Information Design Class

learn information design online

Information Design I Well-organized, easy-to-navigate, and functional Web sites reap big rewards from both a user and business perspective. Information designers help to create Web sites that are well planned, and designed, tested, and promoted to connect the right user with the right message.

In this class led by Nancy Taylor, you'll learn the difference that information design can make to any Web site. The information designer is someone who pre-plans information hierarchies and pathways, effectively smoothing out Web pages before the online traffic arrives. It’s an important job and hopefully soon—it will be yours!

On this page: enrollment details | instructor | class projects and objectives | prerequisites

Class Title: Information Design I Start Date: Classes start daily. Enroll today and gain immediate access. Class Length: Three months of access to class materials and instructor feedback. Instructor: Bruce Bicknell Other details: Self-paced, online, 24 access to online learning environment

THIS CLASS IS OFFERED AT SESSIONS COLLEGE: get the details (Check the syllabus at Sessions College for updated class information.)

Class Instructor Bio: Bruce Bicknell is a writer, instructor, illustrator, animator, Web designer, video editor, marketing pro, and graphic designer based in Tampa, Florida. In his career he has worked on projects for Adobe Systems, ATI, Photoshop Elements Techniques, MacTribe, Yellow Machine and Mac Design to name a few. Bruce has degrees in Computer Animation and Web Development from The International Academy of Design and Technology. LEFT: Image from Information Design with Bruce Bicknell. Learn the crucial role of information design for websites.

Class Projects and Objectives:

This online class is packed with projects and tips.  Students can expect to: 

• Learn the purpose of information design.
• Learn the tasks an information designer undertakes and how the role fits into a Web design project.
• Take a close look at how user demographics and key user types affect information design.
• Explore how a user completes a set of tasks through your information structure. 
• Learn tips for the organization and delivery of site content.
• Study three Web site home pages.
• Determine how information and navigation design addresses the needs of a first-time accidental and first time intentional visitor.
• Note the probable demographics of each site and how the page structure is effective or ineffective for these users.
• Complete a basic task analysis for a first-time intentional or return visitor.
• Learn the purpose of information design.
• Learn the tasks an information designer undertakes and how the role fits into a Web design project.
• Take a close look at how user demographics and key user types affect information design.
• Explore how a user completes a set of tasks through your information structure. 
• Learn tips for an organization and delivery of site content.
• Review client goals, user demographics, and wish list for a new Web site.
• Assess the wish list in relation to the users' needs and abilities.
• Compile a more effective and realistic list of site features.
• Locate three existing Web sites with similar goals.
• Devise questions to ask the client based on these sites.
• Review some classic site features and some examples of their use.
• Learn various strategies for grouping content.
• Gain tips on effective content labeling.
• Learn to take inventory of site content and create a hierarchy.
• Review supplied client goals, user demographics, feature list, and content for a new Web site.
• Consider the priorities and organization of all content elements.
• Consider how information chunks should be related to one another.
• Choose a method for creating a content structure, then supply a text-based outline of the final hierarchy.
• Consider what might make the site unique and effective through the information presentation.
• Learn ground rules for global and local navigation.
• Learn visual navigation design recommendations based on users' needs.
• Understand the reasons for mapping a site's hierarchy and page structure.
• Learn techniques for designing effective and professional-looking site maps.
• Consider the setup of a local navigation system and the visual recommendations you'd give the design team.
• Sketch a site map that includes content summaries. 
• Scan your site map or re-create it in a software application.
• Consider how page cross-references would affect the site experience.
• Understand the need for wireframing a site and what a wireframe must include.
• Learn various design tips for creating clean, effective wireframes.
• Learn to use wireframing as a way to supply site design consistency.
• Understand what the wireframe pages must convey to visual and technical team members.
• Create a wireframe template.
• Wireframe a home page including proper labeling and notation.
• Create a subpage wireframe template.
• Choose and wireframe three different subpages using a subpage wireframe template.
• Review case studies of several types of information structures.
• Learn how some sites thrive and others suffer from broken information design rules.
• Look to the future of information design and site usability. 
• Define a creative brief information and feature list for a site.
• Find three Web sites with similar goals.
• Outline a hierarchy of site content.
• Create a site map of all site pages.
• Design wireframes for at least the homepage and three subpages.