A coffee guide information architecture project
A coffee guide information architecture project
A coffee guide information architecture project
As part of my Master's in Human-Computer Interaction, I undertook a comprehensive Information Architecture (IA) project for a hypothetical Coffee Guide website. This project was a key component of the Information Architecture module, challenging me to apply theoretical knowledge to a practical design scenario.
As part of my Master's in Human-Computer Interaction, I undertook a comprehensive Information Architecture (IA) project for a hypothetical Coffee Guide website. This project was a key component of the Information Architecture module, challenging me to apply theoretical knowledge to a practical design scenario.
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Dates:
Dates:
September - December 2023
September - December 2023
Role:
Role:
User Researcher
User Researcher
Skills:
Skills:
Information Architecture, Domain Expert Interviewing, Domain Model, Card Sorting, Tree Testing, Sitemap, User Journey, Wireframe, Usability Testing, Miro, Axure, Optimal Workshop
Information Architecture, Domain Expert Interviewing, Domain Model, Card Sorting, Tree Testing, Sitemap, User Journey, Wireframe, Usability Testing, Miro, Axure, Optimal Workshop
The Challenge
The Challenge
Design an intuitive and user-friendly information architecture for a Coffee Guide website that caters to coffee enthusiasts, helping them discover new coffee beans, brewing methods, and local coffee shops.
Design an intuitive and user-friendly information architecture for a Coffee Guide website that caters to coffee enthusiasts, helping them discover new coffee beans, brewing methods, and local coffee shops.
User research
User research
Domain Research and Interviews
Domain Research and Interviews
To gain a deep understanding of the coffee domain, I conducted interviews with 5 experts:
2 experienced baristas
3 dedicated coffee enthusiasts
These interviews provided invaluable insights into:
The world of coffee beans
Various types of flavor descriptions
Brewing methods and their impact on taste
The coffee culture and community
Based on these interviews, I created a detailed domain model, which served as the foundation for the website's information architecture. This model visually represents the key concepts and relationships within the coffee domain.
To gain a deep understanding of the coffee domain, I conducted interviews with 5 experts:
2 experienced baristas
3 dedicated coffee enthusiasts
These interviews provided invaluable insights into:
The world of coffee beans
Various types of flavor descriptions
Brewing methods and their impact on taste
The coffee culture and community
Based on these interviews, I created a detailed domain model, which served as the foundation for the website's information architecture. This model visually represents the key concepts and relationships within the coffee domain.
Card Sorting
Card Sorting
To better understand users' mental models of coffee-related information, I conducted a card sorting exercise using Optimal Workshop. This method helped me:
Identify natural groupings of information from the users' perspective
Uncover unexpected relationships between different coffee concepts
Validate and refine the initial categories derived from the domain model
The card sorting results provided crucial insights into how users naturally categorize and relate different aspects of coffee, informing the creation of an intuitive navigation structure.
To better understand users' mental models of coffee-related information, I conducted a card sorting exercise using Optimal Workshop. This method helped me:
Identify natural groupings of information from the users' perspective
Uncover unexpected relationships between different coffee concepts
Validate and refine the initial categories derived from the domain model
The card sorting results provided crucial insights into how users naturally categorize and relate different aspects of coffee, informing the creation of an intuitive navigation structure.
Using the insights from the domain research and card sorting, I created a sitemap using a top-down approach. This sitemap showcases the site's structure and functionality, providing a clear overview of the information hierarchy.
Using the insights from the domain research and card sorting, I created a sitemap using a top-down approach. This sitemap showcases the site's structure and functionality, providing a clear overview of the information hierarchy.
Sitemap and Tree Testing
Sitemap and Tree Testing
To validate and refine the proposed structure, I conducted tree testing using Optimal Workshop's Treejack tool. Tree testing allowed me to:
Evaluate the effectiveness of menu categories and labels
Identify any navigation paths that were confusing or inefficient
Gather quantitative data on the findability of information
Five users participated in the tree testing. The results revealed that the proposed global navigation effectively portrayed the diversity of information and enabled efficient findability. However, some minor adjustments were made based on the test results to further improve the structure.
To validate and refine the proposed structure, I conducted tree testing using Optimal Workshop's Treejack tool. Tree testing allowed me to:
Evaluate the effectiveness of menu categories and labels
Identify any navigation paths that were confusing or inefficient
Gather quantitative data on the findability of information
Five users participated in the tree testing. The results revealed that the proposed global navigation effectively portrayed the diversity of information and enabled efficient findability. However, some minor adjustments were made based on the test results to further improve the structure.
User Journey and Wireframes
User Journey and Wireframes
Based on the refined sitemap, I created a user journey that illustrates a common task: finding specific coffee beans. This journey maps out the steps a user might take when searching for Columbian coffee beans with chocolate flavor notes from a local business.
Based on the refined sitemap, I created a user journey that illustrates a common task: finding specific coffee beans. This journey maps out the steps a user might take when searching for Columbian coffee beans with chocolate flavor notes from a local business.
To visualize the key pages and interactions, I developed low-fidelity wireframes. These wireframes focus on:
The "Find coffee beans" page, showcasing:
Faceted search options (e.g., roast level, grind level, flavor notes)
Product listing layout
Sorting and filtering mechanisms
The "Find coffee houses" page, featuring:
Map integration for location-based search
Filtering options for coffee shop types and amenities
Scheduling functionality for planning visits
These wireframes serve as a blueprint for the user interface, demonstrating how the information architecture translates into a practical, user-friendly design.
To visualize the key pages and interactions, I developed low-fidelity wireframes. These wireframes focus on:
The "Find coffee beans" page, showcasing:
Faceted search options (e.g., roast level, grind level, flavor notes)
Product listing layout
Sorting and filtering mechanisms
The "Find coffee houses" page, featuring:
Map integration for location-based search
Filtering options for coffee shop types and amenities
Scheduling functionality for planning visits
These wireframes serve as a blueprint for the user interface, demonstrating how the information architecture translates into a practical, user-friendly design.
Conclusion
Conclusion
This project demonstrates a comprehensive approach to information architecture, from initial domain research through to user testing and visual representation. By combining qualitative insights from expert interviews with quantitative data from card sorting and tree testing, I created an information architecture that effectively organizes complex coffee-related information, making it accessible and enjoyable for users to explore the world of coffee.
This project demonstrates a comprehensive approach to information architecture, from initial domain research through to user testing and visual representation. By combining qualitative insights from expert interviews with quantitative data from card sorting and tree testing, I created an information architecture that effectively organizes complex coffee-related information, making it accessible and enjoyable for users to explore the world of coffee.
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