Information Architecture for the World Wide Web: Designing Large-Scale Web Sites

Book Description

The post-Ajaxian Web 2.0 world of wikis, folksonomies, and mashups makes well-planned information architecture even more essential. How do you present large volumes of information to people who need to find what they're looking for quickly? This classic primer shows information architects, designers, and web site developers how to build large-scale and maintainable web sites that are appealing and easy to navigate.

The new edition is thoroughly updated to address emerging technologies -- with recent examples, new scenarios, and information on best practices -- while maintaining its focus on fundamentals. With topics that range from aesthetics to mechanics, Information Architecture for the World Wide Web explains how to create interfaces that users can understand right away. Inside, you'll find:

An overview of information architecture for both newcomers and experienced practitioners
The fundamental components of an architecture, illustrating the interconnected nature of these systems. Updated, with updates for tagging, folksonomies, social classification, and guided navigation
Tools, techniques, and methods that take you from research to strategy and design to implementation. This edition discusses blueprints, wireframes and the role of diagrams in the design phase
A series of short essays that provide practical tips and philosophical advice for those who work on information architecture
The business context of practicing and promoting information architecture, including recent lessons on how to handle enterprise architecture
Case studies on the evolution of two large and very different information architectures, illustrating best practices along the way

How do you document the rich interfaces of web applications? How do you design for multiple platforms and mobile devices? With emphasis on goals and approaches over tactics or technologies, this enormously popular book gives you knowledge about information architecture with a framework that allows you to learn new approaches -- and unlearn outmoded ones.

Customer Reviews:

Good enough.......2007-09-19

This is a perfectly good resource, if you're looking for the theoretical underpinnings of how IA should work. I was, however, looking for more specifically technical information, along the lines of algorithms and integration techniques. For this I ended up going with Programming Collective Intelligence: Building Smart Web 2.0 Applications, which is more geared in that direction. Again, if IA is your whole intention, then this is a great resource, but if you're looking for technical detail, look elsewhere.

A lifesaver.......2007-06-22

As project manager, I was in a bind when our contract information architect failed to understand the complexities of our matrixed business model and client base. Rosenfeld's book helped me design a IA for our 700 page HTML site that has since been described as simple, intuitive, a no-brainer. What great compliments!

The book describes basic theories of IA in general (i.e. book indexes and tables of contents, libraries, etc.) and the pros and cons of different organization, labeling, and navigation systems. Then Rosenfeld advises on presenting IA to management, etc., managing expectations (yours and others), and gives detailed examples of IA strategies online.

Intriguing Title (3rdEd).......2007-06-16

In "Part I - Intro to IA," obviously the basics are covered, like what exactly is IA? What does an Information Architect do? After reading this title, I would define an Information Architect as a glorified content manager. Someone that occupies the realm between UI designer and DB engineer.

Google is pretty good at finding information for us on the vast Internet, but there is a long way to go. I believe these authors make a valid point that IA will become increasingly relevant. In fact, I wouldn't doubt that in the future you will actually be able to obtain a BS in IA. Nonetheless, IA is around us everyday when we use technology no matter what we want call it.

The elements that make up IA are covered in "Part II - Basic Principles of IA." The basis of IA is the interaction or retrieval of information in terms of organization systems, labeling systems, navigation systems, search systems, thesauri, controlled vocabularies, and metadata. What this basically means is, how do we categorize our data so that it makes sense, is easy to navigate and search, and is relevant or adaptable according to our users' vocabularies.

"Part III - Process and Methodology" helps one plan a path to your IA goals. For instance, developing a research management team to discuss such goals, your target audiences, functionality/deficiencies of your current IA system, and integrating other software, such as your customer management system (CMS).

My favorite topic here is the detailed discussion of "building vocabularies." This is something everybody needs to constantly perfect. An example of this is, two people can search for the same thing using two different criteria. How can can we build a vocabulary system that recognizes that?

Many research tools are discussed. My favorite technique, and it's so simple, is card sorting. Get some blank cards (20-25) and write on them the headings from categories, subcategories, and content within your site. Ask a user to sort this stack of cards into piles that make sense to him and have him label those cards using post-it notes. Make sure to tell them to think-out-loud and be sure to take notes. This will give you an idea of how one would "travel" through your site, what is relevant, and what should not be on your homepage, etc.

