SIGIA-L Mail Archives: RE: SIGIA-L: IA notation
RE: SIGIA-L: IA notation
From: Hodges Doug (doug.hodges_at_nlc-bnc.ca)
Date: Mon Jun 26 2000 - 17:08:46 EDT
Hi everyone --
I have also felt similarly unsure of what the goal of "notation" is. I have
assumed that
the purpose is to have a common set of symbols and conventions which can be
used in
defining information architectures. In other words, that this would play a
similar
(but more complex?) role as the symbols and conventions in good ol'
programming flow-charts,
object-entity relationship models, process models, etc. But am I wildly
wrong?
Hoping for enlightenment,
Doug.
--------------------------
doug.hodges_at_nlc-bnc.ca <mailto:doug.hodges_at_nlc-bnc.ca>
[Hodges Doug]
-----Original Message-----
From: paula.thornton_at_luminant.com [mailto:paula.thornton_at_luminant.com]
Sent: Monday, June 26, 2000 3:52 PM
To: sigia-l_at_asis.org
Subject: Re: SIGIA-L: IA notation
I don't know if any of the "newbies" are as confused as I am about this
topic. I still haven't had my original question answered which I believe
will help with the confusion. While Betsy's recommendations, by far, fired
the most brain cells, I am still at a loss as to the context of "notation"
as a solution.
Since no one has volunteered a meaningful problem statement (which would
justify why a notation would be helpful), can someone offer up a sample of
what "one" type of notation solution might look like so that the rest of us
can figure out "what planet we're on" when this topic is being discussed?
Sorry for being so dense, but I don't want to show up for the '60s dance in
a sequined formal.
Paula Thornton
Information Architect
Luminant Worldwide, Dallas
"Betsy Martens" <bmartens_at_leapnet.com>
Sent by: owner-sigia-l_at_asis.org
06/26/00 01:17 PM
To: <Locatelli_at_aol.com>, <sigia-l_at_asis.org>
cc:
Subject: Re: SIGIA-L: IA notation
At this point I think it is more important to agree on some notation
principles rather than developing an actual set of notation symbols. What
are important principles of an IA document? If we limit our focus here to
graphic representations and not text documents, we can come up with some
fairly basic but crucial principles:
1. Use of a grid system to align similar levels of a hierarchy and thus
communicate through visual pattern the similarities between pages and
between navigation tracks.
2. Use of layering to allow more important information to come to the fore,
and meta-information to recede visually.
3. Maintain consistent icon size regardless of content, to avoid calling
attention to the shapes of the boxes.
4. Vary line weights and colors to convey main actions, secondary actions,
and least significant actions.
We are finding that the more consistent we are able to be with our site
maps, site audits, and process flows, the more quickly our internal audience
of designers and programmers can grasp the increasingly complex mapping that
our documents illustrate. The consistent thread is the use of pattern to
communicate.
While these principles might seem fairly obvious, we are in the process of
codifying them, even though they will continue to evolve. Our senior
information architect, Mark Hines, has developed them in his IA documents
over the last several years.
Betsy Martens : Information Architect
Quantum Leap Communications
420 W. Huron St. : Chicago, IL 60610
312.528.2419 : bmartens_at_leapnet.com
on 6/18/00 11:55 AM Locatelli_at_aol.com wrote:
> The development of any notation system requires a general agreement on the
> meaning of arbitrary symbols, whether musical notation, Labanotation (for
> dance), or written language.
>
> The first step it seems to me, is to determine what concepts we want to
> convey (which was Paula's question) and develop a (complete as possible,
but
> ever-growing) list. We then establish the common base of symbols. As soon
as
> we have a core group using and explaining the symbols, they become the de
> facto language of IA.
>
> Process description fairly simple, the process itself complicated.
>
> Fred Leise
>
>
> In a message dated 6/16/00 4:13:03 PM Central Daylight Time,
> davidp_at_hesketh.com writes:
>
>> Is there a notation system for use in IA, or in
>> any other aspect of Web design, for that matter? And if there isn't, how
>> about we set ourselves to the task of creating one.
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