Use Personas for information architecture

Information architecture in the final http://www.aliyun.com/zixun/aggregation/9355.html is to let users quickly find the desired "> information content, whether navigation, class, or search is just the way users choose." But facing the huge content and the complicated operation, how can the website information organize the user to complete the task smoothly? This involves information architecture (IA). The information architecture sounds like a complicated job. There is a very simple way to use task roles (persona) to help us master the architecture easily.

This method is called the conceptual model method, also known as the concept map. Personally, it is particularly useful when brainstorming focus group discussions or early interaction to understand workflows. Not only can use in the meeting thought exchanges, but also may assist the carding logic. The big benefit is that you can quickly approximate how many pages the site contains (this is important for early project estimates.)

1. Personas

The general process of user experience involves personas (persona). It's important to build personas: Who are your users and what do they come to your site for? The company strategy on the product to flagship which users, the whole project how to maintain team identity does not produce bias? In fact, besides, it is a good helper of information architecture.

With personas, in addition to identity we have to analyze the different purposes they come to the site, and how they come to the site. For example, a consumer E-commerce site, users mainly include buyers, people who buy gifts, through the EDM (email marketing) people come in and return. As shown in the figure:

The middle Yellow circle is our website system. All kinds of users are distributed next to each other.

2, page and behavior

The page and behavior are represented by a user + verb + a page noun. Like what:

1. Create a single role business flow chart

Draw the "shopper" flowchart first

If the Web site adds a "buy gift" requirement, add a "My wish list" to record, display the items I want to buy, or make them public and assign them to friends.

2. Draw the flowchart of "people who buy Gifts"

You will find that different user roles can reuse the same page. For example: Shopping cart, search results list page, shipping address, confirmation page, and so on.

3. Draw the flowchart of all the user roles, see it all over again

By combing different user's behavior path, can comb the complex problem better. You can not only start to focus on users to the purpose and requirements of the site, but also to avoid missing pages and key operations on the page.

Finally, it is strongly recommended that "Fairview Blueprint how to plan the Web site" to talk about information architecture this book in the hands of worry-free ~ ~

Source: http://www.zhangyq.com/information-architecture-using-characters-to-do/