Design Document

¶ … Architectures for Websites Designing Information Architectures for Websites There are a myriad of approaches to defining and implementing information architectures, yet the most effective place a high priority on customer-driven goals and objectives. The more accurate and clear the goals and objectives of an information architecture are to customer needs, the greater the level of long-term performance (Spencer, 1985). The unifying attribute of any successful website is the information architecture deliberately designed to support short- and long-term goal attainment of customers first, and the organization hosting the site itself second.

The relevancy of any website is also directly related to how permeable and flexible the information architecture is to change and modification as defined by the changing needs of customers. The goal of this analysis is to share the lessons learned as a result of discussions and interviews with friends and co-workers, aimed at generating a series of recommendations for existing and future BSITM Program students. This document represents a roadmap of lessons learned.

Defining The Mission and Purpose of an Organization The hypothetical company this example is based on produces customizable smartphones that can capture and send streaming video in real-time, while concurrently saving video clips to YouTube accounts. The proposed smartphone also has the ability to be customized to customers' unique requirements, including support for custom electronics, casing designs, and touch screens. This allows the device to be configured to the unique preferences of every customer.

The mission of the hypothetical company is to produce the world's highest quality smartphone that is capable of being entirely customized to customers' requirements. There are intensive levels of supply chain integration requirements, in addition to Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), fulfillment and distribution system data modeling, taxonomy and system integration requirements. The information architecture also needs to support 48-hour turn-around of all orders and real-time integration to Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems to sustain long-term sales to new and existing customers.

Short- and long-term Goals Of the Site Based on the interviews of associates, the short-term goals of the site need to include credibility-building stories from customers, product reviews from the industry press, and videos explaining how quickly a customized smartphone can be produced. The long-term goals of the website need to include creating a user community, creating and streamlining an online store for upsell and cross-sell of accessories and products, and online 24/7 customer service for the smartphones.

Defining the Intended Audience For The Website According the discussions with associates and from an informal survey completed at a local AT&T store that specializes in smartphones, the target audience for the website is 18- to 55-year-old students and working professionals, the majority of which have multiple responsibilities in their lives including being students, working professionals, parents and spouses. The information architecture needs to be designed to support the many information and support needs of these demographic segments, specifically focusing on 24/7 support and easy access to software updates.

The taxonomy and information architecture needs to also support personalization and a clear definition of how customers can get more value from their smartphones over time. The continual pursuit of more value for customers' needs to be a critical.