Information Architecture Using an intranet or internal set of web-pages is one way to help employees, customers and management find useful information quickly. In this context, Information Architecture is the science of figuring out what you want your site to do, who will use it and for what purpose, and then constructing a blueprint that helps you build the solution that you're looking for.

All Web sites and intranets have some type of an information architecture. However, often it's difficult to think through a whole "architecture" plan, because of time pressures, or simply not knowing how to start. When we help design a site, we use architectural principles similar to those used in constructing a physical structure such as a house. Physical architects work in both new construction and in designing effective remodels. Once you've decided to use a website, you can go back at any point in your business to reconsider or remodel the "architecture." This work can result in more efficient use of space, more amenities, and greater satisfaction to those who use the site regularly. Of course, paying attention to form, structure and purpose up-front helps to eliminate some of the pains involved with remodeling afterwards.

Thinking through the principles behind Information Architecture is helpful to a business at any stage of website creation or remodeling. Each organization has a unique mission, vision, culture, and resource base. Each grouping of "content" presents different challenges, based on a unique mix of documents, processes, and system rules. And each audience has different information needs and ways of finding things. A successful blueprint is informed by the broader business context in which it exists. MGS staff can help sort through these variables and partner with you to design a plan that is both practical and scalable.

Knowledge Management People who work within organizations are often faced with repetitive challenges and/or redundant processes. Good "knowledge management systems" provide a systematic process of finding, organizing, and retrieving information in a way that is efficient and useful. Being conscious about Knowledge Management helps your employees and/or customers to gain insight and understanding from the experience of many of your organization's members - both past and present. This can help to avoid the reinvention of the wheel, and increase employee and customer satisfaction.

Knowledge management strategies can be simple ways of organizing forms or documents that people who use your site need. It can also be more complex and involve cataloguing or indexing technical information, and/or designing multiple ways to find certain types of information. For most sites, taking some time to think through your "knowledge content" and "management process" strategies usually results in a positive and effective site. For very complex sites, using the experience of librarians or other professionals who specialize in information storage and retrieval makes good sense. Understanding your scope, schedule and how best to achieve your desired results is part of the process that MGS works through in partnering with you and/or your team.

Putting it together MGS staff use the principles of information archtecture and knowledge management to help you make your website as effective as possible. One of the main purposes of a website is to provide users with a sense of "place." Looking at the architecture of a site helps to illuminate what the space looks like when people come to "visit" or to "work" there. Moving forward, people who come to your site need to know where they are on the site, where they have been, and how to get to where they want to be. Understanding how people seek and use information, and how they navigate helps create a sensible, intuitive environment for employees or customers. Getting this information means knowing your "audience" - who the users are/could be and their goals and objectives. Taking the time to work with MGS through an audience definition process, helps ensure that what you are remodeling or building from scratch is a place your site's users will find pleasant and useful.