Information Architecture Summer Institute
June 23–27, 2008 · UW campus, Seattle
This five-day intensive course covers the key elements of Information
Architecture:
- Understanding your users’ information needs
- Building architectural frameworks to store information effectively
- Proper organizing and labeling of information for improved navigation
and search
- Perceiving opportunities where information architecture can increase
business value
Each of these four elements will be explored through lectures, interactive
exercises and discussion led by University faculty and industry
experts. If you work with information and need to connect it to users,
this course provides the foundation necessary for success, whether
you’re designing a small Web site on a limited budget or trying to run an
enterprise portal.
Topics:
- Defining and practicing information architecture
- Information organization—including labeling, categorization and
taxonomies
- Searching and browsing
- Understanding users—their information needs and behavior
- Content management
- Evangelizing information architecture
- The future of information architecture
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Intended Audience
The institute is intended for professionals working in situations requiring a
solid knowledge of the foundational structures and techniques used in information
architecture, in corporate, educational, government or nonprofit
organizations. The workshop will provide theoretical and practical knowledge
that can be used by project managers, taxonomists, Web designers
and anyone who needs to successfully design large information structures
to meet user needs and business requirements.
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Why is IA Important?
Information architecture (IA) is the art and science of organizing and labeling Web sites, software, intranets, and online communities to support usability and findability. Good information architecture results in:
- Products that are easier to use
- Information that is easier to find and understand
- Increased efficiency for product users
- Higher customer satisfaction (which can lead to higher sales)
- Product differentiation in this highly commoditized world
Creating effective information architecture that leads to these benefits requires researching user needs, developing solutions that focus on intuitive information access, and testing these solutions with users. This puts the user at the core of the development process, and leads to products and services that customers find easy to use. Most development teams already have members who focus on business and technology; information architects focus on benefiting the user, which leads to increased business success.
Information architecture grew from the need to organize the massive amounts of information found in computer software, CD-ROMs and the Internet. Information architecture uses concepts from established disciplines such as library science, user-centered design and human-computer interaction, combining them in new ways to solve problems. As users are presented increasingly more complex information systems, the practice of information architecture becomes a crucial component of developing successful products.
IA can increase the value of:
- education (related products, etc)
- brand (identity, reputation, trust)
- customer satisfaction (return on investment, positive word of mouth)
IA can reduce the cost of:
- finding (time, frustration)
- not finding (bad decisions, alternate channels)
- construction (staff, technology, planning, bugs)
- maintenance (content management, redesigns)
- training (employees, turnover)
- navigation (the time it takes to do frequent tasks)
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Benefits
- Designed and presented by faculty from the UW Information School in collaboration with practitioners from organizations that are leaders in information architecture.
- Participants gain theoretical and practical knowledge useful to project managers, taxonomists, Web designers and anyone who needs to successfully design large information structures to meet user needs and business requirements.
- Enables participants to experience a variety of architectural frameworks through interactive exercises using UW computers or their own laptops.
- For participants enrolled in a graduate program at UW, the course provides three hours of graduate credit.
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Schedule
The full schedule for the Information Architecture Summer Institute can be downloaded here in PDF format.
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Core Faculty
Michael Crandall
Senior Lecturer and Chair, Masters of Science in Information Management program, The Information School, University of Washington
Michael Crandall is a senior lecturer in the iSchool, and current chair of the Master's of Science in Information Management program. Previously, he was technology manager for the U.S. Library program of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation where he worked on such projects as helping to develop WebJunction, a public-access computing portal and placing Internet connections and computers in 14,000 public libraries throughout the United States. Prior to the foundation, Crandall worked on search technology and knowledge organization for the intranet at Microsoft (MSWeb) and on information architecture and online library services at Boeing. He has served on the Dublin Core Metadata Board of Trustees since its inception in 2001, and is active in ASIS&T. He is interested in public-access computing, ICT in developing countries, metadata and knowledge organization, social dimensions of knowledge transfer and large-scale information systems.
Samantha Starmer
Manager - Online Projects, Systems and Information Architecture Recreational Equipment Inc.
Over the last 10 years, Samantha Starmer has worked on a wide variety of user experience and information architecture projects while at Amazon.com, SchemaLogic and Microsoft. She now is a manager at REI.com, leading the teams who run information architecture, project management and systems. She holds a Master's of Library and Information Science degree from the University of Washington and a certificate in Content Management. Starmer has also served on the board of Content Management Professionals and the Information Architecture Institute.
