • Creating Usable Domain Names
    URLs are an important part of the user interface.  Find out the guidelines and strategies for creating usable domain names based on GSA's experience changing firstGov.gov to USA.gov.
  • Breadcrumb Navigation
    Breadcrumbs are designed to allow visitors to quickly navigate a site by providing a trail. They help users develop mental models of the site structure as well.
  • Navigation: Left is Best
    Learn about which location for navigation is best to help users access subsequent content pages.
  • IA Your Way: Participate in Our Card Sort
    Participate in our online card sort to help us develop the information architecture of Usability.gov.
  • Building Trust
    Online trust is important whether you are trying to distribute information or initiating online business transactions.  Find out how to design with trust as a consideration.
  • Creating Usable Online Forms
    Find out about the importance of aligning labels to fields in form design.
  • Should All Links be Underlined?
    Links are the primary means by which users navigate Web sites. If users do not notice, or do not think that links are clickable, they may not use the links.  Learn about the best practices...
  • Web Site Credibility
    The perception of credibility goes a long way in reassuring users that they've reached a website that provides useful content and that there's substance behind that content.