The authors take the reader through the process of the IA development cycle, from concept, to getting managers to buy-in, to the implementation and administration of the system; very thorough.

The hands-on aspects of IA are explained in "Part IV - IA in Practice." One thing I found insightful was how one could pursue an official education in the area of IA, albeit there is no such degree. To gain a competitive advantage, the authors suggest obtaining a degree in Library and Information Science (LIS) or Human-Computer Interaction (HCI).

At the end of chapter 15, there is a list of position titles making up an ideal IA team.
This list may prove helpful for potential readers to get a better understanding of what IA is comprised of.

1) Strategy Architect - responsible for overall design goals and integration

2) Thesaurus Designer - develops classification schemes, controlled vocabularies, and thesauri

3) Controlled Vocabulary Manager - manages the evolution of controlled vocabularies and coordinates the indexing specialists team

4) Indexing Specialist - tags content and services with controlled vocabulary metadata

5) Interaction Designer - creates navigation schemes and page layouts with a focus on user interaction

6) IA Software Analyst - links the IA and IT teams, focusing on ways to leverage software to create, manage, and drive the user experience

7) IA Usability Engineer - focuses on intersection of usability and IA by conducting studies that isolate IA elements, such as category labels or metadata.

8) Cartographer - converts patterns in content, structure, and usage into maps, guides, indexes, and other useful navigational tools.

9) Search Analyst - leads the design, improvement, and ongoing analysis of search system.

"PART V - IA in the Organization" was a little dry for my tastes and irrelevant to me. May be very helpful for someone in a large bureaucratic organization that wants to implement their IA concepts.

The moral of the story is that "site builders" must employ multiple info retrieval methods and tightly integrate them. Everyone searches, browses, scans, and finds info differently; accommodate them.

This book is very comprehensive and even deals with the politics of IA. To me, the book gets a little long at times, but if your life evolves around information somehow, this is an essential read.

Excellent reference.......2007-06-12

The topic of the Polar Bear is very defined and focused, and the book reflects this. It's a bit dry - reads much like stereo instructions - but for someone who is dedicated to exploring content and information architecture in depth, there's simply no better reference.

I wouldn't call this a good primer, but I'd definitely recommend it for more advanced reading, and definitely as a reference book.

Very biased book.......2007-06-02

In general, this book contains some useful yet common sense information. This book is more about how to become a talker than a worker. I read through and found the first half confirmed my experience and the second half is a bust. If you want to become an office politician, this is a must have.

Book Description

Ghosts Pounding the Wall, A Book from the Sky, and Five Series of Repetitions formed Xu Bing's first show in the United States. He hs since been named a MacArthur Fellow and had an exhibiton at the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Smithsonian Institution in 2001.

Distributed by the University of Wisconsin Press for the Elvehjem Museum of Art

Book Description

It's pretty simple, really: All you want are good digital pictures and a way to keep track of them--without becoming a computer expert or professional photographer. If that's your story, this book is the answer to your prayers. Eschewing a raft of technical details and advanced editing techniques for need-to-know basics, this volume provides everything you require to begin managing your photo life using Photoshop Album 2.0. After providing a quick introduction to the world of digital photography, veteran author Michael Slater--who also happens to be one of Photoshop Album's creators--shows you how to get and store photos, organize and find them, perform simple image correction tasks (for example, cropping and sharpening photos), create fun projects (video CDs, print and electronic cards, calendars, etc.), print digital photos (at home, online, or at retail processors), and share your favorite shots. Throughout, the focus is on keeping it simple and fun while taking advantage of all of Photoshop Album 2.0's cool features.

Customer Reviews:

Great Companion Book.......2006-11-05

The Adobe Photoshop Album 2.0 Book is an excellent companion for the program. It is written in a simple, factual style and offers insights to program features that would otherwise be difficult to find without hours of exploration. I am glad I bought this book.

more than just the "missing manual".......2004-04-07

When I got this book, I was already an experienced user of digital cameras and Photoshop Album. But I still learned a lot. Apart from every detail you might want on how to get the best from the software, there's lots of interesting background on digital imaging. It's written in a very readable style, which encourages you to do more than dip in to look things up.

