Course Title: Develop web site information architecture

Part B: Course Detail

Teaching Period: Term2 2011

Course Code: COSC5293C

Course Title: Develop web site information architecture

School: 155T Vocational Health and Sciences

Campus: City Campus

Program: C6068 - Advanced Diploma of Computer Science

Course Contact: Christina Norwood

Course Contact Phone: +61 3 9925 4931

Course Contact Email: christina.norwood@rmit.edu.au


Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff

Nominal Hours: 30

Regardless of the mode of delivery, represent a guide to the relative teaching time and student effort required to successfully achieve a particular competency/module. This may include not only scheduled classes or workplace visits but also the amount of effort required to undertake, evaluate and complete all assessment requirements, including any non-classroom activities.

Pre-requisites and Co-requisites

Co-requisites
COSC 5290C Design dynamic websites
COSC 5291C Build a document using extensible mark-up language
COSC 5292C Create dynamic web pages

Course Description

This course explores the components of Information Architecture as it applies to web sites – categorization, labelling, navigation, and search. It explores the different schemes available for categorizing information, possible site structures, and various forms of navigation available on web sites.


National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria

National Element Code & Title:

ICAITAD146A Develop web site information architecture

Element:

Develop navigation system

Performance Criteria:

 

Element:

Identify content needs

Performance Criteria:

 

Element:

Plan content structure

Performance Criteria:

 

Element:

Test and sign off

Performance Criteria:

 


Learning Outcomes



Details of Learning Activities

Students will participate in classes in which the teacher expounds and explains basic concepts and processes, with closely integrated practical exercises. Students will undertake several case studies of the information architecture of a range of sites on the web. Additionally students will develop the information architecture for a medium scale website as part of a design and development project involving several related courses.


Teaching Schedule

Week Topic
1 Introduction to Information Architecture
2 Systems and components of an information system
3 Organisation systems
4 Approaches to organising content
5 Assessment - Practical task 1
6 Navigation systems
7 Assessment - Practical task 2
8 Assessment - Practical task 2
9 Case study 1
10 Case study 2
11 Case study 3
12 Case study 4
13 Project
14 Project
15 Project
16 Assessment - Project due
17 - 18 Assessment - Final exam


Learning Resources

Prescribed Texts


References

Rosenfeld, L. and Morville, P. Information Architecture for the World Wide Web 2nd Edition, O'Reilly, Sebastopol CA, 2002

0596000359

Batley, S. Information Architecture for Information Professionals, Chandos Publishing, Oxford, 2007

1843342324


Other Resources


Overview of Assessment

The student must demonstrate an understanding of all elements of the competency to be deemed competent.
Assessment will incorporate a variety of methods including skills tests, extended assignment work, and a final written theory exam


Assessment Tasks

Practical task 1 - organise content (10%)
Practical task 2 - develop navigation system (10%)
Project - develop Information arcitecture for a medium scale website (40%)
Exam (40%)

The student must achieve an overall mark of at least 50%, and a mark of at least 50% on the final exam to pass the course and be deemed competent.


Assessment Matrix

  Prac 1 Prac 2 Project Exam
Identify content needs N Y Y Y
Plan content structure Y Y Y Y
Develop navigation system N Y Y Y
Test and sign off Y Y Y Y

Course Overview: Access Course Overview