Content is King: Information Architecture - The Network Diagram: Stage 1
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Following on from the scenario represented above, the next step is to create a visual representation of the site pages. A network diagram shows how each site element would link to each other and how each page may be sub-linked. Earlier it was mentioned that there are various types of content -- static, dynamic, transactional and functional text. At this point it is important to have an overview of the site's structure and also a more complex breakdown of each part of the content.
First we need a basic flow diagram showing the generic sections possible but not finalized. Word 2007 has great tools for creating these diagrams but there are plenty of other software titles available to do the job such as Smartdraw, EDraw, and Visio.
This provides a blueprint from which to plan out the pages. Don't worry about not having a completed web design template. That is the next stage from this article. A lot of designers may decide to work on the fly and skip the diagram. This is not a recommended course of action as the design will change later in ways that will cause a lot of unnecessary work if the network diagram has not been used to chart the flow of information.
This blueprint is a good starting point and helps use the imagination to develop some creativity for the look and feel of the site. With a general idea of the information architecture, it now feels like possessing all the parts to create a model airplane and just needing to glue it all together.
Now, go back to the second page of this article and continue researching and writing various types of content for the site as explained on that page. Know the salient points. What information is necessary and interesting? Then move on to stage two of the network diagram.
The Network Diagram: Stage 2
For the movie hosting site, there were two target audiences highlighted - filmmakers and enthusiasts. The diagram below is a demonstration of what may be required to grab the interests of filmmakers.
Since the site allows filmmakers to create a member account to upload movies, the home page should allow this immediately. The diagram shows several possible site sections of interest to filmmakers. From the home page, they can 'Register' and create a personalized bio page. The filmmaker will have personal login details like a username and password. The 'Login' menu option allows access to the film maker's personal member page. Filmmakers will be interested in film festivals to market their movie. It would be useful to place information on careers in the film industry. Also, why not create a page listing accredited academic and industry courses?
No matter what the site theme entails, there should always be the following menu options on commercial sites: Contact, About the Site, relevant article links and FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions). Contact information is vital for feedback. A quick outline of the history of the site will be a good page for 'About the Site.' A shop is a good place to attract vendors to the site. Later, when traffic to the site is high, advertising revenue can become a lucrative means to finance the site and provide an income. The marketing is a huge subject and will not be covered here. Suffice it to say that there is a great deal of information on the web covering how to make money with a web site using SEO (Search Engine Optimized) content inside articles like this one. I shall cover this in future articles.
A good place to start is to write content for the site and use 'keywords' -- words related to the site theme -- to link to web vendors. Clickbank is a good place to find vendors relevant to the site theme. Also, Google AdWords allow for some revenue generation if keyword marketing is chosen as a means to generate an income. For this article, I simply want to cover the information design that will bring life to any web site.
Now, move on to the final stage.
Next: The Network Diagram: Stage 3 >>
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