[IxDA Discuss] deliverables of an IA process?

[Stewart Dean]

Hi,
 
I can tell you some examples of things I produce but it's worth bearing in mind that deliverables change depending on audience. 
 
If the focus is on client communication then there are a lot more power point level deliverables,  if you are working cloesly with the implimentation team then they are blue prints that tie into other documents,  if you are 'throwing it over the hedge' then they become far more detailed and end up being a set of ingredients.   
 
Most projects are a blend of this.
 
I'll focus on the middle case, of building for implimentation. 
 
Typically there is a exploration phase where I build up a set of user requirements, preferably from face to face interviews.  There will often be a holistic evaluation of an existing site (including 'as is' site map) and competitive review as well.  From this come high level site maps and, increasingly important, user journeys.  User journeys show the key tasks the target users have to carry out.  I use these instead of personas for reason I wont' explain here.
 
Conceptual diagrams are used to explain the concepts behind the site and these tend to be of not fixed type, but are whatever diagram gets the concept across in the clearest form.  
 
These diagrams aid communiation through the team and are useful to the client as well.  
 
Once everyone is clear what the project is going to do the usual delieverables are  wireframes, sitemaps and process flows (the two can be merged).
 
In addition a content matrix is sometimes used for heavily content fouced sites.  This is an excel spread sheet showing the status of content with columns added as needed,  for example to detail what related links link to or if the content is being migrated from an old site. 
 
The bad news is there are no agreed standards on all this and most people have their own system they prefer, although most site maps and wireframes I've seen have become closer in appearance over the years.
 
Cheers
 
Stewart Dean
 
 
 
> Date: Mon, 12 Feb 2007 13:14:04 +0530> From: sunandinibasu at gmail.com> To: discuss at ixda.org> Subject: [IxDA Discuss] deliverables of an IA process?> > Hi> What are generally the deliverables of an IA process for a website?> > I'll be doing a cluster analysis, then a site structure diagram.> How should I communicate to the rest of the team what the IA is?> > Thanks,> Soo> > > > > -- > "The details are not the details. They make the design' - Charles Eames> ****************************************************************************> Sunandini Basu> Interaction Designer> ****************************************************************************> ________________________________________________________________> Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)!> To post to this list ....... discuss at ixda.org> List Guidelines ............ http://listguide.ixda.org/> List Help .................. http://listhelp.ixda.org/> (Un)Subscription Options ... http://subscription-options.ixda.org/> Announcements List ......... http://subscribe-announce.ixda.org/> Questions .................. lists at ixda.org> Home ....................... http://ixda.org/> Resource Library ........... http://resources.ixda.org