資訊產品設計者在設計階段對資訊架構之認知

Abstract

在資訊服務蓬勃發展的時代，資訊架構學做為資訊產品內容與結構的設計指南，過去學者們亦多提倡資訊架構學對有效的資訊互動能發揮重要的功用。然而現今卻鮮少研究以設計者觀點探究資訊架構學應用在資訊產品設計過程之情形。為填補過往文獻之空隙，本研究旨在探討資訊產品設計者在設計過程中對資訊架構學的實踐與認知情況，瞭解設計者是如何使用資訊架構學中的概念與方法應用於設計階段中，以及設計者學習與傳承架構資訊的方法。 本研究使用半結構式深度訪談法，訪談18位來自臺灣北區某一大學負責校務資訊產品設計的職員，搭配資訊架構四大體系、使用者經驗要素模型、設計思維流程三個現存的模型作為研究對應的框架予以分析，以瞭解資訊產品設計者的設計流程，以及設計者對資訊架構的認知與重視程度。 本研究發現資訊產品設計者的設計流程，大致可歸納為「目標確立」、「資料分析」、「介面實作」、「開發建置」四個階段，在歷經流程中的各個階段時，受訪者則會依據資訊產品特質、合作關係、單位時程安排或習慣而有相應的處理細節。 在受訪者對於資訊架構的認知方面，絕大多數受訪者未曾聽過資訊架構之概念，但是在設計資訊產品的過程中依然會展現與實踐資訊架構學概念。本研究也發現，受訪者對於資訊架構四個體系亦有不同程度的重視，體現在其設計時考量的優先順序。在學習設計與架構資訊方法方面，受訪者的學習資訊來源包括網路或實體資源、人際網絡、學科養成、工作經歷，乃至於平時使用其他資訊產品所累積的生活經驗都是形塑受訪者對資訊產品設計概念。綜整以上研究發現，本研究亦提出資訊產品設計者之設計階段與資訊架構對應之概念框架，供實務工作者在執行設計流程中參考。 本研究透過實徵研究，理解設計者的設計流程與其對資訊架構學的實踐與認知情況，提出整合相關學說之框架詮釋設計者如何設計、建構網站等資訊產品之內容與元素，橋接現今資訊架構學在實務與學術之間的缺口，對資訊服務專業社群是為助益。

As the booming development of information services continues, Information Architecture (hereafter: IA) is commonly used as a design guide for planning and implementing an information product’s structure and content. Previous studies pointed out that IA plays an important role in enhancing the effectiveness of information interaction in information products such as websites. However, there is still a lack of research investigating how IA can be applied in the design process of information products from designers’ perspectives. In order to fulfill the gap, this study aims to explore information product designers’ perception and practices of IA in their design processes, so as to understand how designers apply the concept of IA during design, and how they learn and pass on the approaches of how information objects can be constructed. A semi-structured in-depth interview method was applied in this study. A total of 18 employees who are responsible for the design of school information products from a university of northern Taiwan were interviewed. Three existing models i.e., “IA four systems,” “the elements of user experience model,” and “design thinking process” were also adopted as the corresponding research frameworks to help analyze the interviews in order to understand the design process of designers, and their perception and awareness toward IA. Based on the interview results, the design process of information product designers could be summarized into four stages: “target establishment,” “data analysis,” “interface composition,” and “development and construction.” Throughout these stages, interviewees made different decisions according to the characteristics of the product, the relations of cooperation, the schedule or practice of the department, etc. In terms of the perception of IA, although the majority of the interviewees had never heard of the concept of IA, they would still practice the concept of IA while designing the information product during their design process. The study also found that interviewees paid different attention to the four systems of IA, which reflected in the priorities of their design considerations. As for the learning of design and structuring information, the learning sources of the interviewees include online or physical resources, personal networks, discipline background, working experience, and the experience accumulated from using other information products in their daily lives, which all shaped the interviewees’ concept of information product design. Based on the findings, this study also proposed a conceptual framework presenting information product designer’s design stage with IA, which could become a reference to design practitioners. This empirical uncovered the designers’ design process as well as their practice and perception of IA during their design works. By developing an integrated framework covering related theories, this study helps interpret how designers design and construct the content and elements of information products, which bridges the gap of IA between academic and practical communities. The results of this study would bring insights to information service professions and communities.