#28859
Layman's Guide to Web Syndication
Syndication has taken the web industry by storm. It's used everywhere. Talk to a web developer and they'll tell you they've been using it for years. But, as with a lot of things geek, those on the cutting-edge often forget to tell others how to use the new technology.
Mercurytide (2006). Articles>Web Design>Information Design>RSS
#26779
The Lazy IA's Guide to Making Sitemaps
Sitemaps are common deliverables, desired by clients who want a visual representation of a site. Since they are rarely used to make decisions, information architects may not consider them the valuable tools they are. The effort required to make and maintain them requires time that might be better used elsewhere. In fact, I would suggest that making sure the little boxes line up is a waste of an IA's mental abilities.
Turbek, Stephen. Boxes and Arrows (2006). Articles>Web Design>Information Design>Sitemaps
#21458
While there are IAs fortunate enough to work in companies that wholeheartedly embrace user-centered design, there are many more whose biggest challenge isn't the work itself; it's finding the opportunity to do the work, at the right time, in a meaningful way.
Janish, Brenda. Boxes and Arrows (2002). Articles>Information Design
#10352
Learning from Games: Seven Principles of Effective Design 
Why do players of computer games seem to approach those applications without fear, eagerly exploring and learning as they go, while users of business applications will go out of their way to keep from using the tools? Why do business applications require volumes of documentation when the most complex games come with a brief tutorial and a strategy guide for exploration? Why can games teach pilots to fly multi-million-dollar jets better than books and classroom training? These questions have led us to ask another question: Why can’t business applications be more like games? In this article, we attempt to lay the ground work for future research by defining seven design principles found in games that we believe contribute to the creation of more usable applications.
Houser, Rob and Scott Deloach. Technical Communication Online (1998). Articles>Usability>Information Design>Games
#21370
By committing all their attention to a single craft, often literally over hundreds of years, each town in France has received the renown that comes with great work. But what happens when you leave the autoroute, lured by one of those signs proclaiming the town's mastery and claim to fame?
Wodtke, Christina. Boxes and Arrows (2002). Articles>Information Design
#22299
A Lesson in Templates for Adobe Acrobat
Although Templates have been around since version 3 of Acrobat there was never any really useful supporting information or technical documentation to make use of them. Version 5 and 6 of Acrobat changed all that making it possible to take full control of Templates to create truly dynamic PDF documents.
Wraight, Dave. PlanetPDF (2004). Articles>Information Design>Software>Adobe Acrobat
#31443
Lessons from the Medical Community: Physicians Access Patient Information via PDAs
Genesys, a system of medical care facilities in central Michigan, has introduced an innovative way to couple emerging mobile communication technology with sophisticated medical care. Recently, the hospital system introduced the use of hand-held wireless personal digital assistants (PDAs) by physicians in its 440-bed system, which is made up of three local hospitals merged into one.
Ficorelli, Cindy. Communication World Bulletin (2005). Articles>Information Design>Wireless Web>Biomedical
#23762
Ivy-covered halls are filling up again with eager students of the user experience fields ready to change the world (or at least to study out the recession). But are these programs really teaching them what they need to know?
Olsen, George. Boxes and Arrows (2002). Articles>Education>Information Design
#23267
The 'article' approach is better than the 'card' (or 'topic') approach. Concatenate your hypertext nodes and format the headings relatively, for increased comprehensibility of large amounts of conceptual material. Placing node bodies contiguously enhances visibility of information structure.
Hoffman, Michael. Hypertext Navigation. Articles>Information Design>Hypertext
#22669
The Linguistic Foundation of Labeling
A discussion of why to employ principle-based information architecture.
Warner, Amy J. ASIST (2004). Articles>Language>Information Design
#23265
Long Pages and Gentler Separation of Adjacent Nodes
Hypertext theory chronically assumes the strongly fragmented card model rather than the article model of presentation.
Hoffman, Michael. Hypertext Navigation. Articles>Information Design>Hypertext
#28950
Louis Rosenfeld on Enterprise Information Architecture
In this interview with Louis Rosenfeld, The Rockley Bulletin asks the information architecture and user experience guru to talk about enterprise information architecture, what it is, where it's heading, and how you can get started.
Abel, Scott and Louis Rosenfeld. Rockley Bulletin (2006). Articles>Information Design>User Experience
#23366
Making it Fit: Teaching Online Information Design in Two Programs with One Course
To serve students in an interdisciplinary minor in Interactive Media as well as our own concentrators in business and technical writing within the department, we developed a course in designing online information.
Worley, Rebecca B. and Deborah C. Andrews. CPTSC Proceedings (2003). Articles>Education>Information Design
#22223
Review: Managing Data Mining Technologies in Organizations: Techniques and Applications
Managing Data Mining Technologies in Organizations: Techniques and Applications is rich in information and should be of great interest to its intended audience of academics and professionals who are knowledgeable about data mining. The book's price and highly technical nature will likely keep those merely curious about data mining from actually purchasing it, but should you need facts on data mining for one of your documentation projects, a library copy may provide just the information you need.