Throroughly recommended!

Average customer rating:
The Adobe Photoshop Album 2.0 Book: Engjoying Digital Photography
Michael Slater
Manufacturer: Adobe Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Adobe Photoshop | Digital Photography & Video | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000OUBGG8

Book Description

Contains The Dilbert Principle, Dogbert's Top Secret Management Handbook, and The Dilbert Future

The three most hilarious Dilbert audiobook, presented in a slip-cased boxed set.

Customer Reviews:

(Almost) Every Novel by Scott Addams in a cassete tape.......1999-11-28

For those Scott Addams fans out there, I'm sure you've all read Scott Addams' famous humor novels. Like THE DILBERT FUTURE, THE JOY OF WORK, and DOGBERT'S TOP SECRET MANAGMENT HANDBOOK. Even though you've read these, hearing it read by Addams himself is almost completley different from reading his work. You get a sense of emotion and meaning that you can't get with bland text. This collection is an excellent addition to any Dilbert fan's stock.

Book Description

"Experimental text exploring relationship between literary writing and ethnogrpahic writing through conversations between an experienced ethnographer and a novelist, also spouses, over their joint travels."

Customer Reviews:

Liz James Artscene's First Book Review , by permission.......2006-02-07

I recommend this book enthusiastically, for several reasons: First, amid the helter skelter of my own life, I treasure books I can enjoy in segments. Second, I enjoy books which I consider well written, and third, I relish non fiction books that read like imaginative prose but are actually non fiction works. TRAVELS WITH ERNEST meets each of these criteria. Savoring, dipping into this book, is a joy. TRAVELS WITH ERNEST enabled me, a compulsive stay-at-home, to see distant places. For example, as I write it's deep winter in Ohio, 2006, and I'm writing about Laurel and Ernest's ninth soujourn at St. Petersburg Beach, Florida in March 2002. Laurel, an accomplished poet, writes first, revealing her sharp yet lyrical talent for descriptive prose. It's her first trip since 9/11 and she breathes deeply "imagining millions of zaps of the happiness potions that live in the sea, some call them 'negative ions.'" She describes the GulfGate Condos as "color coordinated, swirls of turquoise, shrimp, and shells on the Wall Tex, chair covers, upholstery, pictures, dishes, towels, sheets. I sink into the comfort of the cliche." We're allowed to relish a visit to Evander Preston's jewelry store where Ernest buys Laurel "a pair of gold earrings, flat and smooth with wrinkled edges like the sea." In Ernest's account they revisit the Don Cesar Hotel which used to be a haunt of Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald. Coincicentally, they want to see President George W. Bush and his motorcade drive up to the Don Cesar for a $25,000 a plate fundraiser. As two retired profesors they exchange hilarious wisecracks about the price! They also intend to have lunch in an ice cream parlor which was once named Zelda's, but they have to settle for the new Uncle Andy's. Ernest, who is an aficianado of--indeed, an expert on--F.Scott Fitzgerald's THE GREAT GATSBY, describes the scene with accuracy and literary elan. As Laurel puts it, "Ernest can riff." He describes the Don Cesar as "our goal the flamingo pink mirage shimmering up ahead in the Florida heat, gigantic yet fragile looking, a Hansel and Gretel castle that might at any moment dissolve like sherbet into the Gulf of Mexico." Laurel asks Ernest whether he remembers George W. Bush at Yale. This sets Ernest off on a riotous yet highly informative ramble on those Yale days, 1963-71, when Ernest was assistant professor of English there. He recalls "classrooms full of good looking kids who'd rather discuss yachts than Yeats, most of them looking like, oh, clones of the Kingston Trio." Ernest writes skillfully, fearlessly about the then-new New Criticism and explains how and why N.C. eventually contaminated--yes, nearly murdered--the craft of literature, yea, education. Here is a marvelous expose, a must, for a throng of serious writers who have been suffering in silence and wondering for some time what really went wrong. In TRAVELS WITH ERNEST the authors break down societal barriers of alienation by sharing their conversations, thoughts, experiences. It's the actual story of two people who love each other and share their work and their lives. I treasure this book. It's kind of like reality TV, but the ideas are more exciting, and the language is platinum. REVIEWER: Elizabeth Ann James

