Web Writing Tips, Tricks and Tutorials

Get Published To Get Ahead
Websites will achieve maximum value when they focus on the tasks of their customers, not the technology or content. Who will use this? How will they use it? [Read More]

What tourists really want on the Web
What customers want from a Caribbean tourism website is a great package deal. Alternatively, they want to get a hotel at a good price, and get a 'best of' for the destination. [Read More]

What Your Website Can Learn From Starbucks
Like all great self-service organizations, Starbucks knows that you should never keep the customer waiting. The July 2006 like-for-like sales for Starbucks were lower than expected. This was rare for such a high performance company and resulted in an 11 percent decline in the share price after the news was announced. [Read More]

Write to be Scanned  - Users Dont Read On the Web
Recent research points out something quite interesting. It identified that users dont read on the web, they tend to scan. This means that when you are converting documents to the web, you need to make them as scannable as possible. [Read More]

Web Writing Tips - Use File Includes to Keep Your Content Fresh
Keeping content fresh is a major challenge for every web publisher. In addition to managing the technical, business, marketing, administration aspects of the web business, you still have to find time to update your web content on a regular basis. [Read More]

Macromedia Flash Design Guidelines
Macromedia Flash lets you design very stylish interfaces quite easily. However, the absence of guidelines referred to above, can lead to poorly designed presentations and confusing navigation systems. Lets look at some areas that need consideration when developing multimedia, especially Macromedia Flash, for the web. [Design Guidelines]

Role of the Information Architect
"An Information Architect organizes a website so that users have a better online experience. In general, their main responsibilities are to: assign tasks to team members. The Information Architect often doubles up as the Project Manager; capture the sites design goals; communicate the business objectives, such as the sites sales targets, audience, and language requirements. Before any coding begins, the Information Architect meets the client and defines the project's scope, objectives and target audience." [Role of the Information Architect]

Difference between Usability and Information Architecture
"Though the terms Usability and Information Architecture are often understood to be the same thing, this is not true. Information Architecture focuses on how to design information. On the web, this involves reading text, labelling items, creating navigation systems, searching for data, using content and so forth." [Usability and Information Architecture]

Creating User-Focused Site Designs
"For your site to succeed, arrange the content around the users needs. Many novice web designers underestimate the difficulty in designing an effective site structure, especially one that will be appreciated by novice and experienced users. Thus, before any coding starts, gather, sort and organize your content. The more time spent on this, the more success visitors will have on your site." [User-Focused Site Designs]

What is Information Architecture?
"This emerging field has become more prominent in recent years as websites have grown increasing complex and users demand more friendly navigation systems. Information Architects organize content, such as text, labels, graphics, and shopping carts, so that users can understand the sites content and do things faster on the site." [Information Architecture?]

Education and Online Courses

• Master Degree in Information Architecture
  The IAKM Master's degree requires 48 credit hours: 24 hours in the core and 24 hours within a concentration. The core program provides competencies in information technologies, information design, information seeking behavior, strategic planning, and information users and uses. Contact Sharon Edwards at sedwards@slis.kent.edu The prospectus is at http://iakm.kent.edu
• Information Architecture Masters Degree at Capitol College
  Graduate Programs Information Architecture Program
  http://www.capitol-college.edu/academics/grad/msia.html
• Information Architecture Ecomp 308
  The class will focus on work world applications, structuring documents, briefings, websites, electronic interfaces, and electronic support systems. The class will appeal especially to technical writers, webmasters, designers, or records managers who are looking for integrative solutions to communications problems. Details at the USDA site: http://grad.usda.gov/evening/summer/info.html
• Carnegie Mellon - Master of Design in Interaction Design
  www.cmu.edu/cfa/design/programs/mdes/mdes.html
• Indiana University - User-Oriented Information Architecture and Design Career Specialization www.slis.indiana.edu/degrees/mis/mis-crs.html
• University of Michigan's School of Information - Digital Tool Kit Program On Information Architecture
  www.si.umich.edu/dtk/2000/607.htm
• University of Washington - Web Technology Essentials Certificate Program
  www.extension.washington.edu/extinfo/certprog/wte/wte_main.asp
• Educorner FREE online IA course http://educorner.com/courses/ia/

What do you think?

What are your thoughts on this? Drop me a line at ivan at klariti dot com