David Ballantine
User Experience Lead, Avenue A | Razorfish
David Ballantine is a User Experience Lead in the Seattle office of Avenue A | Razorfish where he brings more than 12 years of experience and expertise in interaction design and information architecture. Before joining Avenue A | Razorfish, Ballantine worked as an Sr. Information Architect and visual designer at several local web development businesses and start-ups. Ballantine holds a Masters of Library and Information Science degree from the University of Washington, with a focus on information retrieval and content management. Ballantine is a member of several professional associations, including, ASIS&T, CMPros, Information Architecture Institute and ACM SigCHI.
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Sponsor
The Information Architecture Institute is a nonprofit volunteer organization dedicated to advancing and promoting information architecture. Founded in 2002, the institute has over 800 members in 40 countries. For more information, visit: IAInstitute.org.
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Registration
It is not necessary to apply to the University of Washington for Summer Quarter-only courses in order to take this institute. To avoid the $50 Summer-only application fee, please register for this institute through UW Extension.
Important Dates
Registration begins on April 21, 2008. The deadline is June 16, 2008.
Fees
The cost of the five-day institute is $1,825 per registrant if received by May 19, 2008, and $1,975 per registrant after that date. The institute fee includes tuition for the 30-hour (3 credit) course, instructional materials, access to the UW Information School's computer labs, daily refreshment breaks and lunches, and a catered evening reception. There is an additional $35 nonrefundable registration fee. Costs for travel and accommodations are not included.
Cancellation and Refund Policy
Registrants who send a written cancellation notice by June 2, 2008, will receive a refund minus the $35 registration fee. No refunds will be granted after June 2, 2008. Cancellation notices should be sent to: Information Architecture Institute, UW Extension Registration Services, 4311 - 11th Ave. NE, Seattle, WA 98105-4608, or emailed to: uweoreg@extn.washington.edu.
How to Register
- By telephone: Register using VISA or MasterCard by calling 206-897-8939 or 1-800-506-1325, Monday–Thursday, 8 a.m.–5 p.m., and Friday, 9 a.m–5 p.m.
- By mail or fax: Print and mail or fax a
registration form.
- In person:
- UW Extension, University District, Seattle
(Administrative offices for UW Educational Outreach)
4311 - 11th Ave. NE (see map)
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
Parking: Free visitor parking is available in the building garage (entrance on 11th Ave. NE), in stalls marked "UW Educational Outreach."
- UW Extension Downtown, Seattle
1325 Fourth Ave. at Union St., Suite 400 (see map)
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–1 p.m. and 2–5 p.m.
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Graduate Nonmatriculated (GNM) Status
If you plan to apply the credits you earn toward a specific graduate degree in the future you must apply for graduate nonmatriculated (GNM) status and register as a GNM student. For GNM application information, contact the graduate coordinator in the appropriate UW department. The deadlines to apply for GNM status are Sept. 1 for Autumn Quarter, Dec. 1 for Winter Quarter, March 1 for Spring Quarter and May 15 for Summer Quarter. For additional information, call UW Extension Registration Services at 206-897-8939, or the GNM Office at 206-543-7097.
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Venue
Institute sessions will be held in Mary Gates Hall on the University of Washington campus, Seattle, Washington. Sessions use the instructional and lab facilities of the UW Information School (iSchool) in Mary Gates Hall. Consult the following links for campus maps, driving directions to the campus (choose Central Campus as the destination), and parking information.
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Travel and Lodging
For information about public transportation in Seattle and surrounding King County, visit transit.metrokc.gov/. For details on ground transportation to and from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, see www.portseattle.org/seatac/.
For places to stay during the institute, see local accommodations in the University District, which is located in North Seattle about 15 minutes from downtown and the Eastside/Bellevue. For more information about accommodations in Seattle and King County, see Seattle's Convention and Visitors Bureau Lodging Guide. Lodging guides for the Seattle metropolitan area are also available at:
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Tax Credits for Tuition and Fees
Eligible taxpayers may claim a tax credit of up to $2,000 on UW Extension courses. For more detailed information, please refer to IRS Publication 970, "Tax Benefits for Higher Education."
For purposes of the Hope and Lifetime Learning tax credits, federal law (section 6109 of the Internal Revenue Code) requires the University to obtain your Social Security number.
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Accommodations for Disabilities
The University of Washington is committed to providing access, equal opportunity and reasonable accommodation in its services, programs, activities, education and employment for individuals with disabilities. To request disability accommodation, contact UW Extension at 206-897-8939, or the Disability Services Office at 206-543-6450 (voice), 206-543-6452 (TTY), 206-685-7264 (fax) or dso@u.washington.edu (e-mail) at least 10 days before the institute.
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Questions
If you have questions about this institute, please call 206-685-8936 or 1-800-506-1325, or email IASI@extn.washington.edu.
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