For many, organisation information is the key to success and the information that lies within company systems is what makes or breaks your competitive edge.
Information architecture is the term used to describe the structure of a system, ie, the way information is grouped, the navigation methods and terminology used within the system. Effective information architecture enables people to step logically through a system confident they are getting closer to the information they require. Most organisations only notice information architecture when it is poor and prevents them from finding the information they require.
Information architecture is often confused with data architecture and data architecture is generally what is being done and labelled as information architecture within organisations. These are two very different architectural domains.
Information architecture details the information in the organisation and not data types existing in databases ie, “all customers who purchased red cars” is the information requested. Customer, purchase, car and colour are data types.
It is for this reason that true information architecture is not performed in organisations and the problems of accessing the requested information remains a hit and miss exercise.
One example of information architecture is in the consolidation and standardisation of an organisation's reporting system. The Common Information Model (CIM) standardises the information types in the business.
The metamodel contains the description of the information, where this information is stored and what type of information is being requested.
Share