I am finding it impossible to plan my information architecture. It’s all in my head and I don’t know how to start planning! I have NO previous web experience whatsoever apart from being a regular user! I have had an idea for a large content site for years and finally it is being put into action but I want to go to the developers with a good idea of what I want. I have read a lot recently so I have a basic understanding of the terminology etc.
It sounds basic…but how do I start to plan? Whiteboards? Sheets of paper? I have no idea how to start in an organised way…drawing it out. Are there any particular books, sites etc that anyone could recommend?
There are sites I’ve seen that I like and are in a similar business. I know that I don’t want to reinvent the wheel.
I’ve been trying for weeks to start and I just keep hitting a block wall!
I always start with a simple text document, listing out all of the high-level features I want in a project, eg.:
Blog
Booking Engine
E-Commerce
Forum
Multi-User Article Engine
Whatever
Then, I continue on paper by sketching out interfaces. You can call these rudimentary wireframes… I try to do as many interfaces as possible… and make them as close to final as possible.
Looking at interfaces on paper helps you wrap your mind around how the project will actually work, and flesh out details that you may not have thought of if you started with the Model and worked your way up.
Go through a couple revisions, and then work backwards… from interfaces, sketch out some rough flow diagrams to “wire up” your interfaces. When you’ve got this done, you’ve got specs to begin a set of detailed design docs.
Now that you know how your app will work, develop a DB model that will handle the desired functionality. You can go as far as scripting out a schema. Build the DB model on the computer, maybe even actually in your DB engine, to save time.
Print out a model view of the DB for reference, and use that in conjunction with your flow diagrams to spec out and design your business processes.
You’ve already got your flow diagrams and wireframes sketched… if necessary, translate these to the computer…
I have no idea how to start in an organised way…drawing it out.
Getting started is what’s important, not getting started in an organized way. If right now you’re just sketching out your IA and your web layout, then there’s no such thing as being organized about it.
It’s like brainstorming when trying to write a paper, you just let the ideas flow and jot them down in whatever chaotic fashion they come to you. Hell, even talking to yourself (as weird as it may seem) will help you filter out and flesh out ideas.
Get a note pad, do some sketches, create lists, circle/underline/highlight ideas that you really like, scratch out ideas you don’t etc. You’ll very quickly start to zero in on what you want to do, but you just have to start.