This review was written by Bev Hogue for the OHIOANA QUARTERLY, Summer 2005, pp.224-5, quoted by permission.......2005-08-13

TRAVELS WITH ERNEST could be called Travels with Ernest Hemingway, James Joyce, William Shakespeare, T.S. Eliot, and William Butler Yeats, for its unique travel narratives are informed by a wide range of literary works. At one point Ernest Lockridge muses on his tendency to follow the footsteps of famous authors: "Myth and literature help order and direct your life, so you're not just traveling fecklessly about. They're like a map. We're able to map ourselves onto literature and onto myth." Lockridge and his wife, Laurel Richardson, travel with and without maps in TRAVELS WITH ERNEST, a hybrid volume combining travel narratives from two distinct perspectives. Lockridge and Richardson are both authors and emeritus professors at Ohio State University, Lockridge in English and creative writing and Richardson in sociology and cultural studies. For this book, they traveled to places as different as Death Valley, Beirut, and Ireland, each writing about the trip from his or her individual perspective; the book also includes transcripts of their conversations about the trips and the writing process. Ernest's essays, Laurel's essays, and the couple's conversations work together to triangulate in on exotic places and the process by which people come to know the world. Richardson describes their method: "Experiencing, writing, conversing, rewriting, conversing, writing. Although we agree on what we see, we have a different edge, a different take on experience." Most interesting are those forays that take the writers off the map entirely. Over and over again the map has been lost or left behind, but our intrepid explorers stumble on stubbornly, ending up lost or imperiled. Even while exploring familiar terrain, they discover hidden hazards. Lockridge, for instance, is haunted by memories of his father, novelist Ross Lockridge, who wrote RAINTREE COUNTY, a classic of mid-century Midwestern literature, and then committed suicide at the peak of his success. The terrain they travel is both exotic and familiar: a high-rise apartment building in Russia where they encounter cherished family members; a tiny apartment in Copenhagen that evokes memories of their student days; an ancient castle in Ireland that bears a family name. Wherever they travel--Beirut, Copenhagen, Shenandoah--they find their people, their history, themselves. And they also find Ohio. Lockridge describes Ireland's Midlands as "a dead ringer for Ohio on our best day of the year." Even while looking over Yeats's acclaimed Lake Isle of Innisfree, Lockridge finds an island paradise that looks familiar: "Thick with trees and shrubs it's the size of my back yard in Worthington, Ohio." Whatever maps its authors may follow, TRAVELS WITH ERNEST leads right back home.

Not Just for Academics.......2004-12-04

I loved this book! Lockridge's humor pulled me in and Richardson's lyrical writing kept me reading. This is a book that cuts a broad swath through an academic couple's life. It took me to places I had never seen, made me think about my marriage in new ways and examine my career history with fresh eyes. Travels with Ernest is unique, compelling, and provocative. I highly recommend it.

Average customer rating:
Mats Sundin

Manufacturer: Key Porter Books Ltd ,Canada
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Sports | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1552631729

Book Description

Drafted first overall by the Quebec Nordiques in 1989, Mats Sundin immediately established himself as one of the most exciting players in the NHL. His perfect combination of skill, size, and speed make him almost impossible for other teams to contain. Since being traded to Toronto in 1994 for fan favourite Wendel Clark, Sundin's rise has been meteoric. Toronto's leading scorer every year since he joined the team, in 1997 he became the first European to captain the Leafs. In this book, general editor Scott Morrison and writer Lance Hornby provide a fascinating look at one of hockey's greatest stars. Illustrated with over 75 colour photos and filled with interesting statistics, this is the perfect gift for any Leafs fan. (2000)

Mats Sundin (Hockey Heroes Biography Series) (Hockey Heroes)

Average customer rating:

