The Role of Information Architecture in Designing a Third-Generation Library Web Site Jennifer Duncan and Wendy Holliday Library Web sites have evolved over the past decade, from simple pages with a few links to complex sites that provide direct access to hundreds of different resources. In many cases, this evolution occurs with little overall planning, often resulting in Web sites that are hard to manage and difficult for users to navigate.This article outlines the process of using Information Architecture (IA) to redesign a third-generation library Web site from the ground up.The result was a much more usable and cohesive library Web site that meets the needs of a broad range of users. n 2003, the Utah State Univer- had graphically redesigned the Web site sity (USU) Library anticipated a few times, the underlying structure the third major redesign of remained intact. The first and second their Web site. The original levels received a graphic makeover but re- design of the site simply provided basic mained mapped to years of accumulated information about library resources and pages that were not organized coherently. services. Like many library Web sites, it As Louis Rosenfeld, a pioneer in the field had grown over the years in both size and of Information Architecture, suggests, scope. By 2003, the site included several this is a common problem in the current hundred pages and provided access to electronic information environment: hundreds of electronic resources. It had grown without overall planning and it Increased scope, volume, and for- included several different graphic looks, mat types result in great content with “legacy” pages from previous de- ambiguity, muddier information signs existing alongside newer content. retrieval performance, and there- Between 2000 and 2003, the homepage fore, place additional pressures on underwent two major overhauls, yet system design.1 neither redesign was quite satisfactory. Graphic elements, layout, and some labels USU looked to the emerging field of changed, but testing showed that users Information Architecture (IA) to address found the site confusing. the muddiness of their third-generation The major problem was the underlying Web site. For the purposes of the design architecture of the site. While the library project, we used Andrew Dillon’s broad Jennifer Duncan is Electronic Resources Librarian and Wendy Holliday is Coordinator of Library In- struction in the Merrill-Cazier Library at Utah State University; e-mail: [email protected] and [email protected]. 301 302 College & Research Libraries July 2008 definition of information architecture: importance of sound IAto the redesign of “[The] process of designing, implement- the Moraine Valley Community College ing and evaluating information spaces (MVCC) Library Web site. Like USU’s that are humanly and socially acceptable site, the MVCC site grew from its original to their intended stakeholders.”2 Infor- scope and size without much planning, mation Architecture is part of the larger suffering from unnecessary menu pages user-centered design movement, but it and confusing labels and wording. MVCC focuses more specifically on the underly- began their redesign process by identify- ing structure and navigational elements ing potential users of the site and geing of information spaces. Pioneers in the user impressions of the existing site. They field of IA recognized that the World then mapped out a general organizational Wide Web required a new approach to scheme and menu hierarchy. Swanson organization and structure to help users did not elaborate, however, on design intuitively navigate complex information processes and methodologies used to environments. According to Rosenfeld reach these decisions.5 and Peter Morville, in their classic text on Several library and information science Information Architecture, IA is: researchers have also provided assess- 1. The combination of organization, ments of the information architectures labeling, and navigation schemes within of Web sites. Shelley Gullikson et al. an information system. conducted user tests to analyze the effec- 2. The structural design of an informa- tiveness of the architecture of a university tion space to facilitate task completion Web site.6 David Robins and Sigrid Kelsey and intuitive access to content. conducted usability tests and a user sur- 3. The art and science of structuring vey to assess an academic library Web and classifying Web sites and intranets site.7 Louise McGillis and Elaine Toms also to help people find and manage informa- used task-based user testing to assess a tion. university library Web site.8 In all of these 4. An emerging discipline and com- cases, the assessments noted problems in munity of practice focused on bringing labeling and categorization, all of which principles of design and architecture to are central to a site’s information archi- the digital landscape.3 tecture. These studies provide important Focusing on elements of organization, cautionary notes for library Web site labeling, and structure, we applied prin- designers. As McGillis and Toms suggest, ciples and methods of IA to the design however, there are no simple checklists or process for a completely new Web site universal solutions. Web designers should launched in 2006. The USU Library recog- employ user-centered design principles nized that, to many users, the Web site is to specific cases to create the most usable the library and wanted to apply the same sites for various user populations. care and aention involved in planning a Theoretical discussions of IA support new library building to the design of the this idea of user-centered processes rather library’s Web space. than universal guidelines. Toms notes that IA is a central component of information Related Literature interaction, or the ways in which users Many libraries have applied usability interact with the content of a Web site.9 A principles and methods to the design sound site blueprint helps communicate and redesign of library Web sites. These content to users, increasing the site’s ef- projects tend to focus on top-level menu fectiveness and promoting successful user items, labels, and graphical layout.4 The interaction. Marsha Haverty argues that importance of Information Architecture IA is an inductive process because, as a has just begun to emerge in the library relatively new field, it “supports emer- literature. Troy Swanson described the gent phenomenon.”10 The IA design pro- Designing a Third-Generation Library Web Site 303 cess is one of “Constructive Induction.” support and the information it should Designers create solutions to meet the convey, as defined by all library stake- overall goals or functional requirements holders. To borrow from Barry Mahon of the system by using individual build- and Alan Gilchrist, we wanted to design ing blocks of structure, navigation, and “for purpose.”15 interaction. IAthen takes these individual The program requirement document design solutions to build the overall archi- was important for several reasons. Web tecture. When evaluating solutions from site design is oen a political process, a user-centered perspective, ease of use involving the competing interests of and findability define success.11 several different departments. The USU The notion of induction is impor- Library Web site also suffered from legacy tant to the application of IA principles issues; a number of different individuals and methods to the design of library created the existing content and there was Web sites. Many library Web sites have no consistent updating schedule or main- grown, even metastasized, into large tenance. Web site design also involves and complex collections of information trade-offs.16 There is no way to meet every and search applications, as was the case user or stakeholder need with any single at USU. IA is central to managing these design. The Task Force needed a way to increasingly complex information spaces, address the political and legacy issues and some of which need reorganization from develop a list of priorities to help achieve the ground up. Instead of redesigning a commonly held vision for the site. A existing pages, USU decided that the best program requirement document helps solution was to start from scratch. We communicate and hold site designers ac- applied both top-down and boom-up countable to a common purpose. It also approaches. We developed a program helps make design decisions more trans- requirement document to outline what parent. According to Julie Rowbotham, the Web site needed to do for its users. Web design projects can be traumatic We then used inductive methods, such as because of competing needs and narrower card-sorting, to try to discover how users departmental perspectives.17 approached the information and applica- We used several methods to assess tions we hoped to provide via the library stakeholder needs to develop the program Web site. This comprehensive approach requirement document. First, between helped address persistent usability prob- November 24, 2003, and January 12, 2004, lems in earlier iterations of our site. library web site users had the option to click on a Web-based survey with one The Program Requirement Document question: “What are you trying to do on In fall 2003, the Library formed a Web the library Web site today?” In total, 132 Architecture Task Force to design the individuals responded. Twenty-one re- information architecture for the new li- spondents le the question blank and ten brary Web site.12 The Task Force’s first goal respondents replied that they were just was to produce a program requirement surfing, killing time, or that the library document. Borrowing from the field of Web site was set as the default homep- computer science and soware develop- age. Ultimately, we coded 101 responses ment, the Task Force wanted to create a as usable. This was a self-selected sample clear picture of the required functionality and targeted only interested library users.