Examples, Deliverables, and Tools
There are no definitive ways to create architectural documentation, no standards for diagrams, and no consensus tools to help you do your work as an information architect. It’s not clear if there ever will be. Thankfully, there are more and more useful resources to provide you with options and ideas, primarily from the IAwiki.
IAwiki Deliverables and Artifacts
http://www.iawiki.net/DeliverablesAndArtifacts
From site maps and wireframes to examples and advice, this page provides an extremely impressive collection of links on the products of information architecture design.
IAwiki Diagramming Tools
http://www.iawiki.net/DiagrammingTools
The IAwiki doesn’t have quite as much information on actual tools, but this page is a good start and is the best source on the topic so far.
jjg.net’s Visual Vocabulary
http://www.jjg.net/ia/visvocab/
Originally released in October of 2000, Jesse James Garrett has regularly updated this collection of tools, templates, and thoughts. His goal is “to describe, at a high level, the structure and/or flow of the user experience of a web site.” He’s done so in a highly systematic way, and both information architects and interaction designers will find it quite useful.
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