Information Architecture (IA) and Content Strategy

Information Architecture (IA) and content strategy (CS) play significant roles in improving user experience. The challenge lies in building the right content for users' needs. The solution is unifying design and content with IA and CS professionals—all working harmoniously together.

You’ll go from high-level conceptual thinking to real world practical designs in the organization of complex websites and projects. As part of this class you integrate SEO and accessibility initiatives to enhance content discovery, audits and analysis, content inventory and interaction behaviors, company user engagement, voice and tone assessment, content management systems (CMS), templates and microcopy in CS. In information architecture, you learn about mental models, task and user flows, sitemaps, and wayfinding. This course includes two projects: the first one is about content audit and chunking; the second one is related to tree testing by using Optimal Workshop, card sorting, labels, tags and taxonomies. There are two final presentations that can become part of your UX design portfolio.

Prerequisites:

Working knowledge of Figma or any other prototyping tool, as you will be required to prototype.

Course Outline

Course Objectives

UC Berkeley Extension designs the best possible online learning experience for you to prepare you for the skills and a quality portfolio to become a confident design professional.

Understand IA and content strategy define an online organization
Describe each planning phase of content strategy
Apply key UX concepts to real-world situations
Learn different verticals, products, brands, audiences and channels
Evaluate IA and content quality and discoverability through user research
Integrate SEO and accessibility initiatives to enhance content discoverability
Translate research findings into practical designs and content
Specify design and prototype optimized navigational systems, including labels, tags and taxonomies
Describe the role of a content management system (CMS), templates and microcopy in content strategy and identify related deliverables

What You Learn

You explore information architecture and content strategy—from research and development through governance. You then apply your high-level conceptual thinking to real-world practical designs in the organization of complex websites and UX projects. The final projects can become part of your UX design portfolio.

Planning phase of content strategy (CS)
Importance of IA for business, process, and stakeholders
User testing to understand user needs and behaviors
Best practices on design decisions
UX content strategy guiding concepts Introduction to content discovery, audits and analysis
Content inventory and interaction behaviors
Company user engagement
Voice and tone assessment
Content management systems (CMS)
Mental models and use cases
Synthesize user findings to create sitemap
SEO and accessibility
Audience engagement
Card sorting
Labels, tags and taxonomies
Tree tests
Wayfinding

How You Learn

We are online! All of the design classes are conducted online including: video classes, mentor-led learning and peer-to-peer support through our student online platform, Canvas.

Lectures
Discussions
Online demonstrations
Independent user research
Design and content strategy exercises
Individual and group assignments
Quizzes (at instructor's discretion)

Is This Course Right for Me?

This course is ideal for professionals and aspiring UX designers who want to further their career opportunities at a current employer, find a new job or grow their own business. Our experienced instructors monitor your development along with peer-to-peer support on our student online platform.

After completing this course, you are ready to take User Interface (UI) Design.

This course applies to the following programs:

Course Outline

Professional Program in User Experience (UX) Design

Required Courses

Electives

Notes

English Language Proficiency Requirements