Mats Sundin

Mats Sundin (Hockey Heroes Biography Series) (Hockey Heroes)
Kerry Banks
Manufacturer: Sterling
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Hockey | Sports | Subjects | Books

Hockey | Biographies | Sports | Subjects | Books

General | Sports | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1550546422

Book Description

Big, smooth-talking, and one of the most successful scorers in the NHL, Mats Sundin of the Toronto Maple Leafs has all the ingredients to become a megastar. The Swedish-born Sundin has already made history by becoming the first European ever to be selected as the number-one pick in the NHL entry draft and to become captain of the Maple Leafs. With explosive action photography, check out this player at the peak of his profession. In prose perfect for 9-to 11-year olds, and written by an award-winning sports columnist, follow Sundin's early days playing hockey on outdoor rinks, his rise through the ranks of the Swedish National team, and his entry into the high-powered world of the NHL. Sundin's own words, as well as those of his coaches, teammates and rivals, will give young readers a sense not only of his strengths as a hockey player, but also of his personality both on and off the ice. 48 pages, 24 color illus., 6 1/2 x 8.

Customer Reviews:

Mats Sundin.......2000-05-03

I think that this was a good book because Mats Sundin IS the BEST! It shows a lot of colorful pictures and a lot of interseting facts!

Book Description

In 1967, a young E. Michael Helms boarded a bus to the legendary grounds of Parris Island, where mere boys were forged into hardened Marines -- and sent to the jungles of Vietnam. It was the first stop on a journey that would forever change him -- and by its end, he would be awarded the Purple Heart Medal, Combat Action Ribbon, Presidential Unit Citation, Navy Unit Citation, and the Vietnam Cross of Gallantry.

From the brutality and endurance-straining ordeals of boot camp to the endless horror of combat, Helms paints a vivid, unflinchingly realistic depiction of the lives of Marines in training and under fire. As powerful and compelling a battlefield memoir as any ever written, Helms's "grunt's-eye" view of the Vietnam War, the men who fought it, and the mindless chaos that surrounded it, is truly a modern military classic.

Download Description

"In 1967, a young E. Michael Helms boarded a bus to the legendary grounds of Parris Island, where mere boys were forged into hardened Marines -- and sent to the jungles of Vietnam. It was the first stop on a journey that would forever change him -- and by its end, he would be awarded the Purple Heart Medal, Combat Action Ribbon, Presidential Unit Citation, Navy Unit Citation, and the Vietnam Cross of Gallantry. From the brutality and endurance-straining ordeals of boot camp to the endless horror of combat, Helms paints a vivid, unflinchingly realistic depiction of the lives of Marines in training and under fire. As powerful and compelling a battlefield memoir as any ever written, Helms's ""grunt's-eye"" view of the Vietnam War, the men who fought it, and the mindless chaos that surrounded it, is truly a modern military classic."

Customer Reviews:

Simplistically Powerful - Inordinately Complex.......2004-06-16

Rarely does a book foster and inspire an epiphany within me. Yet, "Proud Bastards" by E. Michael Helms - a raw-edged, revealing account of life as a Marine, and service in the Vietnam war, took me to the edge of civilization and back again. Mr. Helms' style of personal narrative reveals not only a soldier's courage, fears, and sense of duty; but his own personal courage in facing and recounting his experiences to the reader who is propelled along the tumultuous currents of Helms' fascinating and riveting journey. I laughed with him, cried with him, touched, tasted and smelled the horrors of war, as well as felt the triumphs and loss of camaraderie through his poignant words. Helms' exquisite sense of timing, and his balance of the good times as well as the bad, combine to make his book a masterpiece weaving of complexities, confusions, brutality and horror; his relentless assault on one's senses - all forgiven through the comprehension of humanity's fragility. From this book, I could finally understand the kind of pain that I saw reflected in my own Father's eyes when he thought of his service in Vietnam. "Proud Bastards" will touch the heart of all patriots, and the soul of all humans in its reflections of indomitable will and courage - and the simplicity of a sunrise in the heroic heart of a soldier far from home.

