Information Architecture
I am creating a redesign for a website called 'Align', which focuses on selling classes for people to understand and implement The Alexander Technique (AT). The business is small and only one practitioner works there. The AT is essentially a physical therapy healing modality that helps people realign their posture. I created the first site without much forethought and threw together a basic navigation. The navigation is simple and considers important topics like 'services' and 'contact' but doesn't include details explaining what the actual technique is or why people should use it.
Here is the original Information Architecture, using a top-down approach, which focuses on the "big ideas" and forgets the details. This is an approach which considers the needs of the client first and often neglects the user.
Questions
After meeting with my focus group, we came up with 20 questions to consider for the re-designed information architecture. These questions helped to create the 'bottom-up' approach, which considers the user's needs and concerns in a site design.
The questions are:
- What is the Alexander Technique?
- Why should I be interested in this?
- How do I know this is going to help?
- Risks?
- How much does it cost?
- Where are you located?
- Any criteria before you do it? (Dr. Referral?)
- Success Stories?
- Hours
- Accept insurance?
- Apt. only? Drop in?
- How many dr's work there?
- Online apt. scheduling?
- Contact info
- Accessible by public transit?
- Location?
- Is it just for adults or children too?
- How do I know if I have a problem?
- How long does each appointment take?
- Scheduling large groups?
- Blog?
Affinity Diagram Method
The affinity diagram method is used to organize details from the questioning process into similar groups. This process forms the basis for the new navigation. Because the group creates hypothetical questions from the user's perspective, this method consequently puts the user at the forefront of design decisions.
Final Information Architecture