Owens, David. Technical Communication Online (2004). Articles>Reviews>Information Design
#25351
Managing Hierarchical Data in MySQL
Most users at one time or another have dealt with hierarchical data in a SQL database and no doubt learned that the management of hierarchical data is not what a relational database is intended for. The tables of a relational database are not hierarchical (like XML), but are simply a flat list. Hierarchical data has a parent-child relationship that is not naturally represented in a relational database table.
Hillyer, Mike. VBMySQL.com (2005). Articles>Information Design>Databases>SQL
#20737
Managing Taxonomies Strategically
Taxonomies are structures that provide a way of classifying things -- living organisms, products, books -- into a series of hierarchical groups to make them easier to identify, study, or locate. Taxonomies consist of two parts -- structures and applications. Structures consist of the categories (or terms) themselves and the relationships that link them together. Applications are the navigation tools available to help users find information.
Montague Institute Review (2001). Articles>Information Design>Planning
#13537
Increasing numbers of technical communicators and professionals in such diverse fields as software engineering, computer science, training, and human factors in the product development mix together. The process of developing information products has become cross-functional and interdisciplinary. Functional distinctions between those now at work in that process have blurred. Technical communicators have begun to define usability requirements up front and to participate in product design decisions; software engineers have begun to worry about the product's ability to communicate with users; and HCI (human-computer interaction) professionals work within the product development team on a variety of levels to address user concerns, from the user's work context to the product's dialogue and messaging strategies.
Skelton, T.M. Technical Communication Online (2002). Articles>Management>Information Design
#22836
XML is becoming the data format of choice for a wide variety of information systems solutions. Common applications using XML include document transmission in B2B systems, message format construction for integration of Internet applications with legacy systems, binding of XML data to visual and non-visual controls, data storage and retrieval, and various data manipulation activities within applications.
Emerick, Jerry. ACM Crossroads (2002). Articles>Information Design>XML
#29956
Manipulate XML Service Definitions with Java Programming
A Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) typically exports a range of services. For XML service modelling and subsequent consumption of those services by users (people, machines, or other services), Java technology provides powerful mechanisms to handle XML data, which in turn provides a key foundation for using SOA concepts. Dive into the practical aspects of SOA using XML and Java technology, and discover clear examples of why this seemingly complex technology is so popular.
Morris, Stephen B. IBM (2007). Articles>Information Design>XML>Java
#23708
Mapping the Information Environment: Legal Aspects of Modularization and Digitization 
The article highlights the language of the digital and the principle of modularization as the basic concepts which the further development of the information environment will have to pivot around, regardless of how conflicts between freedom and control are temporarily solved. Perceiving both the computer and the Internet as complex systems, the authors look at how modular design of these systems freed the functionality of applications from the physicality of infrastructures, describe the evolutionary gains adhering to modularity, and how to preserve them -- elaborating on the issues of access to the cable platform for broadband Internet and to virtual networks for computer technology. Their second focus shows how digitalization of information makes possible the merger of content and its protection. Especially through the use of DRM systems, private actors can create right enforcement mechanisms independent of the State. The legal system therefore faces new and more complex relations between private will and public sovereignty. In such a merged system it is harder to maintain freedom -- much like in the fusion of function and infrastructure.
Ottolia, Andrea and Dan Wielsch. YJoLT (2004). Articles>Information Design>Legal
#22062
Review: Mapping Websites: Digital Media Design
When we are trying to envision the structure of a Web site, we may sketch diagrams on white boards, create outlines, fill whole walls with yellow stickies. Kahn and Lenk offer many sophisticated ways of visualizing your site. If you are planning a new site or reorganizing an existing site, this book provides an historical context for your information architecture, in-depth studies of complex sites, and a wide range of inspiring diagrams and site maps.
Price, Jonathan R. Technical Communication Online (2002). Articles>Reviews>Information Design>Web Design
#25461
Mark it up with Groovy Builders
Groovy Builders let you mimic markup languages like XML, HTML, Ant tasks, and even GUIs with frameworks like Swing.They're especially useful for rapid prototyping and, as Practically Groovy columnist Andrew Glover shows you this month, they're a handy alternative to data binding frameworks when you need consumable markup in a snap!
Glover, Andrew. IBM (2005). Articles>Information Design>Standards
#22748
Needing to cope with its enormous needs for document and data exchange, the United States is looking more and more to XML. Paul Ford explains what happens when Washington meets markup.
Ford, Paul. XML.com (2003). Articles>Information Design>Workflow>Government
#14773
Tyson suggests how the principles and practices of structural markup language can make communication more effective.
#25838
Marrying Digital and Paper Documents
The use of physical paper or digital files is not an either/or choice. The two are complementary. Currently, there are many examples of paper used as an interface to digital processes. The UPC found on items we buy and the barcoded labels on the packages we send are two prevalent examples. Many papers we use to reach our customers or to do our work within our organizations have at least one barcode.
Zukowski, Deborra J. e-Doc (2005). Articles>Document Design>Information Design