Awsome Book.......2004-04-08

One of the best Marine Corp, and Vietnam related books that I have ever read. Really gives a sense of what the Marines and Vietnam were like. I would recommend it to anyone.

A banquet of emotions: I laughed, I cried, I mourned.......2004-02-15

"The Proud Bastards" is not about war; it's about a man who went to war, a 20th century hero's journey told with gut-wrenching truth. Follow Mike as he leaves his ordinary world, still an idealistic boy. Laugh as he endures often hilarious and grueling days of Marine boot camp. Then follow him on to the dark, frightening culture shock of war-torn Vietnam. It is an odyssey that takes you from boyhood dreams to adulthood's most gruesome reality. Not for males only, it is an insightful look into the soul of a young man as he faces the challenges of battle and brings home the precious elixir--life.

A Powerful Account.......2004-02-13

Never have I read a more gripping combat account. It's a wild, unfettered
ride. From the author's numbing, raunchy belittlement at Parris Island
Marine boot camp to fighting in a faraway country he found "luring, lovely,
and lethal," Helms pulls no punches. I especially like "Mikey's" biting,
insightful running dialogue with himself.

Often as I read a book I will pause and thumb through a few pages to see how
soon the chapter will end; perhaps because I've lost focus and I'm ready for
it to end. I never did that while reading "The Proud Bastards" because Mr.
Helms spared me the bother. He has the blessed knack to know when his
readers are ready for a chapter to end and he writes accordingly.

Helms is observant in other ways that made reading this book an adventure.
Seldom have I read a brutal war story graced with so many coloful
descriptive passages about the lay of the land: the trees, birds, mountains,
ocean, stars, and the weather. Such contrasting lends realism that "takes
the reader there." I think it both sets the stage for and respites the
gruesome battle scenes to follow.

I owe E. Michael Helms. He took me to Vietnam, showed me around, then got me
out of there when he knew it was time for both of us to leave. He is an
especially gifted writer, which "The Proud Bastards" proves abundantly.

I highly recommend this book.

A Terrific Read!.......2004-02-06

Helms' powerful writing style gripped me from the first page. A fast-paced, realistic account of what grunts went through during the war. I read the trade paperback version, and this one had the same emotional impact on me. I laughed about some of his experiences in boot camp, felt knotted inside through the Vietnam fighting, and am glad he survived and wrote his story. I've read many books about the Vietnam War, and this is by far the best.

Book Description

On 13 August 1990 members of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe filed a lawsuit against the State of Minnesota for interfering with the hunting, fishing, and gathering rights that had been guaranteed to them in an 1837 treaty with the United States. In order to interpret the treaty the courts had to consider historical circumstances, the intentions of the parties, and the treaty's implementation. The Mille Lacs Band faced a mammoth challenge. How does one argue the Native side of the case when all historical documentation was written by non-Natives? The Mille Lacs selected six scholars to testify for them. Published here for the first time, Charles Cleland, James McClurken, Helen Tanner, John Nichols, Thomas Lund, and Bruce White discuss the circumstances under which the treaty was written, the personalities involved in the negotiations and the legal rhetoric of the times, as well as analyze related legal conflicts between Natives and non-Natives.

Book Description

FLOW CYTOMETRY PRINCIPLES FOR CLINICAL LABORATORY PRACTICE

Quality Assurance for Quantitative Immunophenotyping

Marilyn A. Owens and Michael R. Loken

Flow Cytometry Principles for Clinical Laboratory Practice is an invaluable benchtop reference and introduction for first-time users of flow cytometry in clinical diagnostic laboratories. This manual provides authoritative coverage of accepted methods, quality controls, and standards for the cytometric analysis of clinical samples with particular relevance to CD4+ lymphocytes. CD4+ lymphocyte determination by immunophenotyping is the standard method for evaluating the status of HIV infection, and the single most frequent application of flow cytometry in a diagnostic setting.

Flow Cytometry Principles for Clinical Laboratory Practice will appeal to clinical laboratory technologists, medical practitioners, and cytometry lab directors in their role as instructors of new personnel. In addition, it is a valuable resource for clinical and biomedical researchers, establishing quantitative cytometric systems for studies in immunology and hematology.

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