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

A.6. 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.

A.6.1. IA Institute Tools

http://iainstitute.org/tools

The IA Institute has organized quite a few sample documents within its Tools section.

A.6.2. 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.

A.6.3. 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.

A.6.4. IxDA Resource Library

http://resources.ixda.org

The IxDA Resource Library contains a growing repository of content about Patterns, Work Products, Software and Tools, Research, and more.

A.6.5. 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.