As we move from the discovery phase into the work of building our new web presence, we’re focused on the basics: information architecture (IA), wire frames and content models. But what are those? All are critical building blocks for a website built to engage and inform, so we’ve taken some time to define these and why they’re important.
Information architecture is the organizational strategy for the information on our site. It takes into account what pages or topics should be grouped together, what information our external audiences seek and how we will organize those into a navigation system that is easy to engage with. A strong IA provides a top-level outline for what information we already have, what information we have yet to create and what information may not need to be on an external site.
Content models on the other hand, get a bit deeper into the details. A content model is an outline and structure for what information will be displayed on individual pages. We’ll utilize different content models depending on the level of the site (how many clicks from the homepage that page is), the information needed on that page and how our audiences will engage in the page.
Content models and the IA together make up the full-body skeleton for the site.
Finally, wire frames, put flesh on those bones. How much text should be on a page? How long should the page be? Where is it best to use videos and photos? What should the design of the page look like? The wire frames blend form, function and design.
These three building blocks are the critical foundation we need for a site that’s easy to navigate, helpful and engaging. Our goal is to provide the experience our visitors are looking for while accurately conveying who we are as a community and what we offer to prospective students. In order to understand what our visitors are looking for, we are conducting experience map sessions with distinct audiences. This helps us understand the journey students take in researching CMU online. Feedback that we gain from those sessions will be taken into account as we build out the IA, content models and wire frame to ensure the information students are seeking is easily found and engaging.
We’ll be posting FAQs and adding to them throughout this process. Let us know if you have any questions! Email us at webproject@cmich.edu.