Management Integration

Contents

TOC o “1-3” h z u Site Structure PAGEREF _Toc379623607 h 1Metaphor Exploration PAGEREF _Toc379623608 h 1Organizational metaphors PAGEREF _Toc379623609 h 1Visual metaphors PAGEREF _Toc379623610 h 2Set It in Stone PAGEREF _Toc379623611 h 2Architectural blueprints PAGEREF _Toc379623612 h 2Navigation PAGEREF _Toc379623613 h 2

Site StructureSite structures are significance in that; it helps in defining the navigation system, thus making the designing of the page layouts as well as the templates a snap. Site structure in most cases tends to be the last steps before getting into building of anything. This paper will therefore give a summary or metaphorical about the driving rationale behind the site structure.

Metaphor ExplorationMetaphor Exploration is an exercise that will mainly help in refining a person’s vision regarding the site structure to be implemented. Many good ideas can be drove from this step of the site structure implementation; however those good ideas may be impractical. Presently, different organizations are today exploring various metaphors when determining the site’s structure, this is because, they have found out that, good metaphor helps the users in understanding on how to navigate the site implemented. When implementing or developing the site structure, there are three types of metaphors that are useful for designing the site which include; Organizational metaphors, Functional metaphors and Visual metaphors.

Organizational metaphorsThe organizational metaphors mainly rely on a structure of a group or system that had already been developed. For instance, when an organization is creating a site to sell their products, in this case, the organization metaphor can be a supermarket or an identified market where those products can be logically grouped by their types.

Functional Metaphors

The functional metaphors are significant in that it helps the users in relating different tasks one can do on the site with other tasks another person is able to do in another environment. For instance, most graphic program relies on functional metaphors, therefore, the user can easily copy paste the program on a given computer.

Visual metaphorsThe users can design their music sites that allow them when they want to play songs. Visual metaphors are mainly based on the common familiar graphic elements to people in their cultures. Most metaphors can be gathered by brainstorming ideas. It is therefore necessary for people to make sure that they have chosen a good metaphor for the site structures they want to implement.

Set It in StoneSet it in stone starts by creating a hierarchical map of the site known as the site structure listings. The roots are the major sections to be decided earlier enough when creating listings of the site structure. The site structure listing can be then fitted to the users’ metaphor. The site structure listings should be put into sections such as Section 1, Section 2 and section 3 up to the last section of the site structure (Chatters, 2003).

Architectural blueprintsArchitectural blueprints are the visual representations on how the site structure will look like. It helps the users in showing the elements of the sites and how they have been grouped as well as its relation to one another. A good site structure should be one which links to other pages represented in the blueprints. However it is very significant for the users to distinguish some parts of site that performs transaction from ones generated dynamically. A larger site needs several architectural blueprints of the site (Information Architecture Tutorial, 2004).

NavigationNavigation of the site structure will help the users in giving the directions of getting from one place to another. Navigation gives directions to the user to stop them from getting lost when viewing different pages in the sites. For instance, in the site structure listings, there are sections appearing on the sites that enable the users to quickly jump in those sections. Global navigations should be limited for the site structures so as to link with the site’s homepage.

References

Information Architecture Tutorial – Lesson 4 | Web monkey | Wired.com. (2004). Webmonkey – The Web Developer’s Resource | Wired.com.

Chatters, J. C. (2003). Designing site structure: Washington. London: Central Washington Archaeological Survey, Central Washington University for Seattle District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.