Controlled Vocabulary

One of the hardest decisions that will need to be made when making a web site is what vocabulary will be used. The web site will have a homepage with tags on it. Depending the users the vocabulary will be simple or more advanced. It is important to keep the drop down menus basic. Drop down menus are a good place to start when navigating a web site. Once the user has narrowed it down to specifically what they are looking for they can then navigate away from the homepage. Controlled vocabulary is especially useful when searching a database or library catalog.

Workflow Diagrams

Workflow diagrams are the step-by-steps that users will take to perform a task on the website. There are a lot of steps that take place. These include simple yes or no answers to lead you to where you need to be to find what you are looking for. Symbols are also used to break down what is needed even further. Workflow is similar to a flow chart but more in depth. The end process is getting the user what they need.

Wireframe Diagrams and Taxonomy Diagrams

Wireframe diagrams is important for Information Architects to know how to do because it is an essential step in the designing process. I would prefer to design my web site with Narrow and Deep taxonomy diagrams because it keeps it basic but still provides a lot of information. However, good labeling is very important!

Good Quality Metadata

It is important to have good quality meta data to make the web site look good and assure that users can find what they need. All three types of meta data, structural, descriptive and administrative, are important in making a web site. It is a way to site sources such as images, audio, video, etc, that you used on your web site. Meta data is also useful to make the web site easy to navigate.

Inquiry Questions Related to Content, Context and Users

Context Question: What time frame is reasonable for making a large web site?

Content Question: What copyright issues should you be aware of when using images?

Users Question: Would qualitative or quantitative research be better in understanding your users?

Collective Intelligence

When web site developers are developing a large web site that could be used for collective intelligence they have to think about what it is the users will be looking for when visting the site. Collective intelligence as a 'find-it' strategy is making finding something easy. For example craigslist is a large web site that has many different users looking for things and wanting to sell things. the first thing a person does when they get on craigslist is to pick the city in which they want to find something. Then the user will choose the category in which they are wanting something, example-City:Denver, Category:Jobs, Sub-category:Accounting. Then the specific jobs are listed. People visit craigslist to get something or get rid of something. The users are working with each other to find each others needs and wants.
I'm not for sure how Facebook can be defined as a collective intelligence site other than as a free online personals-type place to meet people. I wouldn't use Facebook to look for things that I am in need of buying. It is a fast and efficient way to collaborate with friends and family.

Digital Repsoitories/Digital Libraries

Digital libraries have many advantages. I like the idea of many resources being available for many users at the same time. This is better when compared to a library only having one book and many patrons wanting to check out that same one book-no more holds. I also like the preservation of information. An original document can be scanned onto a computer and then is made accessible to all patrons. The library can also use it for networking. I picture online chats with librarians. The patrons could ask questions they have and the librarian can direct them where to look for their answers and information. No more inter-library loans.

Digital Repositories

Digital repositories can make a library a digital library. The libraries collection can be stored digitally. The library is able to move away from print and other microforms. The future of libraries very well could be headed in the digital direction. As a school librarian I would use a digital repository for such things as dictionaries, encyclopedias, atlases, and biographies. I don't think a school library, especially an elementary school could become completely digital. Dictionaries and encyclopedias are good examples of print that could be digitalized because 1)they take up a lot of room on book shelves and 2) they can be accessed easily on a computer. Books such as children's picture books however could not be digitalized. Students and teachers need to be able to hold these books and see the pictures and share them with each other in a classroom, pass them around and take them from school to home and back to school.

Open Source Management Systems-Weaknesses

Open source management systems are a good thing for libraries to use. But like all good things there is a downside.
Weaknesses of open source management systems:

• 'Free' is not without cost-the CMS project will have to be managed. A lot of effort and cost is related to implementation itself and supporting customisation.
• Not enterprise-level-created for small to medium-sized implementation. Lack features of enterprise scale CMS options.
• Lack of commercial support
• Poor usability-Not user friendly for everyone

If a library were to use an open source software they would probably prefer a commercially supported open-source system. The employees of the library would be able to contribute to the CMS. But the public would not be able to alter the information.

Source:http://www.steptwo.com.au/papers/kmc_opensource/index.html

Open Source Management Systems-Strengths

Open source management systems are a good thing for libraries to use. It would make their libraries more digital.
Open source strengths include:

• Low cost-Some open source software is free and if its not free it is a lower cost than commercial software
• Pay for services, not software-customizing the CSM, templates, training, creating content, etc.
• Ease of customization
• Open platforms
• Community support-this is important at a library

CSMs are easy to use and design. The library can take advantage of the fact that open source software is affordable.

Source: http://www.steptwo.com.au/papers/kmc_opensource/index.html

Questions for a School Librarian

As a future school librarian I have lots of questions regarding information architecture.

• Will I be working by myself on the libraries website or will I be collaborating with other librarians in my school district?
• Will it be in my job description to run the school's website?
• How many hats will I be wearing as the school librarian?
• How large will the school's and library's website be?

This class will give me the opportunity to learn more about managing my school's website and my libraries website. Hopefully most of my questions will be answered as the semester progresses. I am also wondering about filters that will be placed on computers used by students. This is an area that I am highly concerned with. Making sure the students are not exposed to bad things on the Internet is very important to me.

From what I have read in the textbook I don't think I will be handling as big of websites as corporations and businesses and therefore will not have a many steps and procedures for creating my website.

The Process of Building a Large Website: Context

Wow! There are so many steps and procedures for making a large website a great website. The process is a long one but over the years has improved in dividing up the work and putting it all together on a timely manner. The first step is to research the content, context and users. The context process involves getting the buy-in. This is an important first step. It is important to gain the respect of your co-workers and and team members working on the website. The background research will prepare you for the context of the website. Next the research meetings are crucial for creating a great website. Strategy team meeting, content management meeting, and information technology meeting will help provide team members who will be responsible for certain steps in creating and maintaining the website. Finally the stakeholder interviews will bring new perspectives, ideas and resources to the table.

Context and Content

Not all websites look alike. And they shouldn't all look alike. This creates diversity and competition among websites. However I have noticed that some blogs look very similar. One reason being that bloggers use the same websites to create their blogs such as the one I am using www.blogger.com. There are a couple of bogs that I visit on a regular basis and although the content is different the format is the same. Blogs differ from websites because the blogger makes them unique. By giving their opinions and information on a certain subject each blog can be unique. Websites have to be unique in order to attract a certain audience. Websites also differ in structure, audience and purpose.

Organization Systems

I learned a lot this weekend about how websites work and how they are broken down. I am looking forward to learning more about the behind the scenes of websites and how they are created. One thing I learned this weekend that I found interesting was the organization systems. The schema of websites is interesting. When I visit a website I pay particular attention to their navigation tools and how easy or difficult it is to find what I am looking for. I also look at the content organization; alphabetical, geographical, topic, task, audience, etc. As an educator and future teacher librarian I am looking forward to being able to create a web page for my school or library. This class will give the basics I need to understand how creating a web page works and also gaining more confidence in working with technology.